Immigrants Account for 36% of U.S. Innovation Output, New Studies Confirm

Recent research consistently underscores the pivotal role of immigration in fostering innovation, particularly within the United States. This perspective aligns with a recent social media post by "paula," who stated, > "and the wild thing is that immigration is key to not just US innovation, but innovation in general. if these people can’t get their work done here, it’s most likely not going to happen anywhere else." This sentiment is strongly supported by economic studies highlighting immigrants' substantial contributions to technological advancement and economic growth across various sectors.

Immigrants, while comprising only 16% of U.S. inventors, are directly responsible for approximately 23% of all patents issued between 1990 and 2016, according to a National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) study. When accounting for their collaborative impact with native-born innovators, immigrants contribute to a striking 36% of overall U.S. innovation output. This outsized role extends significantly to entrepreneurship, with studies showing immigrants founding over half of U.S. billion-dollar startups and launching new companies at twice the rate of native-born Americans.

Beyond direct contributions, immigrant inventors act as powerful catalysts, enhancing the productivity of their U.S.-born collaborators. This "spillover effect" is a significant driver of aggregate innovation, with immigrants bringing diverse knowledge and international connections. Foreign-born professionals are particularly vital in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, making up 43% of U.S. STEM workers who hold doctoral degrees, a figure that rises to nearly 60% in computer science and other critical areas.

The critical reliance on foreign-born talent has brought immigration policy to the forefront of national discussions. Debates around the availability and allocation of H-1B visas and green cards highlight concerns that restrictive policies could impede the flow of essential skilled workers. As noted in a February 2025 Scientific American article, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a need for over one million additional STEM workers by 2033, making immigrant talent indispensable for maintaining global competitiveness and addressing future workforce demands.

Experts contend that policies limiting high-skilled immigration could significantly hinder future innovation and economic growth, potentially causing the U.S. to slip further in global attractiveness for highly educated workers. The ability to attract and retain top global talent is crucial for the U.S. to sustain its leadership in technology and research, a factor also emphasized by the Global Innovation Index's focus on human capital and international collaboration. Continued efforts to streamline immigration pathways for skilled professionals are seen as vital to ensuring the nation's innovative capacity.