ABSTRACT
The entrepreneurial activity of immigrants is increasingly attracting the attention of researchers, policymakers, financial institutions and other business stakeholders. This is due to the proliferation and visibility of foreign-owned businesses in metropolitan areas all over the world. In Spain, where the percentage of foreign population increased from 1.6 per cent in 1998 to almost 10 per cent in 2007, the number of foreigners registered with the Social Security department as self-employed rose to almost 5 per cent of the total self-employed population by 2005. This reality is particularly noticeable in certain areas of large cities such as Madrid and Barcelona. However, not all businesses run by immigrants are noticeable and different from those run by natives.
