The role of human capital, race, gender, and culture on immigrant entrepreneurship in Hong Kong

Abstract Our research is among the first to explore the recent sociodemographic development of immigrant entrepreneurs in Hong Kong, which reflects the city’s underlying socioeconomic dynamics that are increasingly conducive for foreign investments. Using pooled Hong Kong census data from 2001 to 2016 and relying on linear probability models with a synthetic cohort design, we compared the probabilities of attaining entrepreneurship among individuals with different demographic characteristics, including gender, age, education attainment, ethnicity, length of stay in Hong Kong, etc. Our preliminary results are in line with cultural, human capital, and intersectionality theory—longer length of stay in the destination, higher educational attainment, greater knowledge of the local language, and similarity of cultural background are all positively associated with one’s likelihood of success in becoming an entrepreneur. Meanwhile, we also observed inter-ethnic and gender differences in entrepreneurial probability both at time of arrival and in with longer duration at the destination.