What countries do people in the Cuban diaspora admire most?

Wondering where your fellows in the Cuban diaspora live? What country they picked and why? We did too. So, we made some research and thanks to the World Migration Map compiled top 5 countries they pick to move to. It’s also interesting to learn why these countries, because the law of proximity does not apply to all. If you want to contribute with a comment based on your own experience and knowledge, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below for the Cuban diaspora reading this and other Cuba enthusiasts or tourists. Thanks!

So, if we are to consider the number of Cuban migrants and the countries they move to, here are the countries they admire most.

#1 The United States

Photo by Nitish Meena on Unsplash

There are over 1,250,000 Cubans registered in the USA, which makes the country the most welcoming for the Cuban diaspora. In a survey we ran in MobileRecharge.com Facebook expat-community on the 4th of July 2018, we learned what the country offers for expats, including the Cuban diaspora.

For decades, immigrants from Cuba have held a uniquely preferential position in U.S. immigration law, owing to Cold War-era tensions between the two rivals. Cubans have been among the top ten immigrant populations in the United States since 1970, and in 2016 were the seventh largest group. Nearly 1.3 million Cubans lived in the United States in 2016, accounting for roughly 3 percent of the approximately 44 million immigrants overall. (“Cuban Immigrants in the United states“, MigrationPolicy.org, November 2017)

Photo by Jesús Boscán on Unsplash

Aspects of the American culture and society that scored high were:

• Freedom & hassle-free independent life
• Good standard of living
• Mutual respect
• Opportunities in education, work, travelling, parties and festivals, etc. And since the federation is not a nationalist place, so opportunities are also for expats in the USA.
• Laws that actually work
• Human rights
• Multiculturalism
• Talent consideration and promotion
• Sales, deals and shopping diversity, including the ways to support people back home. And Cubacel monthly promos are top of this list for the Cuban diaspora.

Talking about Cubacel deals, one of the most generous is running right now. MORE than Triple Bonus for mobile top ups to Cuba.

READ the entire article 12 healthy reasons why expats in the USA choose to live there »

#2 Spain

The reason is obvious. Spain is the closest Spanish speaking country the other side of the ocean. So, basically those in the Cuban diaspora who dreamed to get to Europe picked Spain for proximity, but mostly language reasons. Although there are different language varieties, European Spanish and Cuban Spanish get along like sisters from the same dad. According to Wikipedia, there were 141,000+ Cubans living in Spain out of a mother population of 11,221,000+. Wow!

Photo by Ronny Sison on Unsplash

Los Cubanos in Spain could be called the returners, if history could unfold in front of our eyes.

 The “mainstream Cuban culture [is] a Western culture largely derived from the traditions of Western European migrants, beginning with the early Spanish settlers. (Cubans, Wikipedia)

#3 Canada

According to World Migration reports, there are 15,000+ Cubans in the Cuban diaspora in Canada. According to Wikipedia and the 2011 Census, 21,000+ people claimed full or partial Cuban ancestry. So, the Cuban Canadians are the fuel of the Cuban diaspora in the extreme North… Proud citizens, well educated and well integrated! That’s how they were pictured by the Census results.

Remember Canada has a more relaxed immigration law compared to any other country in the world. Their program of populating the territory and bringing specialists in the society encouraged Cubans to apply for a visa. And many succeeded.

Photo by Alain Wong on Unsplash

As Cuban education is a very solid and respectable one int he world, there were high chances they would. Again, according to the same Wikipedia source link-quoted above, the regions that were most welcoming for the Cuban diaspora in Canada were: Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. Cubans may miss the sea adventure, but they’ve got the lakes and forests to balance the nature drive.

#4 Germany

Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash

Germany is the second most popular migration destination in the world, after the United States. It’s popular for being a good working market for Europeans, Asians, Africans and Latinos. Despite the distance and document hassle, Germany allows expats to request German citizen after few years in Germany having a legal working contract.

In the article on Immigration to Germany on Wikipedia, Cubans are not among the major ethnic groups who picked Germany as their new home. Instead, Russians, Polish, Turkish, Romanians, Italians, Syrians and Greeks are in top 10.

Immigration to Germany as a non-EU-citizen is limited to skilled or highly educated workers and their immediate family members. Germany has 3 types of immigration titles: Visas of up to 90 days, temporary or permanent residence permits.

There are proofs in the same article on Wikipedia, that in the 1980s, Cubans worked in East German factories as “guest workers” (Gastarbeiterin).

It may not be a representative immigrant group In Germany, but we can definitely talk about German people of Cuba descent. Do they consider themselves part of the Cuban diaspora? Cubans in Germany amount to 14,000+ in the last years according to World Migration?

#5 Venezuela

Over 11,000 Cubans live in the Cuban diaspora in Venezuela. Venezuela is 8th wealthiest country in South America, but few Cubans leave for economical reasons rather than political or social ones. Although, there are 33.33% chances you make more money in Venezuela than Cuba according to ifitwemyhome.com report. Same report states that Venezuela is more dangerous than Cuba, and care services are poorer, and expenses much higher. 45% More oil consumption and 200% more on electricity, 6% more money spent on health care. yet, chances to have more kids are higher in Venezuela than Cuba.

Photo by Jorge Saavedra on Unsplash

Cubans – Wikipedia page features more or less updated numbers (depending on the destination). So, let’s have a look on that too.

TIPS for Cubans in the worldwide diaspora!

• Those of you in the Cuban diaspora who follow Cubacel promos and wish to add Bonus for your folks back in Cuba, you can now top up Triple the amount. Guys, this is the best aka the most generous bonus in the recent Cubacel history. Since the economy developed thanks to manufacturing as the second income industry, vacant workplaces are tempting for a start.

• You can send money in Cuba online, in a very safe way, with SendMoney.com.
• International calling to Cuba is possible with KeepCalling app. The app is free and it allows you to call any number in Cuba. The person over there does not need to have the app as it happens with Viber or Whatsapp.
• Shipping a small package from Canada to Cuba. If you’re living in Cuba, you can ship by Canada Post, and make sure it’s by airmail, not by surface for maximum security. The maximum size is approximately 1.5 kilograms. Takes approximately 4 weeks to arrive. Ask about taxes that the receiver may need to pay, based on weight and size. It matters a lot. When you fill out the declaration for the package that will be stuck to outside of your package, keep your description general, less attractive. For example “clothing items” or “kitchen items”. And use tracking order. Or you can give your gift to someone in the Cuban diaspora living close to you to carry it for you when visiting Cuba.
• By the way, find your Cuban fellows per region in Facebook groups. Join trustfully. Or look for pages like Cuban America. ;)