North Dakota turns to legal immigration to solve workforce shortage

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(The Center Square) - North Dakota is incentivizing legal immigration to recruit workers and address the workforce shortages affecting the state.

In August 2025, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce categorized North Dakota on its worker shortage index as the “most severe” in the country. The category was defined by the fact that the state had 47 available workers for every 100 open jobs.

However, in order to address the labor shortage, state lawmakers created incentives encouraging businesses to pursue legal immigration pathways to recruit workers.

In 2023, the North Dakota Legislative Assembly passed a bill creating the Global Talent Office, which connects state employers with immigrant workers.

The bill is designed to specifically address health care immigrant recruits and provide a central immigrant hub for financial, legal and housing needs immigrants to the state face.

“North Dakota’s rural geography and smaller population base makes it harder to attract and retain skilled workers, especially in specialized sectors like healthcare, manufacturing and skilled trades,” said Kim Schmidt, communications manager for the Global Talent Office.

The Global Talent Office’s main goals are to educate employers on visa options and recruitment channels, support integration efforts for immigrants in the community and create partnerships between legal experts and recruitment agencies.

The talent office hosts agricultural leaders, engineering firms, medical leaders and entrepreneurs in regular webinars on legal pathways to immigration.

“Legal immigration is a structured, regulated process that can benefit both employers and employees,” Schmidt said.

In recent webinars, the talent office has taught industry leaders across the state about how to use Engen, an English language learning platform, how to recruit international teachers and students and how to use the H-2B visa program's recruitment measures.

Schmidt said the office has engaged more than 215 employers through its webinar learning opportunities.

The talent office also hosts an annual Global Talent Summit to connect employers to immigrant communities across the state.

North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong, celebrated the talent office’s achievements at the summit in August.

“Attracting and retaining global talent is not just a strategy– it’s a necessity,” Armstrong said at the event. “We must create a welcoming environment for skilled individuals from around the world to and ensure our systems support their legal integration into our communities and economy.”

The talent office also maintains a grant program to cover expenses for immigrants and employers looking to hire through visa programs.

The grant is offered in four different tracks where applicants are expected to match up to a certain amount that is provided in each award. Funds for the grant are available through June 30, 2027. It is not clear what the limit for each grant will be.

“The Global Talent Office grant is designed to support eligible employers and community-based organizations in their efforts to recruit, retain, and integrate New Americans in North Dakota,” the talent office’s website reads.