Recently, Mayor of Miami-Dade County Daniella Levine Cava announced a new report from the Office of New Americans. The findings cite the importance of immigrants to the Miami-Dade community in areas as broad as STEM, manufacturing, entrepreneurialism, and population growth.[1]
In general, immigrants are proving essential to the prosperity of Miami-Dade County, making up 54.6% of the population in 2019 and continuing to drive growth in the region.[2] While many places in the U.S., including the Bay area, New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, are experiencing population loss,[3] immigrants are helping to rejuvenate Miami-Dade.
In addition to invigorating the county’s population, immigrants are driving spending in the county, stimulating the regional economy and small businesses. In 2019, immigrants held $33.9 billion in disposable income, which, when spent, supports local economic corridors. Immigrants are also helping to fill voids in the local workforce, meeting labor needs in STEM, agriculture, and manufacturing, and contributing significant amounts to Social Security and Medicare. As Visa Business Plans knows firsthand, immigrants are especially active in entrepreneurialism, representing 73.9% of all Miami-Dade entrepreneurs in 2019. [4]
While the report done by The Office of New Americans is especially relevant to Floridians, experts agree that immigrants benefit communities wherever they go. According to American Progress, the United States will continue to rely on immigrants in the coming years as they help to replace the aging workforce and “build a more dynamic economy.” [5]
Mayor Levine Cava has always been a supporter of immigrants. Since her historic election as the county’s first female Mayor in November 2020, she has emphasized the need for a “more inclusive Miami-Dade.” [6] She spoke warmly about the new report, professing that it “confirms what we’ve always known: immigrants are a part of the heart that makes Miami-Dade thrive. During the hardest times of the pandemic, immigrants kept our country running as essential farmworkers, healthcare workers, hospitality workers, and consumers.” Mayor Levine Cava also stated that the figures give “new insights to consider for future policy making.” [7]
Visa Business Plans is led by Marco Scanu, a certified coach from the University of Miami with a globally-based practice coaching Fortune 1000 company executives, entrepreneurs, as well as professionals in 4 different continents. Mr. Scanu advises clients on turnaround strategies and crisis management.
Mr. Scanu received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (Cum Laude) from the University of Florida and an MBA in Management from Bocconi University in Milan, Italy. Mr. Scanu was also a Visiting Scholar at Michigan State University under the prestigious H. Humphrey Fellowship (Fulbright program) with a focus on Entrepreneurship, Venture Capital and high-growth enterprises.
At present, Mr. Scanu is the managing partner and CEO at Visa Business Plans, a Miami-based boutique consulting firm providing attorneys and investors with business planning services in the areas of U.S. and Canadian immigration and SBA loans.
[1] New American Economy “New Americans in Miami-Dade County.” | August 25, 2021
[2] New American Economy “New Americans in Miami-Dade County.” | August 25, 2021
[3] The New York Times “The Most Urban Counties in the U.S. Are Shrinking.” | August 12, 2021 | Jed Kolko
[4] New American Economy “New Americans in Miami-Dade County.” | August 25, 2021
[5] American Progress “Building a More Dynamic Economy: The Benefits of Immigration.” | June 26, 2019 | Tom Jawetz
[6] Miami Dade “Daniella Levine Cava – Mayor.”
[7] Miami Dade “New Report Shows Immigrants Play an Outsized Role in the Local Economy and Make Miami-Dade Thrive.” | August 25, 2021 | Natalia Jaramillo
