For a Global 21st Century Economy: Immigration Policy is Economic Policy, and Economic Policy is Immigration Policy
Immigration isn't just about borders — it's the economic engine that determines which countries lead in innovation, growth, and global competitiveness.
As global leaders gather at the World Economic Forum, one reality is increasingly difficult to ignore: you cannot talk about the global economy without talking about the people who power it. In an era defined by artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and fierce global competition, immigration has become one of the most consequential economic strategies of the 21st century.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Hiba Mona Anver, partner at Erickson Immigration Group (EIG), a global business immigration law firm, participated in The Davos Interviews to discuss her perspective and experience supporting companies worldwide in securing their high-skilled talent needs, the changing trends, and the economic implications.
"Innovation drives economic growth, but talent drives innovation. Companies that can hire the best and brightest from anywhere in the world gain a measurable advantage — more innovation, faster scaling, and stronger commercial outcomes that ultimately benefit national economies," said Hiba Anver, Partner at Erickson Immigration Group.
"As a global immigration law firm, EIG works with some of the world's largest multinational companies to help them access critical talent across borders. The work reflects a broader shift underway: immigration is a core business and competitiveness issue," Anver said.
The data backs this up. Immigrants are not simply participants in the labor market; they are net job creators. They disproportionately start companies, lead innovation, and launch startups that define entire industries. In the United States, immigrant-founded firms include Google, Tesla, and Pfizer — companies that have generated billions in revenue and created thousands of jobs with global impact.
This reality directly challenges the view that immigrants take from native-born workers. In fact, according to an analysis of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics data by the National Foundation for American Policy, employment of U.S.-born workers in computer science and mathematical occupations increased by 141% between 2003 and 2024, even as the number of H-1B visa holders grew. Immigration expanded opportunity; it didn't replace it.
Today, limiting talent strategies by geography is no longer viable. Innovation is moving too quickly, and as a result, employers increasingly view talent pools as global — opening offices in talent-friendly countries, enabling distributed teams, and competing internationally for specialized skills.
Governments are responding in kind. Around the world, immigration policy is evolving from a reactive system into a proactive economic lever. Countries have rolled out startup visas, digital nomad programs, STEM-focused pathways, and even visas designed specifically for job seekers.
"More striking is how nations are responding directly to each other's policies. For example, after the U.S. implemented a new $100,000 H-1B visa fee, China introduced its K-Visa to attract global science and technology talent, while Canada announced a $1.7 billion investment to lure displaced skilled workers and expanded pathways for U.S. H-1B holders. Companies pay attention to these changes," said Anver.
Nowhere is this competition more visible than in AI, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing. These sectors rely on highly skilled STEM workers — many of whom are immigrants — to build, manage, and responsibly deploy transformative technologies. Without clear and predictable pathways for global talent, countries risk watching the next breakthrough happen elsewhere.
"The stakes are long-term. Immigration is not a short-term policy debate; it is an economic strategy with ripple effects across generations. Talent is mobile. Ideas are mobile. And the countries that treat immigration as a cornerstone of sustained growth and innovation will be the ones that lead," said Anver.
The question facing policymakers and business leaders alike is simple but consequential: will they create the conditions for the future to be built at home — or watch it take shape somewhere else?
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