Mapping Migrant Entrepreneurship and Integration in Italy: A Descriptive Analysis

This chapter analyses migrant entrepreneurship and migrant integration in Italy, examining their interaction across provinces between 2013 and 2022. Using an original dataset covering 102 provinces and 24 economic sectors, the study reconstructs the evolution, sectoral structure, and territorial distribution of foreign individual-owned firms (self-employment), alongside two composite integration indicators: the Social Integration Index and the Occupational Integration Index. Results show a steady growth of migrant entrepreneurship. Moreover, while integration indicators generally improve, particularly in labour market participation, structural differences persist across provinces. Multivariate analyses indicate that higher entrepreneurial intensity and sectoral diversification tend to be associated with stronger local integration outcomes.