Code of Maine Rules › 94 - INDEPENDENT AGENCIES › 457 - FINANCE AUTHORITY OF MAINE (FAME) › Chapter 619 - FOREIGN CREDENTIALING AND SKILLS RECOGNITION REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM › Section 457-619-1 - DEFINITIONS

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
A. Certain terms used in this rule, which are
				defined in the
Finance Authority of Maine Act
,
				10 M.R.S.A.
				§961
et seq
. and in 10
				M.R.S.A. Chapter 110, subchapter 13, shall have the meanings set forth therein,
				unless clearly specified otherwise or unless the context clearly indicates
				otherwise.
B.
Defined
				Terms
1. "Authority" means the Finance
				Authority of Maine
2. "Borrower"
				means any applicant who incurs indebtedness from the Authority for a loan under
				the program.
3. "Chief Executive
				Officer" means the chief executive officer of the Authority or a person acting
				under the supervisory control of the chief executive officer.
4. "Eligible costs" means the following costs
				incurred or to be incurred by an applicant prior to their obtaining a work
				permit and incurred or to be incurred for the purpose of improving the
				applicant's work-readiness once they obtain a work permit:
(a) Costs of translating into English any
				diplomas, transcripts, certifications or other proof of trainings or experience
				in trades, or other documents establishing courses studied or the completion of
				secondary school or of higher education at either the undergraduate or graduate
				level;
(b) Fees related to
				education evaluations establishing the equivalency level of education or
				experience attained abroad;
(c)
				Costs of translation into English of documents related to professional
				licenses, registrations or certifications of trainings or other experience
				obtained abroad;
(d) Costs of
				translation into English of letters of reference or recommendations related to
				education or experience obtained abroad;
(e) Fees related to test preparation courses
				or registration fees for a standard test of English as a foreign language such
				as the
Test of English as a Foreign Language
® (TOEFL) or
				other standardized test recognized worldwide that measures English language
				proficiency, when necessary for an immigrant's work;
(f) Expenses for employment or professional
				applications, certifications, licensing fees and related requirements for
				seeking employment, including but not limited to fingerprinting and required
				tests;
(g) Fees related to
				obtaining a Maine driver's license, including a commercial driver's license,
				including but not limited to driver's education course fees, learner's permit
				application fees and driver's license fees;
(h) Costs to travel to the nearest location
				of any exam or test needed to establish the applicant's skills or credentials
				or English language proficiency, such as the TOEFL, if there is no location
				within sixty miles of the Maine town in which the immigrant resides;
				and
(i) Costs of a filing fee
				required by the United States Department of Homeland Security, United States
				Citizenship and Immigration Services, or any successor federal agency, to apply
				for the immigrant's initial work permit.
5. "Fund" means the Foreign Credentialing and
				Skills Recognition Revolving Loan Program Fund established at
				10
				M.R.S.A. §1100-AA.
6. "Immigrant" means a person who:
(a) Is not a United States citizen;
(b) Has filed applications or petitions with
				the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services or with the immigration
				courts of the United States Department of Justice, Executive Office for
				Immigration Review or with any successor federal immigration authority
				entitling the person to request a work permit while the person's applications
				or petitions are pending; and
(c)
				Has received education, work experience or work training, or any combination,
				in a foreign country.
7.
				"Initial work permit" means the first work permit that the immigrant is
				authorized to apply for under 8 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 274a.12(c)
				(2019).
8. "Program" means the
				Foreign Credentialing and Skills Recognition Revolving Loan Program,
				established at
				10
				M.R.S.A. §1100-AA.
9. "Work permit" means a document provided by
				the United States Department of Homeland Security or any other federal
				immigration authority confirming a federal authorization of a person who is not
				a United States citizen to work in the United States.