The New Breed of Immigrant Entrepreneurs

 
In their latest report, APCE and magazine Maghreb Ressources Humaines in France consider obsolete that policy makers still determine business immigrant start-ups by solely benchmarking the ethnic origins of the owner and the ethnic origin of their products. According to them, there are five immigrant entrepreneur profiles that stand out among a more diversified number:
 
The Entrepreneur Storekeeper This profile corresponds to first and second generation store or retail keepers. The entrepreneur storekeeper is often the owner of a local convenient store (restaurant, bakery, butcher or grocery). Their market is often limited to a neighborhood or to targeting their own ethnic community.
 
The Entrepreneur Professional They are the teachers, consultants, lawyers, doctors, accountants practicing their trade in small self-employed structures or in large professional networks. Their services are open to all society and some expand internationally. They may have occasionally encountered difficulty in accessing employment pushing them to create their own business. They generally hold Bachelor and post-doc education degrees.
 
The Entrepreneur SME They head and run SME’s that employ more than ten people in service, wholesale manufacturing or industry. They generally hold professional degrees and some superior to a Bachelor. They are recognized by their sectorial professional organization and enjoy valued employer status.
 
The Entrepreneur Large Business and Start-up Heading large businesses or start-ups, these entrepreneurs are often featured in top IT business billboards. They hold superior post-doc degrees from major schools and have international profiles.
 
The Entrepreneur Two Banks They are business creators that manage simultaneously businesses in two or more countries. Open borders and the impact of the internet are elements that attract these new breed of entrepreneurs in connecting closer countries and regions. Certain immigrants and young retired have found new entrepreneurial activity between two banks (transportation, parcel, trade…). Others take advantage of their double culture to run French based business branches in foreign countries in environments that favor them. They adapt to new circumstances, profit from know-how, franchise networks and partnerships.
Are Quebec and Canada’s immigrant entrepreneurs, self employed and investors following the same trend as the ones in France ? Do you recognize yourself in any of these profiles? Are there others ? Please share your story on our blog or forum.