Many Puerto Ricans in Florida plan to stay
ORLANDO, Fla. — Nearly half of Puerto Ricans surveyed in Florida said they are not returning to the island, while most listed not knowing English as their No. 1 challenge in adjusting to life on the mainland, a new survey shows.
In one of the first surveys of this population after Hurricane Maria, conducted by Florida International University and commissioned by the Puerto Rican Alliance of Florida, 1,000 Puerto Ricans were asked about their lives in the state, including their reasons for leaving the island, level of education and current employment in Florida.
FIU professor Dr. Eduardo Gamarra, one of the lead authors of the study, said the language barrier topping the list of challenges was one of the study’s most surprising findings.
“I think for a lot of people, including myself, we think that English in Puerto Rico has been important enough so that when people migrate there’s not a problem with speaking English,” Gamarra said.
The study divided interviewees into four categories, based on the date of arrival in Florida: between 2017 and 2018; 2015 and 2016; 2012 and 2014; and before 2011. Participants were reached by phone in Orlando (61 percent), Tampa (22 percent), Miami (11 percent) and Fort Lauderdale (6 percent).
Nearly 18 percent said they did not speak English when they got to Florida, while 16.6 percent said they had trouble finding a job, and 7.6 said they faced a high cost of living.