AUGUSTA (AP) — A newly released report from the Maine Development Foundation and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce calls for setting a statewide goal to attract more immigrants to the state.
The report released Thursday indicates the state’s aging population is creating a smaller workforce that’s restricting economic growth by making it hard for employers to fill vacant jobs.
The Portland Press Herald reported that the groups say the state should expand efforts to help immigrants integrate into society and the workplace.
Dana Connors, president of the Maine state chamber, says the impact of immigrants on the economy will grow dramatically in the coming decades.
The U.S. Census indicates immigrants only make up 3.5 percent of Maine’s population, while more than 13 percent of the nation’s population is foreign-born.
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