Which Immigrants Are Most Innovative and Entrepreneurial: Distinctions by Entry Visa

Jennifer Hunt

No 7699, CEPR Discussion Papers from C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers

Abstract: Using the 2003 National Survey of College Graduates, I examine how immigrants perform relative to natives in activities likely to increase U.S. productivity, according to the type of visa on which they first entered the United States. Immigrants who first entered on a student/trainee visa or a temporary work visa have a large advantage over natives in wages, patenting, commercializing or licensing patents, and publishing. In general, this advantage is explained by immigrants' higher education and field of study, but this is not the case for publishing, and immigrants are more likely to start companies than natives with similar education. Immigrants without U.S. education and who arrived at older ages suffer a wage handicap, which offsets savings to the United States from their having completed more education abroad. Immigrants who entered with legal permanent residence do not outperform natives for any of the outcomes considered.

Keywords: entrepreneurship; Immigration; Innovation; Visa type; Wages (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J24 J61 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010-02
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Which Immigrants Are Most Innovative and Entrepreneurial? Distinctions by Entry Visa (2011)
Working Paper: Which Immigrants Are Most Innovative and Entrepreneurial? Distinctions by Entry Visa (2010)
Working Paper: Which Immigrants Are Most Innovative and Entrepreneurial? Distinctions by Entry Visa (2009)
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