Ratio Working Paper No. 374: The Impact of High-Skilled Migration on Productivity in Swedish Firms

The migration of highly skilled labor has received increasing attention due to its role in fostering innovation and productivity. This study explores the impact of foreign experts on the productivity of Swedish companies. Utilizing a difference-in-difference model with comprehensive register data from 1996 to 2015, the analysis reveals that Swedish companies hiring foreign experts experience a significant productivity increase of 6 to 11 percent within two to three years post-hiring. This effect is particularly pronounced in small and medium-sized enterprises and is slightly enhanced when excluding returning Swedish-born experts. Additionally, the study finds that both labor and capital productivity rise, along with a modest increase in wage incomes for other employees, estimated at 1.5 to 2 percent. However, the wage effects are less robust compared to productivity impacts. The findings underscore the importance of attracting foreign talent to bolster productivity. This research fills a crucial gap in the literature by focusing on the specific effects of foreign experts on total factor productivity in a small, knowledge-oriented economy like Sweden’s.

Halvarsson, D. (2024). The Impact of High-Skilled Migration on Productivity in Swedish Firms. Ratio Working paper No. 374.