Subcontracting work via social networks: migrant Latino Labour and the rebuilding of New Orleans

The unprecedented destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina attracted tens of thousands of Latino migrants to work in clean‐up and reconstruction jobs in the New Orleans area. This study uses a survey of Latino workers in New Orleans and interviews from various actors involved in the recruitment and hiring of migrant labour – including employers, subcontractors, and the workers themselves – to explore how migrant networks function. In particular, it highlights the key role of migrant entrepreneur subcontractors in drawing new migrants and securing them jobs in unfamiliar destinations. This is of conceptual importance to migration theory because it highlights the need to expand the dominant concept of social networks to include employers, recruiters, and other migrant service‐providers. Latino migration to New Orleans provides insight into the complexity of contemporary network migration, including the overlapping roles of friend, family, and employer.