Immigration advocates as well as community organizations on Tuesday are set to call for the approval of a bill that would enable immigrant New Yorkers to obtain professional licenses regardless of their legal status.

The push for the measure, in a letter to be released later on Tuesday backed by Sen. Gustavo Rivera and Assemblymember Catalina Cruz, is backed by dozens of organizations, who pointed to the unsettled employment environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic over the last two years and the need for a skilled workforce.

"As we continue to battle with financial losses and workforce shortages brought on by COVID-19, we need to use all the tools and creative avenues available to us to ensure we can recover from this health and economic crisis, including providing access to licensure to all New Yorkers," the letter to top lawmakers in the Legislature and Gov. Kathy Hochul stated.

Known as the Empire State Licensing Act, the measure is meant to remove current restriction that could block an immigrant New Yorker from obtaining a professional license in the state in order to become a nurse or teacher.

There are some temporary programs already put in place meant to get around those restrictions, such as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and the Temporary Protected Status programs. But those measures are considered by advocates to be temporary and limited — subject to change based on the political environment.

"As Congress works at the federal level to fix policies that restrict immigrants from participating fully in the nation’s workforce and economy, New York leaders have the power to override this unfair burden on the immigrant community," the letter stated.

New York in recent years has sought to boost the economic prospects of undocumented people living in the state, including a measure that granted access to driver's licenses and a fund for workers not included in federal pandemic aid.

The 45 organizations signing on to support the professional license proposal pointed to the economic impact of the move if given final approval.

"This bill would allow New York to access untapped talents and skills within the immigrant community and increase the state's competitive advantage by attracting more qualified professionals to the workforce," they wrote in the letter. "This is of increased importance as New York again led the nation in population decline and our population ages."