A new study entitled Immigrant Entrepreneurs Creating Jobs and Strengthening the U.S. Economy in Growing Industries, released by The Immigrant Learning Center, Inc., shows that immigrants play an outsized role in growing industries relative to their presence in the general population. In so doing, they are supporting a high rate of job creation and market expansion.
 
Authored by Dr. James Jennings, professor of urban and environmental policy and planning at Tufts University, the study examines three growing industry sectors in the United States: transportation, food and building services.  Using data as well as interviews with industry players, the study also takes a closer look at regional activity in Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania.
 
In an economy that has been stagnant, any sectors that are adding jobs deserve attention. When it comes to immigrants’ role in growing the economy, the high-tech sector gets a much attention as do neighborhood storefront businesses. This study answers the question, “Where else are immigrants contributing to economic growth?” The transportation, food and building services sectors were chosen because they are experiencing revenue and job growth, and they have a substantial presence of immigrants as entrepreneurs and workers.
 
Another significant finding that emerged from the interviews was that these businesses express awareness and desire to use environmentally-friendly products and practices but have been largely excluded from planning for local and regional green economies. Profiles of specific entrepreneurs show the contributions they are making to a cleaner environment, as well as how far there is to go.
 
Some highlights of U.S. industry sectors include:
• The Services to Buildings sub-sector is expected to grow employment by 18.2 percent between 2008 and 2018. Immigrants represent 33.1 percent of all workers and 25.9 percent of all entrepreneurs in this sub-sector.
• The Bus Service and Urban Transit sub-sector is expected to grow employment by 15.6 percent between 2008 and 2018. Immigrants represent 15.2 percent of all workers and 29.9 percent of all entrepreneurs in this sub-sector.
• The Groceries and Related Products and Merchant Wholesalers sub-sector is expected to grow employment by 11.8 percent between 2008 and 2018. Immigrants represent 22.7 percent of all workers and 23.9 percent of all entrepreneurs in this sub-sector.
 
The full study is available for free on The Immigrant Learning Center’s website at www.ilctr.org.