Skilled Immigrants, Firms, and the Global Geography of Innovation
https://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/jep.38.1.3
Glennon, Britta. 2024. "Skilled Immigrants, Firms, and the Global Geography of Innovation." Journal of Economic Perspectives, 38 (1): 3-26.
Abstract
This article begins with an overview of the policy environment in the United States and abroad for skilled immigration, with a particular focus on "supply-driven" versus "demand-driven" systems. The overview emphasizes that firms play a central role in the skilled immigration process in most countries. I then survey the ample evidence that skilled immigrants have a strong positive effect on firm outcomes, followed by a discussion of the many margins of adjustment that firms have when their access to skilled immigrants is affected by national immigration policy. Finally, given such margins of adjustment and the importance of skilled immigrants to firms, I consider how the policies that affect skilled migration shape the global geography and quality of innovation. I conclude by discussing policy implications and open questions. In particular, I emphasize that evaluations of the impact of skilled immigration should not be constrained within borders: immigration flows and national immigration policies affect the global geography of innovation and investment.
Migration and Innovation: Learning from Patent and Inventor Data
https://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/jep.38.1.27
Lissoni, Francesco, and Ernest Miguelez. 2024. "Migration and Innovation: Learning from Patent and Inventor Data." Journal of Economic Perspectives, 38 (1): 27-54.
Research on international migration and innovation relies heavily on inventor and patent data, with "migrant inventors" attracting a great deal of attention, especially for what concerns their role in easing the international transfer of knowledge. This hides the fact that many of them move to their host country before starting their inventive career or even before completing their education. We discuss the conceptual and practical difficulties that stand in the way of investigating other likely channels of influence of inventor's migration on innovation, namely the easing of skill shortages and the increase of variety in inventive teams, firms, and location.
https://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/jep.38.1.3
Glennon, Britta. 2024. "Skilled Immigrants, Firms, and the Global Geography of Innovation." Journal of Economic Perspectives, 38 (1): 3-26.
Abstract
This article begins with an overview of the policy environment in the United States and abroad for skilled immigration, with a particular focus on "supply-driven" versus "demand-driven" systems. The overview emphasizes that firms play a central role in the skilled immigration process in most countries. I then survey the ample evidence that skilled immigrants have a strong positive effect on firm outcomes, followed by a discussion of the many margins of adjustment that firms have when their access to skilled immigrants is affected by national immigration policy. Finally, given such margins of adjustment and the importance of skilled immigrants to firms, I consider how the policies that affect skilled migration shape the global geography and quality of innovation. I conclude by discussing policy implications and open questions. In particular, I emphasize that evaluations of the impact of skilled immigration should not be constrained within borders: immigration flows and national immigration policies affect the global geography of innovation and investment.
https://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/jep.38.1.27
Lissoni, Francesco, and Ernest Miguelez. 2024. "Migration and Innovation: Learning from Patent and Inventor Data." Journal of Economic Perspectives, 38 (1): 27-54.
Research on international migration and innovation relies heavily on inventor and patent data, with "migrant inventors" attracting a great deal of attention, especially for what concerns their role in easing the international transfer of knowledge. This hides the fact that many of them move to their host country before starting their inventive career or even before completing their education. We discuss the conceptual and practical difficulties that stand in the way of investigating other likely channels of influence of inventor's migration on innovation, namely the easing of skill shortages and the increase of variety in inventive teams, firms, and location.