Even in 2021, a year still characterized by the Covid health emergency, immigrant entrepreneurship in Italy continues to grow. According to the Leone Moressa Foundation, which photographed the situation as at 31 December 2021, entrepreneurs born abroad are 753,064 and for the first time they reach 10% of the total. If we analyze the last ten years, the difference between those born in Italy (-8.6%) and those born abroad (+ 31.6%) emerges. Even in 2021, despite the protracted health emergency, the number increased (+ 1.8%), while that of those born in Italy remained unchanged.
China still first country, Bangladesh slows down
In 2021, China was confirmed as the first country (76,417 entrepreneurs), showing a very slight growth compared to the previous year (+ 0.7%). Romania also has more than 70,000 entrepreneurs. In the last year, the most significant increases were recorded among the communities of Eastern Europe: Romania (+ 2.6%), Albania (+ 7.2%), Moldova (+ 10.7%), Ukraine (+6 , 6%). Pakistan (+ 5.2%) and Nigeria (+ 3.7%) are also growing. On the other hand, Bangladesh is slowing down (-0.3%), which in the last ten years had recorded a doubling of its entrepreneurs.
Of all Macedonian-born immigrants in Italy, one in two is an entrepreneur
By comparing the entrepreneurs for each country with the population of working age born in the same country, it is possible to calculate the “entrepreneurship rate” for each community. Among those born in Italy, entrepreneurs are 20.8% of the population of working age (15-64 years). Among those born abroad, this value is much lower (13.9%). However, among those born abroad the situation is very varied: the record belongs to Macedonia, with a rate of 52.9%. This means that, of all Macedonian-born immigrants present in Italy (of working age), one in two is an entrepreneur. China, Russia, Turkey and Bangladesh also exceed 30%, while Romania (8.2%), India (7.5%) and Brazil (8.1%) are strongly below the average.
Commerce is the sector with the most foreign entrepreneurs
The sector with the most foreign-born entrepreneurs is Commerce, with over 240,000 entrepreneurs (32.1% of the total). Services and Construction follow, respectively with 23.6% and 22% of the total. As regards the incidence of foreign-born by sector, the maximum values are recorded in Construction (16.5%), Commerce (13.5%) and Catering (12.4%). In the last year all sectors have increased with the exception of Commerce; the greatest increase was recorded in Agriculture and Construction, with over 4%.
In Trentino Alto Adige the greatest growth of foreign entrepreneurs in the last year
The first region for the number of foreign entrepreneurs is Lombardy, with just under 160,000 units (over a fifth of the national total). In this case, the immigrant component represents 11.7% of total entrepreneurship. The second region is Lazio, with over 85,000 entrepreneurs. Then there are three regions with over 60,000 foreign entrepreneurs: Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto. The highest incidence is recorded in Liguria (13.2%), Lazio and Tuscany (both at 12.9%) and is generally higher than the average in the Central-Northern regions. In the last year, immigrant entrepreneurs have increased in almost all regions with the exception of Lazio, and as many as 9 regions recorded increases greater than 3%. The greatest growth was recorded in Trentino – Alto Adige (+ 5.7%).