Income Change and Circular Migration: The Curious Case of Mobile Puerto Ricans, 1995-2010

Headnote

Abstract

Puerto Rican migration patterns are often circular with Puerto Ricans leaving to work on the mainland for a number of years before returning to the island. This paper explores the varied geography of Puerto Ricans migrating to and from mainland U.S. The growth of the Orlando, Florida metropolitan area as a hub for Puerto Rican migration is particularly highlighted. Using Internal Revenue Service county-to-county migration data, the income characteristics of Puerto Ricans migrating to the mainland U.S. are compared to those returning to Puerto Rico. The most consistent findings indicate that from 1995 to 2010 in-migrants from Puerto Rico had lower incomes than out-migrants to Puerto Rico as well as other migrants not moving to Puerto Rico.

Keywords: Puerto Rico, circular migration, income migration

Resumen

Los modelos de migración de Puerto Rico son a menudo circulares entre puertorriqueños que se migran a trabajar al continente por varios años, antes de retornar a la isla. Primero, este trabajo explora la variada geografía de puertoriqueños que migran entre condados dentro de los EE. UU. El crecimiento de la ciudad de Orlando, Florida, como foco de migración de puertoriqueña es resaltado. Usando datos de migración condado por condado del IRS, se comparan las características de ingresos de puertorriqueños que migran al continente americano en contraste a los que regresan a Puerto Rico. Los resultados más consistentes indican que desde 1995 a 2010, los originarios migrantes puertorriqueños tuvieron menos ingresos que los migrantes a Puerto Rico, así como otros migrantes.

Palabras clave: Puerto Rico, migración circular, ingresos de migrantes

Puerto Rico and Migration

The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico has a singular relationship with the United States. Puerto Ricans have been citizens of the United States since the 1917 Foraker Act. U.S. citizenship enables Puerto Ricans to move freely between island and mainland without legal impediment or complication-an important factor distinguishing Puerto Ricans on the mainland from international immigrants. This citizenship characteristic eliminates the need for a work-visa and removes additional migration barriers that migrants from other areas of the world encounter. Because Puerto Ricans have the freedom to come and go as they wish, depending on finances, family ties, and other socioeconomic factors, some have argued that many have not fully assimilated into U.S. culture.

Millions...