Community Engagement, English Classes Seen as Helping North Dakota Retain Foreign-Born Workers

Buba Kanagi right. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – North Dakota officials are hopeful that bolstering community engagement and English language learning will help the recruitment and retention of foreign-born workers as the state continues to address workforce shortages.

North Dakota’s Global Talent Office, formerly the Office of Legal Immigration, a division of the Department of Commerce, hosted the 2025 Global Talent Summit at Bismarck State College on Thursday that featured workforce and immigrant advocacy organizations highlighting the needs of the state.

“The real challenge … is retention,” said Buba Kanagi, global talent coordinator for the Global Talent Office. “Giving someone a job is one thing, but keeping them at the same job, upskilling them, is a whole different story.”

Kanagi said retention is about finding a home and becoming part of a community.