Moving to an entirely different country takes courage. Starting a business in a different country takes a whole other kind of determination. This may be part of the reason why immigrants who dream of owning a business in America often succeed.

According to newamericaneconomy.org, data shows that firms owned by immigrants provide millions of jobs for U.S. workers and generate billions of dollars in annual income. And Harvard Business Review stated that, “According to a 2018 study by the National Foundation for American Policy, immigrants founded or cofounded 55 percent of the United States’ billion-dollar companies.”

Here are some of the numbers:

50 PERCENT
The rate at which the founding of new business by immigrants grew between 1996 and 2011.

8 MILLION
The number of people in the U.S. who were employed at immigrant- owned businesses in 2017.

3.2 MILLION
The number of immigrant entrepreneurs in 2019.

21.7 PERCENT
In 2019, immigrant entrepreneurs made up 21.7 percent of all business owners in the United States.

25 PERCENT
In the United States, where 13.7 percent of the population is foreign-born, immigrants represent 20.2 percent of the selfemployed workforce and 25 percent of startup founders.

SOURCES: US BUREAU OF LABOR & STATISTICS, MASSACHUSETTS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION