Are immigrants more likely to be entrepreneurs than people born in the US?
Yes
In America, immigrants are three times more likely to start firms than people born in the U.S., according to estimates from an article published in 2020.
Immigrants have a higher probability of starting small firms (those with 0-10 employees), medium firms (11 – 999 employees) and large firms (1000 employees or more) relative to the native-born.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of immigrants let into the US dropped sharply, leading to an estimated shortfall of about two million immigrants who would otherwise be in the country.
More than 40% of companies on the 2021 Fortune 500 list were started by immigrants or children of immigrants, including Amazon, Ford, General Electric and Pfizer.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources:
EconoFact Labor Shortages and the Immigration Shortfall
US Census Immigration and Entrepreneurship in the United States
Econofact is partnering with Gigafact–an initiative focused on countering misinformation and spreading facts.