## Why U.S. Immigration Matters for the Global Advancement of Science

_IMF Working Papers, February 19, 2021_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Why U.S. Immigration Matters for the Global Advancement of Science](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2021/02/19/why-u-s-50097)

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## Bibliographic details
- Authors: Ruchir Agarwal, Patrick Gaulé, Geoff Smith
- Published: February 19, 2021
- Series: IMF Working Papers
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781513570006.001

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### Key findings
- Migrants to the U.S. represent 20-33% of the frontier knowledge producers among Nobel Prize winners and Fields Medalists.
- Migrants to the U.S. are up to six times more productive than migrants to other countries, based on novel survey data and hand-curated life-histories of International Math Olympiad (IMO) medalists—even after accounting for talent during one’s teenage years.
- Financing costs are a key factor preventing foreign talent from migrating abroad to pursue their dream careers, particularly for talent from developing countries.
- Certain “push” incentives that reduce immigration barriers—by addressing financing constraints for top foreign talent—could increase the global scientific output of future cohorts by 42 percent.

### Evidence and methods
- Analysis draws on:
  - Data on Nobel Prize winners and Fields Medalists to map the global knowledge network and identify frontier producers.
  - Novel survey data and hand-curated life-histories of International Math Olympiad (IMO) medalists to measure productivity differences and control for teenage-era talent.
  - Productivity regression approaches referenced in the paper (term appears in Keywords).
- The paper frames migrants to the U.S. as central nodes in global knowledge production based on these empirical sources.

### Drivers and mechanisms
- Financing costs are identified as a primary barrier limiting the migration of high-talent individuals from developing countries to the U.S. and other destinations.
- “Push” incentives that address financing constraints are highlighted as mechanisms to reduce effective immigration barriers for top foreign talent.

### Projected impact
- Implementing policies that reduce financing constraints for top foreign talent could increase global scientific output of future cohorts by 42 percent.

### Policy implications and recommendations
- The paper concludes by discussing policy options for the U.S. and the global scientific community focused on reducing immigration barriers and addressing financing constraints for top foreign talent.
- Emphasis is placed on interventions that act as “push” incentives to facilitate migration of high-talent individuals and thereby raise global knowledge production.

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## Content in this bundle

- **Working Paper**
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_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2021/02/19/why-u-s-50097_