Firms and the Economics of Skilled Immigration

37 Pages Posted: 19 Apr 2014

See all articles by Sari Pekkala Kerr

Sari Pekkala Kerr

Wellesley College

William Kerr

Harvard University - Entrepreneurial Management Unit

William Fabius Lincoln

Claremont McKenna College - Robert Day School of Economics and Finance

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Date Written: April 18, 2014

Abstract

Firms play a central role in the selection, sponsorship, and employment of skilled immigrants entering the United States for work through programs like the H-1B visa. This role has not been widely recognized in the literature, and the data to better understand it have only recently become available. This chapter discusses the evidence that has been assembled to date in understanding the impact of high skilled immigration from the perspective of the firm and the open areas that call for more research. Since much of the U.S. immigration process for skilled workers rests in the hands of employer firms, a stronger understanding of these implications is essential for future policy analysis, particularly for issues relating to fostering innovation.

Keywords: Immigration, firms, innovation, entrepreneurship

JEL Classification: F15, F22, J15, J31, J44, L14, L26, O31, O32, O33.

Suggested Citation

Kerr, Sari Pekkala and Kerr, William R. and Lincoln, William Fabius, Firms and the Economics of Skilled Immigration (April 18, 2014). Harvard Business School Entrepreneurial Management Working Paper No. 14-102, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2426483 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2426483

Sari Pekkala Kerr

Wellesley College ( email )

William R. Kerr (Contact Author)

Harvard University - Entrepreneurial Management Unit ( email )

Soldiers Field Road
Morgan 270C
Boston, MA 02163
United States

William Fabius Lincoln

Claremont McKenna College - Robert Day School of Economics and Finance ( email )

500 E. Ninth St.
Claremont, CA 91711-6420
United States

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