Minnsights Blog

Immigrants in Minnesota are an undeniable benefit to the state’s economy. In the long term, immigrants hold down critical jobs, pay taxes, stimulate the economy through spending, start businesses and provide a link to the world economy.

The Minnesota Chamber Foundation released a report on Tuesday, March 23 titled, “The Economic Contributions of Immigrants in Minnesota.” This report highlights their contributions as consumers, human capital, taxpayers and a link to the world economy, through entrepreneurship, by region and as talent in key industries. 

The success of Minnesota’s economy, both now and in the future, is intrinsically linked to Minnesota’s immigrant communities. As innovators, business owners, workers, taxpayers, consumers, neighbors and connectors to other countries and cultures around the world, immigrants provide considerable benefits to our economy and our state. This report analyzes immigrants’ contributions to Minnesota through many lenses, with a specific focus on entrepreneurship, impact on regional economies and contributions to key state industries.

Minnesota’s demographics are shifting and the population is quickly aging.2 According to the State Demographer, deaths will outnumber births by the early 2040s.3 For Minnesota to experience meaningful population growth in the future, it will need to come from migration to the state.

Among the key characteristics of Minnesota’s economy are its industrial diversity and large number of homegrown enterprises, i.e. businesses that start, succeed and grow in the state. Fueling these characteristics are high-quality native-born and immigrant entrepreneurs and workers. The rate of entrepreneurship—whether native-born or immigrant—is modest relative to other states, but their businesses survive at a rate that’s among the highest. Workforce participation rates by native-born and immigrant Minnesotans alike are also high-ranking.