The role of the local business climate for self-employment among immigrants. : -  A cross-sectional study between Swedish municipalities.

Sammanfattning: This study examines the relationship between the local business climate and the share of self-employed immigrants in Sweden on a municipal level. These results are then compared to the relationship between the local business climate and the share of self-employed natives. The study also compares the share of self-employed immigrants as well as natives that are still in business after one year. The variables that are used to assess the business climate have been used in previous research that has tested the impact of the business climate. The results show that regional differences in the business climate can explain differences in the share of self-employed immigrants to some extent. The results also show that while most variables are significant for both self-employed immigrants and self-employed natives, the business climate influences the share of self-employed natives more than the share of self-employed immigrants. This indicates that the functions in the local business climate can be more available to natives than to immigrants. The share of self-employed immigrants who are still in business after one year has an insignificant relationship with the local business climate, whereas the share of self-employed natives who are still in business after one year has a moderately significant relationship with the local business climate. Hence, the business climate influences regional differences in the share of self-employed who are still in business after one year more for natives than for immigrants.