North Dakota’s Office of Legal Immigration held its first ever North Dakota Global Talent Summit in Bismarck this week.
People from government and industry, as well as immigration experts, shared the critical role of foreign workers, to fill the open jobs in the state.
"Our office has been getting calls foe the last couple of years within the Commerce Department," said Department Workforce Director Katie Rolston-Howe. "When we started the Office of Legal Immigration, those calls ramped up."
Rolslton-Howe said people are eager to learn about this.
"Everybody's looking for workforce solutions," Rolston-Howe said. "This is a unique way we're able to help them find the answers they're looking for."
She said businesses are not only looking to recruit immigrants as workers, they are exploring ways to add some diversity to their communities.
"These are friends and neighbors that we're welcoming to North Dakota," Rolston-Howe said. "They're great employees, too."
The immigration office was created by Legislative action in 2023.
"Actually, I was hoping for quicker progress," said Sen. Tim Mathern (D-Fargo), who authored the bill. "In North Dakota, we need immigrants. We need them, and they need us."
Mathern said the state is on the right track, in terms of the business community and government officials, that we need more workers. He said he has some ideas to present to the next Legislative session, including more staff, and beefing up the recruitment effort. One is to increase staff, and another is to step up recruitment. He also suggests funding for non-profit organizations, like "CATCH," that are looking at ways to help communities be welcoming.
"It's not just bringing people in, but it's a matter of our small communities figuring out a way to be welcoming, and encouraging, so these people feel comfortable in staying here," Mathern said.
"
