Though the headright system promised heaven to the immigrants, it turned out to work to the advantage of the existing settlers who were commonly known as the planters. With the high shortage of labor, the settlers promised to pay those who migrated to Virginia to work for them. The payment was in form of 50 acres of land for those who successfully managed to work for 2 to 7 years as per the agreement.
The system benefited the planters in such that it enabled them to multiply their landholdings and increase their wealth with the help of the free labor from the immigrants. Their multiplied wealthy and landholdings come from the mere fact that not many of the immigrants managed to live to see their dues being paid. For the few who managed to make it, they were awarded unproductive lands in the mountainous areas where they were to deal with threats from the Indians.