Rian Immigrant Center
Rian Immigrant Center is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free immigration legal services, counseling, and J-1 visa sponsorship to immigrants, refugees, and asylees from more than 125 countries each year.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Rian Immigrant Center does
Rian Immigrant Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1989 (originally as the International Irish Immigration Center) and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It is Boston's designated "Welcome Center for Immigrants and Refugees," providing free or low-cost immigration legal services, resource and support services, and a U.S. Department of State–designated J-1 visa sponsorship program to immigrants, refugees, and asylees from more than 125 countries. Core programs include family-based petitions, VAWA, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, naturalization, TPS, DACA, U/T visas, and work authorization, supported by on-site clinics at Boston Public Library branches and inside partner healthcare facilities, plus an annual intake of approximately 2,000 legal consultations and 800 full case representations.
The organization has no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is human-mediated through attorneys, social workers, and trained paralegals. Its operating model is an integrated services-and-advocacy stack: legal representation, confidential counseling and wrap-around case management, intercultural programming, and policy advocacy (including the Safe Communities Act and Work and Family Mobility Act). A distinctive feature is the medical-legal partnership model with Boston Medical Center and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, embedding immigration attorneys inside clinical settings. The Learning Exchange Program, launched in 2008, has sponsored 5,000+ Irish graduates on J-1 visas.
Revenue is composed of individual and corporate donations, foundation and IOLTA grants (Massachusetts Bar Foundation), Irish Government Emigrant Support Programme funding, and J-1 program sponsorship fees, with no disclosed financial statements. The organization is governed by an independent Board of Directors and an Advisory Board. In 2020 it spearheaded the Massachusetts Immigrant Collaborative — a 15-organization statewide coalition that has served over 120,000 individuals — and in 2025 it rebranded from IIIC to "Rian" (Gaeilge for "pathway"), installed a new Executive Director (Kevin Mawe), and continues to deepen its service footprint within Massachusetts.
Rian Immigrant Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rian Immigrant Center
- Legal name
- Rian Immigrant Center
- Website
- https://riancenter.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rian Immigrant Center is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free immigration legal services, counseling, and J-1 visa sponsorship to immigrants, refugees, and asylees from more than 125 countries each year.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rian Immigrant Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Immigration Legal and Social Services
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Immigration Law (BPAHAAAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG), Immigration Support Services (Translations, Certified Copies, Biometrics, Medicals) (THACAKAH), Family & School System Navigation (Parent Engagement, Youth Services) (EDAAADAH)
Keywords
Where Rian Immigrant Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rian Immigrant Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Rian Immigrant Center relies primarily on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization promotes donations through its website and social media campaigns, including matching donation campaigns.
- Government and Foundation Grants: The organization receives IOLTA grants through the Massachusetts Bar Foundation and support from the Irish Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Support Programme. Grants support immigration legal services and resource and support services.
- J-1 Visa Program Sponsorship Services: The Learning Exchange Program sponsors J-1 Irish Work and Travel visas for Irish students and graduates, providing visa sponsorship services as part of their international exchange mission.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free Legal Consultations |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Rian Immigrant Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rian Immigrant Center provides free or low-cost immigration legal services (consultations and full case representation before USCIS and federal agencies), resource and support services (confidential counseling, advocacy, and accompaniment), and a U.S. Department of State-designated J-1 Irish Work and Travel visa sponsorship program for Irish students and graduates. The Boston-based nonprofit serves more than 3,500 immigrant and refugee families from over 125 countries annually, with multilingual service capacity in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and French.
Product overview
The Rian Immigrant Center offers a comprehensive suite of services as a single integrated nonprofit organization. The core offerings include Immigration Legal Services (providing free consultations and case representation for over 2,000 clients annually), Resource and Support Services (confidential counseling and advocacy), and the Learning Exchange Program (J-1 Irish Work and Travel visa sponsorship). These are supported by Advocacy efforts for policy reform, Advancing Racial Equity & Building Community programming, free Legal Clinics at Boston Public Libraries, and Consultation services. The organization serves immigrants and refugees from over 120 countries, empowering them toward stability, security, and opportunity.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Immigration Legal Services
- Resource and Support Services
- Learning Exchange Program (J-1 Irish Work and Travel Visa)
- Advocacy
- Advancing Racial Equity & Building Community
Quantifiable outcome
- 3,500+ families served annually from 125+ countries
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Rian Immigrant Center
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Rian Immigrant Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Rian Immigrant Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.
- Arbella InsuranceminorSolas 2025 event sponsor.
- Rasky PartnersminorSolas 2025 event sponsor.
- Iandoli, Desai & CroninminorSolas 2025 event sponsor.
- Massachusetts Immigrant Collaborative (MIC)coreSpearheaded by Rian Immigrant Center in response to COVID-19 pandemic. Now includes 15 organizations throughout Massachusetts providing emergency financial support, food assistance, immigration legal services, vaccine access, and workforce development. Has served over 120,000 individuals since April 2020. Member organizations include Agencia ALPHA, Boston Chinatown Network, Brazilian Workers Center, Caribbean Youth Center, Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores, Centro Presente, Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, INCA Relief, Immigrant Family Services Institute, MetroWest Workers Center, New North Citizen Council, Pioneer Valley Workers Center, and Sociedad Latina.
- Boston Medical CentercoreMedical-legal partnership providing dedicated, onsite immigration legal services for BMC patients in need of immigration counsel and representation. Rian attorney Jackie Kelley featured in Health City article on life-saving work connecting immigrants with healthcare access.
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute / Boston Children's Cancer & Blood Disorders CentercoreMedical-legal partnership assisting immigrant and refugee patients to have better health outcomes through immigration legal services.
- Health Law AdvocatesmajorPartnership supporting immigrant patients with health-related legal issues and healthcare access advocacy.
- Boston Public SchoolsmajorPartnership providing immigration legal services and support for immigrant students in Boston public schools.
- Mayor's Office for Immigrant AdvancementmajorCity partnership supporting Boston Public Library legal clinics and immigrant services across Boston.
- Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA)coreCollaborative advocacy work for comprehensive immigration reform and immigrant protections at state level. Rian staff member Slandy Sanon graduated from MIRA's inaugural Colibri Fellowship training in immigration law.
- Irish Pastoral CentermajorPartnership working alongside Irish immigrant community support services.
- Coalition of Irish Immigration Centers (CIIC)majorNational coalition connecting Irish community in Boston with critical services and programming.
- Rosie's PlacemajorPartnership supporting homeless women and families, and survivors of domestic violence.
- American Immigration Lawyers Association – New England ChapterminorProfessional association supporting immigration legal practice in New England.
- Massachusetts Law Reform InstituteminorImmigration coalition advocacy and policy work.
- Massachusetts League of Community Health CentersminorPartnership supporting community health center immigration services.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Rian Immigrant Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ascentria Care Alliance: Massachusetts and New England nonprofit delivering refugee resettlement, immigration legal aid, and social services. Comparable scale, geography, and service portfolio to Rian.
- Centro Presente: Massachusetts-based Latinx immigrant rights organization offering advocacy and support services. Member of the Massachusetts Immigrant Collaborative alongside Rian, with overlapping mission and constituency.
- International Institute of New England (IINE): New England-based nonprofit providing refugee resettlement, immigration legal services, and education for newcomers. Highly comparable in mission, geography, and service mix to Rian Immigrant Center.
- Project Citizenship: Boston-based nonprofit focused specifically on helping legal permanent residents become U.S. citizens. Comparable in geography and target population, with overlapping naturalization services.
- Jewish Vocational Service (JVS Boston): Boston-based nonprofit offering immigration legal services, workforce development, and refugee support. Directly competes with Rian for similar immigrant client populations in the Boston metro.
Broad incumbents
- International Rescue Committee (IRC): Global humanitarian organization providing refugee resettlement, immigration legal services, and integration support. Comparable services but operates at much larger scale and across many states.
- HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society): International Jewish refugee resettlement and immigration legal services organization. Comparable legal aid and resettlement services but operates nationally and globally rather than regionally.
- US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI): National nonprofit supporting refugees and immigrants through resettlement, legal services, and advocacy. Direct overlap with Rian's legal and advocacy services but at multi-state scale.
- Catholic Charities Boston: Large multi-service Boston-area nonprofit offering immigration legal services alongside a much broader social services portfolio. Overlaps with Rian on immigration legal aid but operates as a broader incumbent.
Emerging players
- Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA): Statewide advocacy and policy organization for immigrants and refugees. Rian is a member of MIRA's network and collaborates on advocacy; less direct service overlap but comparable mission.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rian Immigrant Center social profiles
Digital presenceRian Immigrant Center compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Rian Immigrant Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rian Immigrant Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Rian Immigrant Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rian Immigrant Center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rian Immigrant Center
What does Rian Immigrant Center do?
Rian Immigrant Center provides free or low-cost immigration legal services (consultations and full case representation before USCIS and federal agencies), resource and support services (confidential counseling, advocacy, and accompaniment), and a U.S. Department of State-designated J-1 Irish Work and Travel visa sponsorship program for Irish students and graduates. The Boston-based nonprofit serves more than 3,500 immigrant and refugee families from over 125 countries annually, with multilingual service capacity in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and French.
Is Rian Immigrant Center a public or private company?
Rian Immigrant Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Rian Immigrant Center founded?
Rian Immigrant Center was founded in 1989. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rian Immigrant Center based?
Rian Immigrant Center is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rian Immigrant Center make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are government and Foundation Grants and J-1 Visa Program Sponsorship Services.
Who are Rian Immigrant Center's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ascentria Care Alliance, Centro Presente, International Institute of New England (IINE), Project Citizenship and Jewish Vocational Service (JVS Boston). Broad incumbents are International Rescue Committee (IRC), HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society), US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) and Catholic Charities Boston. Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Rian Immigrant Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rian Immigrant Center.
What industry is Rian Immigrant Center in?
Rian Immigrant Center's product category is Immigration Legal and Social Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAAAL, Immigration Law, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAI, Refugee & Immigrant Support Services. Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8111.