Exodus of professionals in Puerto Rico

Exodus of professionals in Puerto Rico

Through decades human beings have demonstrate great determination and commitment with himself and his love’s ones, always looking for their safety and well being. They are always looking for a better life quality and higher salaries, things that allows them to progress in society. Generally, to change the determining factor is out their hands and is defined by the society and/or the system. That is why many leave their country and look for places where they can develop professionally and where they can achieve profitable jobs. Nowadays, Puerto Rico suffers an economical and political crisis, a fact that is influencing thousandths of puertoricans to establish in the United States. An exodus starts when a mass of people changed their residency to another place temporarily or for an unlimited amount of time. If we hear the news or read the papers we realize that today is the time where the exodus of professionals is taking place.

At the present time Puerto Rico undergo for high rates of unemployment, the close of industries, political and economical difficulties, among other things. As well, the cost of life have increased and an imposition of a new sale and services tax, known as IVU, has forced qualified and professional persons to look for other opportunities beyond our island, in the United States. As American citizens we have the option to freely cross the border and start a new life in a new place without much complication. We must remember that a part of the population that decide to leave, Puerto Rico, have a job waiting for them. As an example we can see how graduated engineers from the University of Mayaguez, thanks to their preparation and capacities, are recruited by NASA and prominent corporations. (USATODAY, 2006) They in some way facilitate the transition of these persons, from being a student to a worker, and help’s them to avoid the hard task that is to look for a job.

According to the “Junta de Planificación de Puerto Rico” there is no real exodus of “brains”. However, the statistics, published by them, shows that even if the biggest group that emigrates does not have bachelor degree, it is higher the percent of emigrants with bachelor’s degree, 18.8%, than those staying, 16.5%. The percentage of professionals that decide to abandon Puerto Rico is higher than those who remained, which implies that there is an exodus of professionals or “brains”. (Vega, 2003)

Emigration in Puerto Rico is not something new, it happened before. An example was in the 16^th century where most spaniards decided to leave to Peru; a place where they hope to find what this little island couldn’t provide them, gold and opportunities. It was a chance to improve their economical status. However, the effect that this exodus had on Puerto Rico was meaningful; it produced population imbalance and deterioration of the economy, among other impacts. The 21^th exodus is producing similar impacts, to those in the past. There have being an increase in the difference in population with bachelor degree and those who don’t. Also, while qualified people leave, the demand increase and the supply decrease, increasing the cost of services, the cost of life and deteriorating the economy of most families. These similarities confirm the existence of a leak among our population.

Statistical data demonstrate the exodus that Puerto Rico is living. History provides us the chance to compare and evaluate current situation with the past and confirm our thesis. In order to maintain a balance, society and the government must take action, incentive the work in the island, offer wider opportunities and relief the weight that impulse people to take this decision. Most professional that abandon Puerto Rico are those who can’t find a stable and profitable job, where they can’t, efficiently, use what they were trained for; mostly are persons that don’t feel satisfy with what we have and expect to find more and better opportunities in a different environment, a “new place”.

Reference List

Vega, L. M. (2003). Comparación y descripción de la población emigrante y población residente para detectar fuga de capital humano en Puerto Rico. Gobierno de P.R.: Junta de Planificación.

U.S. need for bilingual speakers lures Puerto Ricans (2006).USATODAY. Retrieved Nov. 20, 2008, from
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-10-27-puertorico_x.htm;