Immigration and Innovation

Over the past two years, all else equal, the appeal of the US as a destination for immigrants has changed in ways that will likely decrease innovation in the US economy.

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Aghion
Philippe Aghion
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Allen
Franklin Allen
Imperial College London
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Trump's election has put off many creative people who might otherwise be interested in moving to the US.
Antras
Pol Antras
Harvard
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
The role of immigrants in U.S. innovation has been and continues to be very important. A decline in immigration will harm U.S. innovation.
Besley
Timothy J. Besley
LSE Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Blanchard
Olivier Blanchard
Peterson Institute
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Bloom
Nicholas Bloom
Stanford
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Blocking Iranians has been very costly for Silicon Valley - there are many Iranian scientists, engineers and VC funders.
-see background information here
Blundell
Richard William Blundell
University College London Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Bénassy-Quéré
Agnès Bénassy-Quéré
Paris School of Economics
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Carletti
Elena Carletti
Bocconi
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Danthine
Jean-Pierre Danthine
Paris School of Economics
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
De Grauwe
Paul De Grauwe
LSE
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Eeckhout
Jan Eeckhout
UPF Barcelona
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Migration is disproportionately by high and low skilled, less by middle skilled. Less entry of high skilled might stifle innovation.
Fehr
Ernst Fehr
Universität Zurich Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Freixas
Xavier Freixas
Barcelona GSE Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Fuchs-Schündeln
Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln
Goethe-Universität Frankfurt Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Galí
Jordi Galí
Barcelona GSE
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Garicano
Luis Garicano
LSE Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Giavazzi
Francesco Giavazzi
Bocconi
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
on average really motivated people will still be able to get there
Griffith
Rachel Griffith
University of Manchester
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Guerrieri
Veronica Guerrieri
Chicago Booth
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Guiso
Luigi Guiso
Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance
Strongly Agree
10
Bio/Vote History
empirical evidence shows that immigrants are among the most successful US entrepreneurs
Honohan
Patrick Honohan
Trinity College Dublin
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Kleven
Henrik Kleven
Princeton Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Krahnen
Jan Pieter Krahnen
Goethe University Frankfurt
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
I know a few excellent students who in earlier years would have applied for a top US school, and who now prefer to stay in Europe.
Krusell
Per Krusell
Stockholm University
Strongly Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
President Trump is broadly disliked by highly educated people abroad and my GUESS is that these people think twice before moving to the U.S.
Kőszegi
Botond Kőszegi
Central European University
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
La Ferrara
Eliana La Ferrara
Harvard Kennedy
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Leuz
Christian Leuz
Chicago Booth
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Will have neg impact on US human capital, which has tight link to innovation. Magnitude less clear. Impact seen in applications for MBA prgs
Meghir
Costas Meghir
Yale Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Neary
Peter Neary
Oxford
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Hostility to immigrants deters newcomers. Mainland European and Asian countries are seeking to benefit from this.
O'Rourke
Kevin O'Rourke
Oxford
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Trump's America is not appealing. On the other hand whether you want to go there or not depends on what your alternative is. Which varies.
Pagano
Marco Pagano
Università di Napoli Federico II
Strongly Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Pastor
Lubos Pastor
Chicago Booth
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Persson
Torsten Persson
Stockholm University
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Pissarides
Christopher Pissarides
London School of Economics and Political Science Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Portes
Richard Portes
London Business School
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Prendergast
Canice Prendergast
Chicago Booth
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Reichlin
Lucrezia Reichlin
London Business School
Strongly Disagree
9
Bio/Vote History
Repullo
Rafael Repullo
CEMFI
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Rey
Hélène Rey
London Business School Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Schoar
Antoinette Schoar
MIT
Strongly Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
William Kerr, U.S. High-Skilled Immigration, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, NBER Working Paper No. 19337
Van Reenen
John Van Reenen
LSE
Strongly Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Vickers
John Vickers
Oxford
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Voth
Hans-Joachim Voth
University of Zurich
Strongly Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
Weder di Mauro
Beatrice Weder di Mauro
The Graduate Institute, Geneva
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Many students and researchers are no longer interested in going to the US
Whelan
Karl Whelan
University College Dublin Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Wyplosz
Charles Wyplosz
The Graduate Institute Geneva Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Zilibotti
Fabrizio Zilibotti
Yale University Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History