Are immigrants more entrepreneurial?

Did you know that immigrants are three times more likely to start a business than people born in Britain? According to the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, 15.4% of immigrant adults have launched companies compared to just 5.3% of lifelong UK residents.

It seems that there is something inherently entrepreneurial about leaving your home to start a new life in another country. One factor may be that having already made the leap to move to another country, many immigrants are more likely not only embrace but even thrive in risky situations.

History is full of successful immigrants, from the Irish native Henry Ford to the famous banker Marcus Goldman (of Goldman Sachs) from Germany. This is a legacy that has continued into the present day, with many of the world’s most famous entrepreneurs boasting immigrant roots such as the Greek-born Arianna Huffington who founded the Huffington Post or the Russian-born Google co-founder, Sergey Brin.

What exactly is behind this strong link between immigration and entrepreneurialism? The guys at immigration law firm, Hansen & Company have created an infographic which aims to answer this very question. This infographic looks at the factors that are thought to contribute to the high levels of entrepreneurialism among the immigrant community and shares a number of stories about some of the most successful immigrant entrepreneurs of today.

Check out the infographic below for more information.

Share this story