The Research Bureau, as part of a partnership with the Worcester Business Journal, is pleased to present its latest report The Immigrant Entrepreneur in Worcester.
Around 22 percent of Worcester’s population today is foreign-born, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, but around 36 percent of owners of incorporated businesses in the city are foreign-born. These numbers paint a picture of a foreign-born population that has higher rates of entrepreneurship than the native-born populace. The concentration of immigrant entrepreneurs in public-facing businesses like the restaurant and retail industries means that more residents will directly experience diverse cultural offerings. Worcester’s local yet simultaneously worldly marketplace depends on these immigrant entrepreneurs. Yet for this increased cosmopolitan experience to further the city’s economic competitiveness, the community must look for ways to incorporate foreign ideas, literally and figuratively, into its civic and business strategies and leadership.
This report gives an overview of the immigrant business community in Worcester and highlights the importance of immigration and the foreign-born population to Worcester’s economy, using historical context and local data.
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