Benjamin Jones, NW Kellogg School of Mgmt
Benjamin Jones, NW Kellogg School of Mgmt
SBBI Seminar: “Immigration and Entrepreneurship in the United States”
SBBI Seminar: “Immigration and Entrepreneurship in the United States”
06 Nov 202010:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Harvard community only
ABSTRACT: Immigration can expand labor supply and create greater competition for native-born
workers. But immigrants may also start new firms, expanding labor demand. This paper
uses U.S. administrative data and other data resources to study the role of immigrants
in entrepreneurship. We ask how often immigrants start companies, how many jobs these
firms create, and how these firms compare with those founded by U.S.-born individuals.
A simple model provides a measurement framework for addressing the dual roles of immigrants
as founders and workers. The findings suggest that immigrants act more as "job creators"
than "job takers" and that non-U.S. born founders play outsized roles in U.S. high-growth
entrepreneurship.