McKenzie County could see an influx of workers in oil and gas industry as soon as July 2023
Patrice Bumstead
Farmer Editor
The North Dakota Petroleum Council (NDPC) launched its Bakken GROW (Global Recruitment of Oilfield Workers) Program last week in response to the severe workforce shortage seen across the state in the oil and gas industry.
According to the NDPC President Ron Ness, immigration firms proposed the concept of bringing displaced Ukrainians to North Dakota to join the workforce through the expedited immigration process “Uniting for Ukraine” (U4U). Ness explained further that this process is completely different from obtaining a work visa.
U4U is a program designed to build on the humanitarian assistance that the U.S. government is providing, trying to find hosts for Ukrainian citizens and others who have been displaced, with an innovative way to bring new workers to the Bakken region according to the NDPC.
“These folks are recruited through various aspects. They have to go through the process and background checks. These are typically two-year programs … a lot of these people are similar to our ancestors; coming here for new opportunity, and newfound hope, starting with themselves,” he says.
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