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Migrants’ Influence on Firm-level Exports

Author

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  • Andreas Hatzigeorgiou

    (The Ratio Institute; Stockholm Chamber of Commerce)

  • Magnus Lodefalk

    (Örebro University)

Abstract

We examine the role of migrants in trade using a firm-level approach. We exploit a new employer–employee panel for Sweden, which encompasses close to 600,000 full-time employees, approximately 12,000 firms and data for 176 countries for the period 1998–2007. The resulting analysis provides novel firm-level evidence on the trade-migration relationship. Foreign-born workers have a positive association with firm exports. However, immigrants do not have an unconditional positive impact on firm trade. Mainly small firms gain from hiring foreign-born workers, and migrants need to be skilled and recently arrived to have a clear positive impact on firm export performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Andreas Hatzigeorgiou & Magnus Lodefalk, 2016. "Migrants’ Influence on Firm-level Exports," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 477-497, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jincot:v:16:y:2016:i:4:d:10.1007_s10842-015-0215-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10842-015-0215-7
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    Cited by:

    1. Hatzigeorgiou, Andreas & Lodefalk, Magnus, 2016. "The Brexit Trade Disruption Revisited," Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, Estey Centre for Law and Economics in International Trade, vol. 17(1), pages 1-18.
    2. Massimiliano Bratti & Luca De Benedictis & Gianluca Santoni, 2020. "Immigrant entrepreneurs, diasporas, and exports," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(2), pages 249-272, March.
    3. Andreas Hatzigeorgiou & Patrik Karpaty & Richard Kneller & Magnus Lodefalk, 2024. "Immigrant employment and the contract enforcement costs of offshoring," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 160(3), pages 953-981, August.
    4. Léa Marchal & Guzmán Ourens & Giulia Sabbadini, 2022. "When Immigrants Meet Exporters: A Reassessment of the Immigrant Wage Gap," CESifo Working Paper Series 10092, CESifo.
    5. Magnus Lodefalk & Fredrik Sjöholm & Aili Tang, 2022. "International trade and labour market integration of immigrants," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(6), pages 1650-1689, June.
    6. Groizard, José L. & Martín-Montaner, Joan, 2023. "Migrants, regulations, and trade," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    7. Mitaritonna, Cristina & Orefice, Gianluca & Peri, Giovanni, 2017. "Immigrants and firms’ outcomes: Evidence from France," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 62-82.
    8. Bastos, Paulo & Silva, Joana, 2012. "Networks, firms, and trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(2), pages 352-364.
    9. Hatzigeorgiou, Andreas & Lodefalk, Magnus, 2017. "Anti-Migration as a Threat to Internationalization?," Ratio Working Papers 302, The Ratio Institute.
    10. Miguel Cardoso & Ananth Ramanarayanan, 2022. "Immigrants and exports: Firm‐level evidence from Canada," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 55(3), pages 1250-1293, August.
    11. Andreas Hatzigeorgiou & Magnus Lodefalk, 2019. "Migration and servicification: Do immigrant employees spur firm exports of services?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(11), pages 3368-3401, November.
    12. Gidehag, Anton & Lodefalk, Magnus, 2016. "Recruiting for Small Business Growth: Micro-level Evidence," Working Papers 2016:6, Örebro University, School of Business.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Trade; Migration; Firm-level analysis; Trade costs; Networks; Information; Trust;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F - International Economics
    • D - Microeconomics

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