Open for Business: Migrant Entrepreneurship in OECD Countries

Greater knowledge of migrant entrepreneurship is essential if policy makers are to better support migrant enterprises and their role in economic growth and job creation. In addition, increasing awareness of the positive role that migrants can play as entrepreneurs could contribute to a more balanced public debate on immigration. Taking a cross-country perspective, this publication sheds light on these issues and more, discussing policy options to foster the development and success of migrant businesses.


Migrants contribute to the economic growth of their host countries in many ways, bringing new skills and competencies with them and helping to reduce labour shortages. An aspect that has received only limited attention up to now is migrants’ contribution to entrepreneurial activity and employment creation in their host countries. In OECD countries, entrepreneurship is slightly higher among immigrants than natives and the total number of persons employed in migrant businesses is substantial, although the survival rate of these businesses is often lower than that of their native counterparts. Migrant entrepreneurship has gone beyond traditional ethnic businesses, into a wide range of sectors and innovative areas.

Table of Contents
Main findings of the Conference on Entrepreneurship and Employment Creation of Immigrants in OECD Countries, 9-10 June 2010, Paris by Maria Vincenza Desiderio and John Salt

PART I. MIGRANT ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN OECD COUNTRIES: MAGNITUDE, CONTRIBUTION TO EMPLOYMENT AND SPECIFIC MIGRATION POLICIES
Chapter 1. Migrant entrepreneurship in OECD countries and its contribution to employment by Josep Mestres
Introduction
1.1. Measuring migrant entrepreneurship: definition and potential data sources
1.2. What is the relative scope and profile of migrant entrepreneurship?
1.3. Contribution of migrants to employment creation
1.4. What factors are behind a migrant’s entrepreneurship decision?
1.5. Conclusion
Annex 1.A1. Descriptive statistics for United States, United Kingdom, France and Spain native and foreign-born
Chapter 2. Migration policies in OECD countries to manage the migration of foreign entrepreneurs and investors by Maria Vincenza Desiderio
2.1. The entry and stay of foreign entrepreneurs and investors
2.2. Permit regimes for foreign entrepreneurs and investors
2.3. The contribution of special programmes to entrepreneurship and investment by immigrants in OECD countries
2.4. Conclusion
Annex 2.A1. Supplementary tables on investors and self-employed/entrepreneurs
Annex 2.A2. International agreements that play a role in regulating migration of foreign entrepreneurs and investors

PART II. THE DETERMINANTS OF MIGRANT ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND EMPLOYMENT CREATION BY IMMIGRANTS IN OECD COUNTRIES
Chapter 3. Shifting landscapes of immigrant entrepreneurship by Robert Kloosterman and Jan Rath
3.1. Immigrant entrepreneurship
3.2. Matching entrepreneurs with the opportunity structure
3.3. The role of regulation
3.4. Options for policy makers
Chapter 4. The determinants of immigrant entrepreneurship and employment creation in Portugal by Catarina Reis Oliveira
4.1. Immigrant entrepreneurship in Portugal: tendencies of the past three decades
4.2. The determinants of immigrant entrepreneurship: the Portuguese case
4.3. Group opportunities
4.4. Personal resources
4.5. Conclusion
Chapter 5. Entrepreneurship among immigrants in Switzerland by Étienne Piguet
5.1. The Swiss context
5.2. Self-employed persons of foreign origin
5.3. Education level and sector of activity
5.4. Entrepreneur employers
5.5. Factors explaining self-employment
5.6. Indicators and method
5.7. General findings
5.8. Results by national origin
5.9. Conclusion
Annex 5.A1. Legal and sociological definitions of self-employment
Annex 5.A2. Population covered by the RFP 2000 analysis

PART III. ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND EMPLOYMENT CREATION BY IMMIGRANTS: EXPERIENCES FROM SELECTED OECD COUNTRIES
Chapter 6. Business creation in France by entrepreneurs from outside the European Union by Sandrine Plana
6.1. Sources of information on entrepreneurs
6.2. The profile of the businesses created by entrepreneurs of foreign nationality.
6.3. The business set-up process for foreign entrepreneurs
6.4. The profile of entrepreneurs.
6.5. The motivations of entrepreneurs
6.6. How do these businesses develop?
Chapter 7. Self-employment amongst ethnic and migrant groups in the United Kingdom by Stephen Drinkwater
7.1. Recent migration patterns and composition of the immigrant population in the United Kingdom.
7.2. Main determinants and characteristics of self-employment amongst ethnic groups in the United Kingdom
7.3. Conclusion and policy recommendations
Chapter 8. Chinese entrepreneurship in Canada by Peter S. Li
8.1. Concept of ethnic or immigrant entrepreneurship
8.2. Historical overview of Chinese business engagement in Canada
8.3. Current situation of Chinese entrepreneurship in Canada
8.4. Conclusion
Annex 8.A1. Estimated number of workers employed by businesses that used different languages, 2001, 2006
Chapter 9. Mexican-American entrepreneurs and their contribution to the US economy by Robert W. Fairlie
9.1. Mexican-American rates of business ownership and performance
9.2. Explanations for business formation and performance patterns
9.3. The contribution of Mexican immigrant business owners to the US economy
Chapter 10. Migrant women entrepreneurhip in OECD countries by Tüzin Baycan-Levent
10.1. Gender dimensions of the ethnic economy
10.2. Migrant women’s entrepreneurship
10.3. Migrant women entrepreneurship in selected OECD countries
10.4. Conclusion: the way forward for researchers and policy makers

PART IV. THE CONTRIBUTION OF MIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS TO INNOVATION AND THE EXPANSION OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Chapter 11. Skilled immigrants’ contribution to innovation and entrepreneurship in the United States by Jennifer Hunt
11.1. Data
11.2. Immigrant performance relative to native performance
11.3. Conclusion
Chapter 12. The contribution of migrants in enhancing foreign trade by Andreas Hatzigeorgiou
12.1. Conceptual framework
12.2. Evidence
12.3. Methodological aspects
12.4. Conclusion

PART V. SPECIFIC DIFFICULTIES FACED BY IMMIGRANTS IN SETTING UP AND DEVELOPING THEIR BUSINESSES: EVIDENCE FROM SELECTED OECD COUNTRIES
Chapter 13. Enterprises created in 2002 by non-EU nationals in France: finding it harder to survive by Yves Breem
13.1. Features of third-country firms set up during the first half of 2002
13.2. SINE survey
Chapter 14. Latina entrepreneurship and recent self-employment trends in the United States by Magnus Lofstrom
14.1. Recent trends in self-employment in the United States
14.2. Latina self-employment performance
14.3. Conclusion
Chapter 15. Improving access to credit for migrant enterprises by Daniela Bobeva
15.1. Bankability of migrant enterprises
15.2. Current approaches to facilitate access to credit for migrant enterprises
15.3. The way foreword to improve access to credit for migrant enterprises
References