The Supply Side of Innovation: H-1B Visa Reforms and US Ethnic Invention

William Kerr and William Lincoln ()

No 09-005, Harvard Business School Working Papers from Harvard Business School

Abstract: This study evaluates the impact of high-skilled immigrants on US technology formation. Specifically, we use reduced-form specifications that exploit large changes in the H-1B visa program. Fluctuations in H-1B admissions levels significantly influence the rate of Indian and Chinese patenting in cities and firms dependent upon the program relative to their peers. Most specifications find weak crowding-in effects or no effect at all for native patenting. Total invention increases with higher admission levels primarily through the direct contributions of ethnic inventors.

Keywords: Innovation; Research and Development; Patents; Scientists; Engineers; Inventors; H-1B; Immigration; Ethnicity; India; China; Endogenous Growth. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F15 F22 J44 J61 O31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 50 pages
Date: 2008-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cna, nep-cwa, nep-ino and nep-mig
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (33)

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http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/09-005.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: The Supply Side of Innovation: H-1B Visa Reforms and U.S. Ethnic Invention (2010)
Working Paper: The Supply Side of Innovation: H-1B Visa Reforms and US Ethnic Invention (2010)
Working Paper: The Supply Side of Innovation: H-1B Visa Reforms and US Ethnic Invention (2010)
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