The United States is “open for business”!
An Overview

The USA is the premier location for new business investment, tops among all countries.  According to Department of Commerce data released in Spring 2019, foreign direct investment flows into the United States and its territories rose from $272.8 billion in 2017 to $296.4 billion in 2018.  Additionally, U.S.-owned companies that are expanding facilities, adding new facilities, or bringing back jobs from abroad invest hundreds of billions more dollars in the United States.

The U.S. economy, with a GDP of more than $20.94 trillion, and a population of over 329 million, offers investors extraordinary attractions and many possible locations.  The United States has a lucrative and open consumer market of over 329 million Americans, as well as access via free trade agreements to about 425 million more customers for goods and services that are produced in the United States.

The American work force is well-educated, productive, innovative, and mobile, and the United States has the flexibility through the American educational system to fashion training programs for the jobs of today and tomorrow.  The United States also has the world’s best university system, one that hosts and spins off research and development (R&D) programs that contribute to the country’s strong R&D activities.

Innovation is part of America’s DNA. Creating intellectual property is encouraged and the results are well-protected. The American political system is a stable democracy and the legal system is transparent and predictable, all of which helps ensure that business investments are safe.

The American economy has robust supply chains for manufacturing. The infrastructure spanning this large country works well and is also poised for new investment for further expansion and modernization. With a land area that is the third largest in the world and encompasses an abundance of resources, a varied geography, and several climate zones, the United States offers investors a broad range of possible locations for investment.

The World’s Most Attractive Consumer Market

The United States holds the world’s most attractive consumer market, with a GDP of over $20.94 trillion and a population of more than 329 million people, resulting in a per capita GDP that is among the highest for the world’s major developed economies ($62,641 as of 2018). The U.S. market is diverse in consumer tastes and has a range of income levels, thus permitting success for a wide variety of goods and services.  Whether it be a computer or other electronic device, a movie or a song, a large passenger airplane, or oil drilling equipment, trends in global markets often start in the United States.  Brands are not considered truly global until they penetrate the U.S. market.

In addition, the United States has entered into free trade agreements with 20 other countries, providing access to more than 425 million more customers for U.S. goods and services.  For the complete list of agreements, click here.

Businesses operating in small markets in other countries can become large, dynamic firms in the United States.  Large companies operating abroad can grow even more in the United States.

Export Your Goods to the U.S. Duty Free with GSP

The U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program promotes economic growth in the developing world by providing duty-free entry to the U.S. market for goods imported from designated beneficiary developing countries.  Approximately 3,511 different products from Pakistan are eligible to enter the United States duty-free under the GSP program. U.S. businesses imported $18.5 billion worth of products under the GSP program, including $131 million from Pakistan.  Read more about GSP eligible goods and products.

Competitive Investment and Business Climate

The stable U.S. government and business climate have led to the United States topping the 2019 ATKearney Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index.  Indeed, the United States is the world’s most attractive market for venture capital and private equity funding.

Among countries with more than 10 million people, the United States is consistently ranked among the best in the world for its overall competitiveness ( World Economic Forum, Global Competitiveness Report 2018 PDF 7.2 MB), as well as for its overall “ease of doing business.”  (World Bank, Doing Business 2019.)

Highly Educated and Productive Work Force

The American work force is highly educated. Forty-two percent of Americans between the ages of 25 to 64 have completed a level of education beyond high school, which is fifth among all developed countries and considerably more than the OECD average of 30 percent.  (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development PDF 744 KB).

U.S. workers are also among the world’s most productive, both in the value of a worker’s output per hour or over the course of a year. The more than 153 million workers in the U.S. civilian labor force are diverse, flexible in the workplace, and mobile.  They have a long history of adapting to circumstances and stepping up to opportunities that present themselves. It is part of the American spirit.

World’s Top Universities and Colleges

The United States is the home to the world’s best university and college system.  One study ranks various American universities among the top four out of five universities in the world and occupying 32 of the top 50 places. (Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2018-2019.)

These universities and colleges undertake extensive research and development that contribute to America’s R&D activities. Indeed, new technologies and techniques are often developed in these universities and then expanded upon in nearby private companies, attracting new business investment.

The extraordinary American universities and colleges are complemented by the Administration’s new emphasis on community colleges and other arrangements that offer job training programs for skilled workers to fill the employment needs of businesses.

Protecting Intellectual Property

The United States is the world’s leader in protecting intellectual property rights (IPR), whether patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other forms of IPR are involved.  For example, about a million patent and trademark applications are received each year.

Obtaining protection for these valuable business assets is simple and cost-effective.  The transparent and predictable legal system resolves disputes quickly, often before significant expense is incurred.  And businesses can rely on the U.S.’s comprehensive enforcement capabilities to protect their IP rights from infringement.

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