The High Cost of Keeping Teachers
In this podcast episode, Sabrina Halvorson and Michael Standaert discuss NDNC’s latest story examining how a proposed $100,000 fee for H-1B visas could impact schools, hospitals, and universities across North Dakota. From tribal districts that rely on international teachers to rural schools already struggling to fill classrooms, the added cost could worsen a statewide teacher shortage.
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The episode also explores related federal policy changes affecting commercial driver’s licenses, revocations that have already hit some North Dakota communities, and what these shifts reveal about how immigration rules ripple through local economies.
“No school could probably afford $100,000 just to get a teacher in. They’re really trying to avoid overcrowded classrooms by using these visas, particularly in areas where it’s difficult to attract teachers.” - Michael Standaert, NDNC reporter.
School leaders told NDNC they’re already facing challenges hiring qualified teachers, especially in small towns and tribal areas.
