5 Reasons Why Businesses Should Support Refugee Inclusion
The United States has a proud history of welcoming people seeking safety. It is not only the right thing to do, but it also benefits businesses across the country every day. Refugees who resettle in the United States are hardworking, resilient, and determined individuals who make their communities vibrant, and strengthen their local economies. You don’t have to take our word for it – it’s in the numbers! 👇
The United States was home to more than 180,000 refugee entrepreneurs in 2015. That meant that 13 percent of refugees were entrepreneurs in 2015, with businesses that generated $4.6 billion that year, according to a study from the New American Economy.
According to the Center for Migration Studies, 10 percent of resettled refugees are self-employed, compared to 9 percent of the total U.S. population. Refugees are not only valuable employees, but are important job creators in our country.
According to a study from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, refugees in the U.S. paid $63 billion more in taxes than they received in benefits to all levels of government from 2005 to 2014, and the per capita annual net fiscal effect of each refugee in the same time period was positive $2,205 compared to a national average of $1,848.
In a study from New American Economy, 2.3 million resettled refugees earned a collective $77.2 billion in household income and contributed $20.9 billion in taxes in 2015. Refugee families were left with $56.3 billion in disposable income, giving them significant spending power in their communities at both small and large U.S. businesses. In 18 states, refugees included in this study hold more than $1 billion in spending power.
About 70 percent of refugees in the U.S. are essential workers—many directly helping during the COVID crisis. On the frontlines of the pandemic, many of our refugee neighbors kept our communities safe as healthcare workers, grocery store employees, and community volunteers.
Refugees are an integral part of our economic success, and the proof is clear in the data. In a time when economic recovery is top of mind for business leaders, policymakers, and the public, recognizing the role that refugees play in this effort and all they contribute to the United States is essential. Signing the Businesses for Refugees pledge is a great start.
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Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash