The Challenges Encountered by Immigrant-Serving Agencies in Addressing the Health of Temporary Foreign Workers
Abstract
This study sought to examine the challenges encountered by immigrant-serving agencies in meeting the health needs of temporary foreign workers and their families in one Canadian province. Some of the challenges that agencies face in delivering programs and services for temporary foreign workers and their families include the time required to build trust with this population, temporary foreign workers’ reluctance to use services due to fear that it will affect their immigration status, and the emotional labor associated with working with temporary foreign workers.
Notes
Community organizations
NA
Key recommendations
Providing sustainable funding that incorporates health into service mandates for TFWs and their families
Key findings
The challenges that agencies face in delivering programs and services for TFWs and their families include:
limited funding to support temporary foreign worker programs and services,
limited resources for and access to services for temporary foreign workers and their families,
the time required to build trust with this population,
the reluctance to use services due to fear that it will affect their immigration status,
the emotional labor associated with working with TFWs.
Gaps identified
No consistent federal policy related to health and occupation safety of TFWs.
TFWs in the low-skilled work category do not benefit from equitable access to health care services
Location
Alberta, Canada
Key populations
Immigrant-serving agencies and advocacy agencies
Integration timeline
At what point during the integration process the study was conducted?
NA
Open-access – No