Portland Press Herald: Foreign-born workers needed in Maine

Maine business leaders said Tuesday that the state needs to be more welcoming to immigrants and other newcomers to address looming workforce shortages.

It’s the latest in a string of events intended to focus attention on reforming immigration laws nationally.

Encouraging people to move to Maine is especially critical to address the problem of the state’s aging workforce, said Dana Connors, president of the Maine ate Chamber of Commerce, in a media conference call with other organizations backing pro-immigration policies. More people are retiring from the workforce in Maine than are entering it, according to state data.

“If we are to continue to have the strong economy we all seek for our people we have to have the immigrant influence on our future the same way we have in the past,” Connors said. “We cannot address our workforce needs without being welcoming to immigrants.”

The Maine State Chamber of Commerce and Maine Development Foundation as well as Coastal Enterprises Inc. have released recent reports about the impact of immigrants on the state and called for policies to attract workers and families.

Read the full story form the Portland Press Herald: “Foreign-born workers needed in Maine”