Home country national intelligence and self-employment rates among immigrants in Norway

The level of self-employment varies significantly among immigrants from different countries of origin. The objective of this research is to examine the relationship between home-country national intelligence and self-employment rates among first generation immigrants in Norway. Empirical secondary data on self-employment among immigrants from 117 countries residing in Norway in 2008 was used. The relevant hypothesis was tested using hierarchical regression analysis. The immigrants’ national intelligence was found to be significantly positively associated with self-employment. However, the importance of national IQ for self-employment among immigrants decreases with the duration of residence in Norway. The study concludes with practical implications and suggestions for future research.