July 29, 2020
Pillars of Virginia Communities
A Profile of Our Immigrant Neighbors
Our neighbors who are immigrants are integral to Virginia’s communities and economy. They move to Virginia for many of the same reasons as people born in other areas of the United States — job opportunities, good schools, and thriving communities. They also help create and maintain those aspects of our community. This has been made even more evident as the state economy and labor market grapple with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, in Virginia, 16% of all front-line, essential workers are immigrants.
Immigrant Virginians are, of course, important members of local communities across the commonwealth, contributing in ways that include and go beyond the purely economic. It is clear now more than ever that immigrant and non-immigrant Virginians are interdependent, and it is important to understand and recognize immigrant residents and their contributions.
The analyses linked below present profiles of immigrants in the northern Virginia, central Virginia, and Hampton Roads regions using the most recent available data, which is from before the 2020 recession and other challenges related to COVID-19.
