JOHN RABYAP communication
Charleston, West Virginia (AP) – A program that offers $ 20,000 cash and incentives to remote workers moving to West Virginia has attracted dozens of new hires and is currently applying for a second host city. We accept.
Thousands have asked for this opportunity and 53 new residents far from Germany are welcomed to the northern university town of Morgantown. The public-private program has now begun a second phase in hopes of attracting new permanent residents to Lewisberg in the southeastern corner of the state, the State Tourism Board said in a press release on Thursday.
According to the 2020 census, West Virginia had the highest population in the last decade and is now the only state with fewer than 1950 residents. Residents have left their jobs in coal, steel, and other industries. Eliminated. West Virginia, the second largest coal producer in the United States, has lost 56% of its coal mining jobs since 2009 as power plants switch to renewable energy sources.
West Virginia takes advantage of the natural beauty of one of its most intriguing treasures, “Almost Heaven,” to reverse its flight and appeal directly to outdoor enthusiasts who can work from anywhere. I am.
Remote Worker Program participants outside of the state traveling to West Virginia receive $ 12,000 with an annual pass to enjoy torrenting, golf, climbing, horseback riding, skiing, and zip lining. The full transfer package is worth over $ 20,000.
West Virginia University is located in Morgantown. On Saturday, when soccer teams play their home games, it easily swells to become the largest city in the state. Quintina Mengyan jumped out of Chicago on the occasion last month and brought her boyfriend and dog with her.
Mengan’s client service director of online ticket sales, Bright Seating, was aware of similar programs elsewhere but was particularly drawn to advertisements encouraging travel to West Virginia.
After working at home for months during a coronavirus pandemic, she said, “I felt like the wall was approaching.” To leave her job, “it has come to a point where I really have to rely on outdoor activities.”
“That’s when the idea was born,” she says. “I am.” Yeah, I’m just applying for fun. Then I started to think more seriously and thought, “I think I’m really, really enjoying this.”
She is currently planning to take part in the Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers game, an hour’s drive north of Morgantown. She plans to rest for a week in October to explore the spectacular foliage that is typical of West Virginia. And she’s already established that the state isn’t as flat as Chicago.
“We didn’t know how much flat parking was worth,” says Mengan.
53 new residents come from 21 states and Washington, DC. One of them is from Berlin. Everyone shares a love for the outdoors, according to the Tourism Board, but their areas of work vary widely from healthcare to management, manufacturing, and technology. California has the highest income, with a median income of about $ 105,000. Including the family, the number of newcomers is 110.
Less than 1% of applicants were accepted for the Morgantown opening, so the Remote Worker Program encourages those who were not selected in the first phase to reapply. And it offers a consolation prize: $ 2,500 in mortgage aid for every 7,500 people who apply if they decide to move to West Virginia anyway.
Over the next five years, the program will welcome more than 1,000 new teleworkers to the state.
Lewisberg, once the “coolest little town” in the United States, has a population of about 4,000 and is close to the state trade fairs and just an hour from the New River Gorge National Park and the reservation.
“It’s a great place to get away from big city life without sacrificing modern life,” said Chelsea Ruby, director of state tourism. “It’s a quaint little town with a fascinating downtown, thriving arts scene, and accessible outdoor recreation.”
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