Immigration paralegal is growing day by day, In today’s globalized world, where immigration has become a lot open. It helps their clients in naturalizing in their new country and become legal residents. They assist clients in properly immigrating to a country. They work not for just private individuals but also for non-profit organizations and government agencies. You can get all your desire information about Law School as well.
The biggest hurdle for immigrants in settling in a new country is the language. A lot of people do not have an understanding of more than one language and that’s why they struggle in adapting to a new country and face legal hurdles as well. This is why there is a need for Immigration paralegals in immigration law.
These paralegals help out the clients by explaining changes to the law, advise them and they make sure that their clients choose the best course of action. Since the service which they perform is essential and demand is ever increasing, the salary is increasing as well!
Mainly Paralegals are a type of assistants in legal offices. They provide support to Attorney, government agencies, corporations by researching legal components, engaging in a legal investigation, and preparing legal documents.
Paralegals spend their most of time in the following tasks-
- Case management involves coordination and organization on time.
- Interviewing clients and maintaining contact with them under Attorney supervision.
- Analyzing legal documents and offering the best solutions.
- Summarising legal documents, testimonials, and proceedings.
- Assisting and advising during the trial.
- Drafting and signing legal correspondence that contains information but does not consist of legal advice.
- Locating and interviewing witnesses.
- Assisting lawyers and Attorneys.
Salary for immigration paralegal
What is an Immigration Paralegal?
Immigration paralegals help attorneys who represent immigrants. They often draft motions, translate foreign documents, prepare notes for immigration hearings, and research statutes and other laws in their jurisdiction. Other duties include helping clients fill out forms and getting proper documentation so they can obtain citizenship, a green card, or a visa. They also have to determine if clients seeking asylum are eligible for refugee status.
Education
You can earn an associate or bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies, or you can earn a bachelor’s in another field and obtain a paralegal certificate. If immigration is your chosen field, your courses will include:
- Admissibility
- Asylum
- Deportation
- Family visas
- Naturalization
- Non-immigrant visa categories and requirements
- Work visas and preference categories
Other Skills
It is helpful (and sometimes required depending on the employer) if immigration paralegals speak at least one other language, especially Spanish. Immigrants do not usually speak English, and in order to help properly help them, you need to be able to easily communicate.
Employers
Besides law firms, immigration paralegals often work for the American Bar Association, government agencies, and non-profit organizations.
Job Growth and Salary
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national median salary for paralegals is $44,950, but can vary greatly depending on location and specialization. The Bureau believes this profession will grow 17% through 2022. This is because many law firms are hiring paralegals to reduce costs.
Board of Immigration Certification
If you decide to work as an immigration paralegal, you can be recognized as a specialist in this field by earning the Board of Immigration certification issued by the Immigration Legal Resource Center. To do this, you must complete a 40-hour training course that is available in some states.
Other Certifications
Paralegal certification is not mandatory, however, it can give you more professional credibility, more employment opportunities, and higher earning potential. Here are other certifications you can obtain:
National Association of Legal Assistants – In order to take this exam, you must meet several requirements. They include:
- Having an associate or bachelor degree in paralegal studies
- A high school diploma or G.E.D. plus seven years’ work experience
The exam takes two days to complete and subject areas include Communications, Ethics, and Legal Research.
National Federation of Paralegal Association – Requirements for this exam include:
- An associate degree in paralegal studies earned at an accredited school and six years’ paralegal work experience
- A bachelor’s degree in any field and at least three years’ work experience as a paralegal
The exam is two-tiered and includes ethics and general legal issues.
The National Association for Legal Professionals – This exam is issued by NALS, and they offer three certifications:
ALS (basic certification) – To take this exam, you need to have completed an accredited business or legal course, the NALS training course, or have one year office experience.
PP – This exam is designed only for paralegals. If you do not have a degree, you must have five years’ work experience before you are eligible to take it. Those that have a degree only need three years’ work experience for eligibility.
PLS (advanced) – Anyone who has at least three years’ experience working in the legal field can sit for this exam.
This is just about everything you need to know in order to become an immigration paralegal. If you would like to learn more about this topic or about the other types of paralegals, contact us. We will be glad to educate you further about this great career.