Survey of Puerto Ricans (refugees) in Florida finds many plan to stay
Nearly half of Puerto Ricans surveyed in Florida said they are not returning to the island, while most listed not knowing English as their number one 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.
Nearly 18 percent said they did not speak English when they got to Florida, while 16.6 percent said they had trouble finding jobs, and 7.6 percent said they faced a higher cost of living.
The study also shows that among those who arrived after Hurricane Maria, between 2017 and 2018, Puerto Ricans who came to Florida were mostly highly educated: about 67 percent have university degrees and up to 7.4 percent had graduate degrees.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-puerto-ricans-florida-study-fiu-20180705-story.html#