Cubans who have immigrated to the U.S. generally congregate in the larger cities, especially Miami, Houston and naturally, New York City. So, what is it about NYC that attracts Cubans to travel almost 2,500 kilometers from home?
Why do Cubans Move to New York City?
Figures suggest that more than 140,000 Cubans now live in New York City [1]. Cubans who immigrate to the U.S. are drawn to communities where there is already a flourishing Cuban population. In NYC, there are many opportunities for Cubans to enjoy their heritage in the city’s many clubs, restaurants, cafes and bars.
Find great Cuban food in NYC
If you are in search of the best Cuban dishes such as ropa viejo, lechon asado, Cubano sandwiches and rum cocktails, look no further than Cuba Restaurant and Rum Bar, located in Greenwich Village. This lively restaurant/bar attracts a student crowd and often has live music. If you are looking for somewhere to eat in the theatre district, check out Victor’s Café for classic rice, meat, and seafood dishes as well as specialty cocktails and a decent wine list. If you are in a hurry, try Margon in the middle of Times Square which specializes in quick sandwiches is the place to head to.
Be entertained at the many Cuban music venues and clubs
From Amor Cubano to the Hostos Center, you are never very far away from a venue hosting Cuban and Latin American musicians and dancers. You can learn how to dance the Timba, Rumba and Salsa at classes held at Fuákata or the Salsa Sabrosa dance school. If you want to dance the night away in a club, check out Sabor Latino in Queens, Club Cache, on the outskirts of Union Square Park or the well-known Copacabana.
Learn more about Cuban arts and culture
There are a few organizations whose mission is to promote the Cuban culture in NYC. The CCCNY, also known as The Centro Cultural Cubano de Nueva York is a non-profit organization providing opportunities to attend cultural events celebrating artists, musicians, authors, poets and even scientists through talks, presentations and performances.
Likewise, the Center for Cuban Studies (CCS), another non-profit organization, located in Brooklyn, provides information and education about Cuban culture. The Cuban Art Space within the building displays more than 10,000 exhibits of work by Cuban artists. In addition, the Center has a long history of organizing and leading cultural tours to Cuba where you can spend time with Cuban people to truly understand the Cuban way of life.
Living and working in NYC
Cubans moving from Cuba to the U.S. who are looking for employment may find it easier to get work in New York City than other U.S. cities, especially for professional opportunities such as in tech, finance, healthcare, and law. In addition to more vacancies, salaries in New York are significantly higher than other locations (e.g. around 45% higher than in Miami which is also a popular location for Cuban citizens to settle [2]). There are also jobs available in the hospitality and tourism sectors as well, so New York is a good place to immigrate to. Living costs are substantially higher in NYC than in Miami, so don’t forget to factor that it when deciding where to live and work.
Immigrating to New York brings financial benefits for your family back in Cuba
Sending money to Cuba from the U.S. is easier again now when you use Western Union money transfer services. The following criteria must be met to enable a transfer to take place:
- Customers can send $2,000 USD per transaction (additional limits may apply). – The transactions are expected to be delivered the Next Business Day. Same-day delivery might be available if the transaction is submitted before the cutoff time (11:30 am EST) and it is dependent on the bank’s service availability.
- Deposits can only be made to MLC (Moneda Libre Convertible) accounts and MLC debit cards.
- Only non-commercial, family remittances are allowed while send-to-self is not available.
- Customer transactions must be in full compliance with US regulatory requirements and may be subject to additional restrictions based on available remittance types. Available at selected locations.
Despite there still being some restrictions on how much and to whom you can send money, all you need to set up an online account or use our money transfer app is your ID and payment card details. Alternatively, you can make a money transfer to Cuba in person from one of hundreds of agent locations around New York.
For support to get your account set up or to make your first payment, check out our online Help Center.
