Understanding Immigrant Entrepreneurship Activities in the Greater Toronto Area

It is well established that immigrants are critical to Canada’s prosperity through their positive impact on labour market stability and long-term growth. Research has also revealed that immigrants are at the forefront of starting new businesses. Entrepreneurship and Barriers to Scaling Up: Exploring the Entrepreneurial Activities of Newcomers in the Greater Toronto Area was a three-year research study examining the entrepreneurial activity among immigrants in Ontario, Canada. This chapter will focus on qualitative semi-structured interviews conducted as part of the study with 100 immigrant entrepreneurs between March 2019 and June 2020, and 229 online surveys collected between March 2019 and May 2021. These interviews explored the level of entrepreneurial activity among immigrants in Ontario, examining the various pathways to entrepreneurship, and the barriers faced by immigrant entrepreneurs. The study revealed that most immigrant entrepreneurs had significant educational attainments and qualifications. However, less than a quarter of participants had been business owners in their previous country of residence. Immigrants shared that their desire to start a business stemmed from credential non-recognition and deskilling, career dissatisfaction, and the desire to be their own bosses. The findings revealed several barriers, including financial challenges, lack of support, and limited information and experience. Based on the experiences of those interviewed, the proposed chapter offers recommendations for supporting immigrant entrepreneurs, especially vulnerable groups—such as refugees and women.