Alaska office would coordinate job and service help for newcomers

The Welcoming Alaska office would provide job referrals and information about pursuing workplace complaints, and coordinate help across agencies. The office would serve immigrants, refugees, and people who moved to Alaska from another state within the preceding 36 months. Each executive department would assign a staff contact to share service information and help with license applications when applicable. A 13-member advisory committee would advise the office, review budget requests, and meet at least twice a year. The provision for the office of citizenship assistance would be repealed. These provisions would take effect July 1, 2026, if enacted as written. A study with employer input on immigration opportunities, office goals, and ways to measure progress would be due July 1, 2027.

With legislative funding, the office would operate centers and a free multilingual referral phone line, offer grants, and help local governments pay certain costs. Services would cover immigrants, refugees, and people who moved to Alaska from another state within the preceding 36 months. Local-government help would cover visa applications, worker recruitment, and housing support. Centers, the phone line, grants, and local-government assistance would depend on the legislature setting aside money. Centers would provide or coordinate language classes, job services and training, and help finding government and community services. Grants would support immigrants, refugees, and newcomers in taking part in Alaska's economy and community life. These provisions would take effect July 1, 2026, if enacted as written. Providing these services would still require legislative funding.

The Welcoming Alaska office would administer Alaska's refugee services program and employ a state refugee coordinator. The program would cover refugees defined by federal law, including people eligible for federal refugee services. Duties would include help settling into communities and finding work. The office would take over responsibilities previously handled by the state's designated program administrator. The office would provide or oversee refugee cash and medical assistance only as authorized. The Department of Health would assign an employee to coordinate refugee health services under federal requirements and guidance. These refugee-program responsibilities and coordinator positions would take effect July 1, 2027, if enacted as written.