The North Carolina Department of Commerce's mission statement is:  To improve the economic well-being and quality of life for all North Carolinians.

In a nutshell, that's a good description of what all of us at the Department work to achieve every day.   Commerce is perhaps best known for its work in developing recruitment, retention and tourism marketing programs – very important tactical activities.  However, the agency focuses its work comprehensively around a more strategic definition of economic development:  the implementation of a set of long-term strategies that develop North Carolina’s capacity for economic growth and strength. Said another way, North Carolina’s ability to recruit and retain good jobs depends on very fundamental work to make our state a good place to live, work, and invest.

The Department of Commerce was established by the Executive Organization Act of 1971. Headed by a cabinet-level secretary, the department was charged with coordinating management functions and performing administrative services for ten preexisting regulatory agencies. These agencies were the Board of Alcoholic Control, State Banking Commission, Mutual Burial Association Commission, Credit Union Commission, Employment Security Commission, Industrial Commission, Milk Commission, Rural Electrification Authority, Savings and Loan Commission, and Utilities Commission. The governor appointed the department's secretary and some members of the various boards and commissions.

We have an entire section of our website dedicated to providing information regarding employment at the Department of Commerce.

Within that section, we've compiled a specialized list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the topic of Human Resources (H.R.) policies at the Department.

For a listing of current job openings at the Department, click here.

North Carolina provides a variety of programs and services to assist local communities throughout the state.

Visit the Community Services section of our website for more information.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce houses an entire division focused on helping North Carolina companies break into international markets.

Visit the Develop International Business section of our website for information from our International Trade Division.

We also maintain specialized lists of Frequently Asked Questions on exporting topics.

• Basic Export Information FAQ
• Export Documentation and Product Classification FAQ
• U.S. Government Resources FAQ
• Miscellaneous International Trade and Sales Promotion FAQ

Yes, the North Carolina Department of Commerce maintains a team of specialists who focus on serving the needs of foreign-owned companies investing in North Carolina.

Visit the Develop International Business section of our website for more information.

We also maintain a specialized FAQ list addressing international investment topics.

• International Investment FAQ

We have an entire area of our website devoted to this topic, with very detailed information and links to additional resources.

 Visit the Start Your Business section and/or the Doing Business in N.C. FAQs.

You may also contact the friendly team of consultants at the Department's Business ServiCenter, who are available to answer your questions.  Call (800) 228-8443 or (919) 807-4280.

North Carolina does provide assistance to help workers who have be displaced due to layoffs and other disruptions.

An excellent first place to turn for information is the Dislocated Workers Toolkit, right here on our site.

North Carolina provides programs at the state-level in support of technology-related businesses in their start-up phase.

Visit the Support Your Business section of our website for further information.

There are many ways for tourism-related businesses in the state to leverage the power of North Carolina's destination marketing programs.

For further information, visit the Tourism Services section of our website.

North Carolina provides many programs and services to support small businesses in the state.

You can learn more about these programs in the Support Your Business section of our website.

The Department's Business ServiCenter is also an excellent resource for a small business owner.  Call (800) 228-8443 or (919) 807-4280 to speak with an experienced business consultant.

Yes, the state provides many resources to assist companies in the important tasks of training and workforce development.

You'll find this information in the Support Your Business section of our website.  Additional information can also be found in the Workforce Services section of the site.