Access to health and social rights for migrant workers

Dr. Jill Hanley  Associate Professor at McGill School of Social Work  Conducting research on “precarious status” migrants for 15 years  Active in community work supporting migrant workers  Participant in government consultations

Migrant workers in Canada  Long history  Shift from permanent to temporary  Serious concerns about temporary migrants’ social rights

Five areas of concern for human rights  Immigration status  Labour rights  Health  Education  Housing

Three barriers to access  Legal eligibility  Socio-economic barriers  Cultural barriers, especially language

Immigration status  Concept of “precarious immigration status”  Permanent residents  Refugee claimants  Temporary Foreign Workers**  Undocumented Workers**

Labour rights  Generally, same labour rights  But tied to one job (TFWs) or no legal right to work (undocumented)  Widespread rights violations: unpaid overtime, unjust dismissal, low unionization  Workers unaware of their rights

Health  TFWs have Medicare, undocumented none  Work more hazardous to their health + stress  Difficulty accessing care: no healthcard, no time off work, afraid for boss to find out, discrimination by health professionals  Cultural differences in healthcare

Education  Adults: no right to further education  Children: full rights for children of TFWs, complicated for undocumented children  Language an issue, but addressed in primary & secondary school

Housing  Some TFWs required to live on employers’ premises  Issues of dependence on employer  Overcrowded, unsanitary, lack of privacy  No government housing benefits  Discrimination in private housing market

Where does this lead?  Immediate violation of human rights and lack of wellbeing for migrant workers  Creates two-tiered society  Downward pressure for all workers

Current responses  Direct resistance by workers  Advocacy by community groups and unions  Various government iniatives

Policy solutions  Permanent residency upon arrival for migrant workers  Full labour benefits (employment insurance, complaints)  Immediate Medicare for all  Full access to education for all children and to higher education for adults  No tied housing, equal tenants rights

Thank you!