Business remain to migrant labor despite being desperate for workers…that won't last

West Virginia is facing a dire labor shortage driven by an aging population and outmigration, with the second lowest labor force participation rate in the nation at just 55.2%. Key industries like healthcare, hospitality, and construction are struggling to find workers, leaving businesses unable to operate at full capacity. Despite the pressing need, resistance to immigration remains high, with the state legislature advancing bills to deter and even remove migrants.

This stance puts West Virginia at odds with other states facing similar demographic challenges, like Maine, Utah and Indiana, which are actively seeking to attract immigrants to bolster their workforces. Business groups are lobbying against the anti-immigrant proposals, arguing they will exacerbate the labor crisis. But populist sentiment, distrust of outsiders, and the political potency of immigration as an issue are making it difficult for pragmatism to prevail.

West Virginia's predicament mirrors that of countries like Japan and South Korea, which also initially resisted turning to immigration to offset aging populations and shrinking labor pools. Businesses there suffered rising costs and foregone growth as a result. But both countries eventually reversed course, expanding visa programs for foreign workers as labor shortages reached unsustainable levels. West Virginia may soon find itself with little choice but to follow the same path. As one business leader put it, the state needs workers "to do the work that some of us have just gotten too old to do."