The correlation between immigration, entrepreneurship, and innovation has been proven by numerous studies as has the connection between immigration, entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic development. Why then isn’t U.S. immigration reform being passed to make it easier for entrepreneurial immigrants to stay in the United States? We do not have an entrepreneur visa category yet in the United States. However, the proposed X visa would allow for immigrant entrepreneurs to create and build start-up companies in the U.S., which would promote job creation, innovation, and economic growth and development.

Countries such as Canada, U.K., Singapore, and other countries have specific entrepreneur visas to allow entrepreneurs to immigrate and create start-up companies. A research study by Duke University, UC Berkeley, and the Kauffman Foundation found that “75% of immigrants in the U.S. involved with engineering and technology companies hold their highest degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related fields….Our research confirms that advanced education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics is correlated with high rates of entrepreneurship and innovation. The U.S. economy depends upon these high rates of entrepreneurship and innovation to maintain its global edge.”

Another research study by the same institutions found that “the number of skilled workers and entrepreneurs waiting for visas is significantly larger than the number that can be admitted to the United States. This imbalance creates the potential for a sizeable reverse brain-drain from the United States to the skilled workers’ and entrepreneurs’ home countries.” U.S. Immigration reform is needed, especially for highly skilled workers’ and entrepreneurs’, for the U.S. to remain competitive in the global economy, to prevent the negative effects of the reverse brain drain on the U.S. economy, and to foster entrepreneurship, technological innovation, and economic growth and development in the U.S. For additional information on how U.S. immigration reform would positively impact entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic development in the U.S. and how you can support immigration reform for entrepreneurs please take a look at the resources below.

Entrepreneur Resources 

If you want to know more about potential visas available to entrepreneurs at this time, please click here.  

Research Studies on Immigration, Entrepreneurship, & Innovation

If you want to read more about how immigration reform, specifically for highly skilled workers’ and entrepreneurs will foster job creation and economic growth in the U.S., take a look at these studies by Duke University, UC Berkeley, and the Kauffman Foundation and the George W. Bush Institute :

1.) Education, Entrepreneurship, and Immigration,

2.) Intellectual Property, the Immigration Backlog, and a Reverse Brain-Drain,

3.) Immigrant Contributions to U.S. Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Contact Your Congressman For Immigration Reform

To have your voice be heard on the issue of immigration reform, contact your House Representative in Congress, and let him or her know that you want immigration reform to be passed for highly skilled workers’ and entrepreneurs to promote job creation, entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic growth in the U.S. You can find your House of Representative’s contact information by clicking here.

Contact Subhan Law Office, LLC, for U.S. & Global Immigration Services

Subhan Law Office, LLC, is committed to advising and counseling immigrants and entrepreneurs on short term and long term visa strategies to promote immigration, entrepreneurship, and innovation in the United States. Contact our firm for more information and to discuss your particular immigration matter in more detail at 414-232-8704 or 1-855-946-6848. We counsel and advise clients on immigration issues in all 5o States and U.S. Consulates and Embassies around the world.