The CGU Insurance Migrant Small Business Report surveyed more than 900 business owners, finding migrants run a third of all small businesses in Australia.
CGU spokeswoman Kate Wellard says more than 1.4 million Australians currently work for migrant employers. According to her, "Migrant businesses are innovative, they're hard working, they're ambitious. They're giving back to the community and they're creating jobs. One of the key findings is that migrant small businesses are likely to create 200,000 new Australian jobs over the next five to 10 years."
According to the new report, although 83 per cent of migrant business owners had never run a business before, they're more successful, earning 53 percent more revenue than non-migrant-run businesses.
Ms Wellard says the survey proves migrants aren't the drain on the economy they're sometimes made out to be.
"Younger migrants and migrants who have migrated here more recently, they were more likely to have experienced racism. I think one of the great reasons why we're doing this report is to set the record straight and show the contribution that they're making to Australia."
When Lorenzo Perafan was made redundant from his telecommunications job, his Dad, a Colombian anthropologist, gave him an idea. He said, "He's been working with this indigenous Colombian community for a while and they were bringing out this wild coffee that grows wild in the rainforest so we figured Australia would be a good market for it."
Kogi Coffee is now in several supermarkets and cafes in Sydney.
According to the CGU report, the main motivator for migrants starting up their own businesses was greater independence and because they couldn't find other work.
Mr Perafan says he's busy, but enjoying every second of it.
"There's not a lot of rest, we're doing markets on the weekends, roasting, sale stalls but I think it's paid off. Having my own business is much better than working for someone else."
Karla Spetic came to Australia as a refugee from Croatia.
This year marks 10 years since she launched her own fashion label.
She says a fresh start in Australia drove her to find a determination she never knew she had.
"When you've been given a chance to start again, I think it really makes you want to do well and have this extra drive and determination to just do really well, and to make something of yourself."
And that she has, with her self-titled label a fixture at the Melbourne fashion week and boasting customers from around the globe.
To see stories from SBS Punjabi on top of your Facebook news feed, click on three dots next to News Feed icon on the top left corner of the screen, click on Edit preferences, then Prioritise who to see first and select SBS Punjabi. 
ALSO READ
