USVI Faces 7,000-Worker Shortage Amid Construction Boom, Putting Federal Billions at Risk

The Government of the Virgin Islands is relying on a strong construction push to continue obligating federal funds. This should also allow for the collection of a substantial increase in gross receipts and excise taxes and the rehabilitation of several key pieces of infrastructure. However, manpower shortages remain a massive challenge.  The need for boots on the ground was once again discussed when the governor’s financial team presented the FY2026 Budget Overview before the Committee on Budget, Appropriations, and Finance on Tuesday.  With potentially $23 billion in federal funds available, “we would need 7,000 workforce employees outside of the existing population,” explained Adrienne Williams-Octalien, director of the Office of Disaster Recovery.  In 2024, Governor Albert Bryan Jr. floated the idea of lobbying for changes in the requirements for the issuance of H1B work visas. If successful, it would be the territory’s golden ticket to securing construction workers from countrie...