Job training and apprenticeships you can join without a work permit

This page is general information, not legal advice. Before you take any paid role, read Earning a living without a work permit: the complete guide.

Can I take job training without a work permit?

Yes. Taking a class is not working. California's in state tuition law, AB 540, was written for students without status, and many career classes at community colleges and adult schools cost nothing.

What you cannot do without a work permit is be hired as an employee, even as a trainee. That is the line to watch. Training that is part of a job, like an apprenticeship or a paid internship, needs work authorization. Training that is a class does not.

What is free at community colleges?

Noncredit classes. California community colleges offer noncredit classes in English, job skills, computers and short career programs. State law exempts students in designated noncredit courses from the enrollment fee (Education Code 76300(e)). Immigrants Rising notes that the vast majority of noncredit classes are tuition free (Roadmap from Noncredit to Credit Programs).

Noncredit has another benefit. Time in noncredit classes can count toward the three years of California schooling you need for AB 540, the law that lets many undocumented students pay in state tuition. You can combine high school, adult school and noncredit or credit classes to reach it.

Credit certificates. Many colleges offer career certificates in a semester or two: medical assisting, welding, auto technology, electrical, HVAC, early childhood education, cosmetology, accounting, coding and more. These are credit classes. The regular fee is $46 per unit, but:

• If you qualify for AB 540, you pay resident fees, not out of state tuition. See Can I pay in state tuition?
• The California College Promise Grant can cover enrollment fees for students who qualify, and the California Dream Act extends it to AB 540 students (California Community Colleges). Apply through the California Dream Act Application.
• Adult school students taking community college classes as special part time students do not pay nonresident tuition.

Ask the college's Dreamer Resource Liaison for help. Every community college must have one. See Paying for college in California, whatever your status.

What about adult schools?

Adult schools run by local school districts teach English, high school diplomas, GED prep, computer skills and short career classes. Many classes are free.

In San Mateo County, Sequoia Adult School in Menlo Park lists ESL, high school diploma, GED, career, business and computer classes, with GED, diploma, ESL, basic education and many vocational classes free. Adults 18 and over can enroll, and staff speak Spanish. That listing comes from the county's SMC Connect directory, so call the school to confirm.

Elsewhere, search your school district's name plus "adult school." Many adult schools also partner with a nearby community college.

What about apprenticeships?

A registered apprenticeship is a job with training. You sign a written apprentice agreement with an employer or program sponsor (Labor Code 3077), and you earn wages while you learn. Because you are hired, the employer must check your work papers on Form I-9. Without a work permit, you cannot join a registered apprenticeship.

Pre-apprenticeship programs prepare people for apprenticeships. They mix industry training with classes, and each registered one must link to at least one registered apprenticeship sponsor (California Division of Apprenticeship Standards). Some are free. But many require work authorization to enroll, because they lead straight into jobs. For example, Goodwill of Silicon Valley's free six week construction pre-apprenticeship in San Jose lists "legally authorized to work in the U.S." as a requirement (Goodwill of Silicon Valley).

So ask every program, before you apply, "Do I need a work permit to enroll?" Do not sign anything that says you have work authorization if you do not.

What about job centers and workforce boards?

Some training and job services at California's job centers (America's Job Center of California) are paid for under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Federal law limits participation in WIOA Title I programs to citizens and nationals, green card holders, refugees, asylees, parolees and other immigrants authorized to work (29 U.S.C. 3248(a)(5)). Ask the job center which of its services are paid for under WIOA Title I and which are open to you.

If you have a work permit, these centers can help a lot. If you do not, focus on community colleges, adult schools and nonprofit programs.

Can I do an unpaid internship or volunteer?

Be careful here. The line between volunteering and working is not always clear, and no official guide settles it for immigration purposes. Our suggestion: treat any unpaid internship at a business, and any role that pays a stipend or gift cards, as possible work until a lawyer tells you otherwise.

Before you take an internship, fellowship or volunteer role that looks like a job, talk with an immigration attorney or a DOJ accredited representative. See Free legal help in the Bay Area. Students can also read What you can do after college without a work permit.

Can training lead to work I can do?

Yes. The most common path is training for a skill you can sell as your own business, not as an employee.

• Many state licenses are open to you. California boards in the Department of Consumer Affairs may not deny you a license because of your status, and you can apply with an ITIN. That includes cosmetology, barbering, contractors and many trades. See Can I get a professional license in California without a Social Security number?
• Some health certificates accept an ITIN. A 2018 law requires the state to accept an ITIN for certified nurse assistant, home health aide, EMT and hemodialysis technician certificates. Getting the certificate is allowed. Working in a clinic or hospital as an employee still needs work papers.
• Self employment. Cleaning, landscaping, catering, beauty, repair, tutoring, translation, design and coding are common. See How to earn money working for yourself and Free small business coaching in the Bay Area.

Pick training with the end in mind. Ask: "After this certificate, can I work for myself in this field, or does it only lead to jobs?"

What if I have a work permit?

Then almost everything opens up: registered apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, paid internships, job centers and WIOA training. If your work permit comes from DACA, TPS or a pending case, check its end date before you start a long program, and renew on time. See What happens to my job if my DACA work permit ends? and Renew your work permit while your case is pending.

How do I pick a good program?

Ask these questions:

• Is it free? If not, what is the full cost, including books, tools and exams?
• Do I need a Social Security number, ITIN or work permit to enroll?
• Does it lead to a certificate or license? Which one?
• Can graduates work for themselves in this field?
• Is it taught in my language, or does it offer English support?
• What schedule does it have? Can I keep earning while I study?

Watch out for private schools that charge thousands up front, promise jobs, or say they can get you a work permit. A school cannot give you work authorization. See Warning signs of an immigration scam.

Questions people ask

Will the college report me to immigration? California colleges have rules that limit sharing student information. See ICE and college records: your rights on a California campus.

Can I get a certificate if I do not speak much English? Yes. Start with free ESL at an adult school or noncredit program. Many colleges also offer career classes with English support.

I am over 18 and never finished high school. Can I still train? Yes. Adult schools offer high school diplomas and GED prep. Community colleges may admit adults over 18 without a diploma who can benefit from the classes (Education Code 76000).

Who can help?

Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• Your nearest community college: ask for the noncredit office, career education office or Dreamer Resource Liaison.
• Sequoia Adult School (San Mateo County): 3247 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park. SMC Connect listing
• Immigrants Rising: free guides on noncredit programs, careers and working for yourself. immigrantsrising.org
• California Division of Apprenticeship Standards: information on apprenticeships for people with work permits. dir.ca.gov/das
• Free immigration legal help: Free legal help in the Bay Area