U.VA. STUDY: INCREASED IMMIGRATION IS AN ASSET FOR VIRGINIA Virginia, currently ranked eighth in the nation as an immigration-destination state, is seeing important benefits from contributions of its foreign-born residents, a new study by the University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service shows. With some 16,300 new immigrants coming to Virginia in 1995, the state received about 2 percent of the nation's total of new immigrants, according to the study by demographer Donna J. Tolson. The top 10 countries of origin for Virginia immigrants are Korea, the Philippines, El Salvador, Vietnam, Germany, the United Kingdom, India, Canada, Iran and Mexico. The Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads areas have by far the highest concentrations of immigrants, followed by localities with major universities. While the nation debates serious concerns about immigration issues affecting some states, Tolson writes in the current issue of the center's "Virginia News Letter," "by all demographic indicators, the majority of Virginia's foreign-born are assets to the state." "Most are employed adults who do not receive public assistance. They live in family households and provide for and take care of each other. Many are highly educated and have substantial incomes, much of which is put directly back into the Commonwealth's economy. Many of those who are not highly educated perform low-wage work that is unattractive to native residents." Tolson's analysis of educational attainments shows that Virginia's immigrants rank much higher than the national norm for immigrants and also higher than other Virginians: ¥ While about 75 percent of U.S.-born Virginians had high school diplomas in 1990, 78 percent of the state's foreign-born population were high school graduates. ¥ Almost 15 percent of Virginia's foreign-born residents held graduate or professional degrees in 1990, compared to less than 10 percent of the native-born population. And a substantially higher percentage of foreign-born residents had college degrees than did U.S.-born Virginians. "What the future holds for Virginia is uncertain, but some changes can already be seen today," Tolson says. "First, the Far Eastern influence in parts of Virginia will continue to flourish. Immigrants from the Philippines, Vietnam and Korea continue to arrive in substantial numbers. Strong ethnic communities have taken root in Virginia's largest metropolitan areas that will enhance Virginia as a destination site for new immigrants. Even if the flow of foreign-born Asians slows down, their influence will be sustained by their children, many of whom have been raised in tightly knit communities where Asian traditions are prized and practiced. The extent to which Virginia accepts and incorporates these communities into its larger society will ultimately determine how well it benefits from them." "Second, the rapid growth of Hispanic foreign-born will continue," Tolson predicts. As communities in border states become saturated with foreign-born Hispanic immigrants, some will eventually try Virginia and elsewhere to look for other opportunities, she says. "Because Hispanic immigrants have some of the lowest education levels among the foreign-born, the Commonwealth would be well advised to prepare its schools and colleges to accommodate Hispanic students. Better educated immigrants not only earn better salaries, they assimilate more readily into the general community." "So far, Virginia has benefitted greatly from its foreign- born residents. For this positive trend to continue, all people in the Commonweath will need to move into the next century with tolerance, flexibility, and eye toward demogpahic change." ### May 15, 1997 For additional information or interviews Donna Tolson may be reached at (804) 982-5580 or 982-5522. Television reporters should call our TV News Office at (804) 924-7550.