Puerto Ricans could ease job market

“Some clients are having difficulty with staffing warehouse, distribution, retail and hospitality. It’s very hard to hire. Retention is a strong component.” Chris Owens, Cushman & Wakefield

With their homes or workplaces damaged or even destroyed by the powerful Hurricane Maria, some Puerto Ricans have taken refuge in South Florida.

At this point, many are staying with family or friends in the region. But as efforts to restore power, clean the water and reconstruct the island are taking longer than expected, evacuees could decide to make South Florida their permanent home, some experts say.

Local employers may benefit from this influx of Puerto Ricans who need jobs, as many of them are struggling to find workers in a tight labor market, a new Cushman & Wakefield report says.

Florida officials are estimating up to 250,000 people from Puerto Rico will relocate to the state after Maria, a Category 5 hurricane, devastated the U.S. commonwealth. That number could grow by several hundred thousand more over the next year, said Chris Owens, Florida Research Manager for Cushman & Wakefield and author of the report, “Puerto Rican Diaspora,” which examines Puerto Rican migration to Florida and its economic effects on the state.

Florida’s low unemployment — under 4 percent in South and Central Florida, where many Puerto Ricans are heading — means those individuals with some skills should easily find work, especially if they’re bilingual, Owens said.

Cushman & Wakefield wrote the report for its tenants and clients coming into the state to let them know the “potential impact that could help them if they’re having labor issues,” he said.

“Some clients are having difficulty with staffing warehouse, distribution, retail and hospitality [jobs],” Owens said. In the tight labor market, “it’s very hard to hire. Retention is a strong component.”

Florida’s transportation industry accounted for 5,100 new positions in the past 12 months, with 1,600 in warehouse and storage, the report says.

And retail and construction industries have been struggling to fill jobs in the wake of new competition and building resurgence since the recession. Most contractors are reporting a worker shortage, which is leading to a slowdown in project timelines and pressure on wages, Cushman & Wakefield says in the report.

Mason Jackson, president of CareerSource Broward, said what Puerto Rican evacuees need most is cash. “Some may not have a home to go back to and they may relocate,” he said.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses from either Hurricanes Irma or Maria can apply for assistance by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov/es or by calling 800-621-3362 (FEMA).

After seeking available assistance, the evacuees may want to pursue temporary or permanent employment, which they can do with the help of Florida’s workforce agencies. Find locations in Broward County at careersourcebroward.com and in Palm Beach County at careersourcepbc.com. So far, only a handful of people who have identified themselves as being from Puerto Rico have come to a Broward workforce center looking for work, Jackson said.

Before Maria’s devastation, Florida was home to nearly 1 million residents of Puerto Rican descent, and South Florida has nearly 230,000, according to the U.S. Census. The highest concentrations of Puerto Rican populations are in the Orlando area, followed by Miami-Dade County, according to the report.

Many young professional Puerto Ricans were already migrating to Florida and other parts of the U.S. as the island has been suffering from a decadelong economic recession. During that period, 450,000 people moved to Florida from the island.

“The best and brightest have already left the island because the opportunities were not there,” Owens said.

Those moving after Hurricane Maria are likely to be a more diverse group that includes older parents, young families, and many lesser skilled workers looking for opportunities.

But that’s an opportunity for employers because those workers can be trained for many jobs in the state, Owens said. And if they speak both English and Spanish, that’s a plus for call center companies and other businesses with bilingual customers, he added.