jenna hennebry: agricultural migrant workers
TRANSCRIPT
-
8/11/2019 Jenna Hennebry: Agricultural Migrant Workers
1/14
Permanently
Temporary?Agricultural Migrant
Workers and Their
Integration in Canada
Jenna L. Hennebry, Ph.D.Associate Professor, Balsillie School of International AffairsAssociate Director, International Migration Research Centre
Wilfrid Laurier University
-
8/11/2019 Jenna Hennebry: Agricultural Migrant Workers
2/14
Outline
Temporary migration trends
Re-conceptualizing integration for temporary migrants
Migrant Farmworkers: Permanently temporary?
Achieving integration for temporary migrants?
Barriers and challenges
How does Canada measure up?
Policy recommendations
-
8/11/2019 Jenna Hennebry: Agricultural Migrant Workers
3/14
Temporary Foreign Worker Program,Selected Streams, 1980-2010
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
Workers
Year
Live-in Caregiver
Program
Seasonal Agricultural
Worker Program
Low Skill Pilot Program
Information Technology
Workers
Source: Data derived from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), Facts and Figures, 2009
-
8/11/2019 Jenna Hennebry: Agricultural Migrant Workers
4/14
Temporary Migrant Workers inAgriculture* by Country of Origin, 2009
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
Female
Male
*Includes entries for both SAWP and LSPP.Source: Data derived from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), Facts and Figures, 2009.
-
8/11/2019 Jenna Hennebry: Agricultural Migrant Workers
5/14
Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program
by Province, Country of Origin, 2009
Source: Data derived from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), Facts and Figures, 2009.
Map created using www.mappingmigration.comGrowth over time of TFWs from Mexico: click here.
http://www.mappingmigration.com/http://www.mappingmigration.com/interactivemapsenglish.htmlhttp://www.mappingmigration.com/interactivemapsenglish.htmlhttp://www.mappingmigration.com/ -
8/11/2019 Jenna Hennebry: Agricultural Migrant Workers
6/14
Concepts of Integration
What is integration?
Can the concept apply to
temporary migrants?
How might the concept bemade more relevant for thisgroup of migrants?
How can we measure integrationfor temporary labour migrants?
Source: IWAAC, 2012
-
8/11/2019 Jenna Hennebry: Agricultural Migrant Workers
7/14
Re-conceptualizing Integrationfor Temporary Migrants
Integration of temporary migrants can indeed be understood as a processwhereby these newcomers (like permanent migrants) participate in theeconomic, social, cultural and political aspects of he host society, yet withsome important distinctions due to their temporary status.
1. Integration of temporary migrants will not necessarily culminate inpermanent residency or citizenship (although this may occur for some).
2. Integration processes may not move forward consistently, and maystraddle countries of origin and host countries.
3. Some specific indicators of integration are arguably unique to temporarymigrant workersor at the very least are more important for themsuch as whether they enjoy the same access to health care and socialbenefits and the same freedom of employment and residence asresidents.
-
8/11/2019 Jenna Hennebry: Agricultural Migrant Workers
8/14
Permanently Temporary? Long history of labour migration in agriculture
Growth in low-skill labour migration
Majority of migrant farmworkers are return migrants
75 % percent of Mexican workers in the SAWP in 2010 had
been participating in the program for 4 years or more, 57 %participating for 6 years or more, and 22 % for more than 10years (STPS 2010).
No access to permanent residency
60 % of nearly 600 migrant farmworkers surveyed in Ontarioindicated they were interested in permanent residency(Hennebry, Preibisch and McLaughlin 2010).
Heightened precarity & vulnerability
No permanent supports
-
8/11/2019 Jenna Hennebry: Agricultural Migrant Workers
9/14
-
8/11/2019 Jenna Hennebry: Agricultural Migrant Workers
10/14
Local Integration Challenges
Fear
Language, cultural barriers
Opposition, racism
Isolation, transportation, hoursof work
Transnationalism
Funding, capacities
-
8/11/2019 Jenna Hennebry: Agricultural Migrant Workers
11/14
Labour Migrant Integration Scale:
Migrant Farmworkers in Canada
-
8/11/2019 Jenna Hennebry: Agricultural Migrant Workers
12/14
Recommendations Worker selection and hiring processes based on skill level and experience
Regulation of the recruitment process
Greater autonomy for workers re: type of work, housing, geographical area
Multiple entry visas
Access to visitors visas or work permits for family members
Increased job security (e.g. appeals process for dismissals, etc.)
Open or sectoral work permits not tied to specific employers
Access to permanent residency
Information sessions and packages on rights, health and safety, benefits, etc.
Full access to EI benefits, health insurance and compensation systems
Improved communication and transportation access
Increased monitoring and compliance of housing and workplace safety
Provision of settlement/support services for temporary migrants (e.g. translation)
-
8/11/2019 Jenna Hennebry: Agricultural Migrant Workers
13/14
Conclusions There is a growing presence of temporary migrant workers in
communities across Canadaand there is nothing temporary aboutthese migrations that have played an essential role in Canadas
economy for more than 45 years.
Though the majority of these migrants return to Canada numerousyears in a row, the lack of access to permanent residency, coupledwith the precarious nature of their employment places migrantfarmworkers in a state of permanent temporariness.
It is time for permanent supports for temporary migrants in Canadaand an inter-jurisdictional commitment to improving their integration -or communities will suffer greater inequality and conflict, seriouslychallenging social cohesion across the country.
-
8/11/2019 Jenna Hennebry: Agricultural Migrant Workers
14/14
Thank you
Special thanks to Leslie Seidle, Janet McLaughlin, Kerry Preibisch,Stan Raper, Andres Furet and James Restrepo, Luin Goldring, among
others.
Please visit www.irpp.orgfor a copy of the study, PermanentlyTemporary? Agricultural Migrant Workers and Their Integration in
Canada published by the Institute for Research on Public Policy, No.26, February 2012.
http://www.irpp.org/http://www.irpp.org/