Housing conditions and health implications for migrant agricultural workers in Canada: A scoping review
Date
2023
Authors
Caxaj, C. Susana
Weiler, Anelyse M.
Martyniuk, Julia
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Canadian Journal of Nursing Research
Abstract
Migrant agricultural workers face various health inequities that have led to preventable illness and death. This paper investigates how material housing conditions have shaped physical and mental health outcomes for temporary foreign workers in Canadian agriculture. We conducted a scoping review of literature on migrant agricultural worker housing in Canada published between 2000–2022, analysing insights on the physical quality of workers’ housing in relation to international frameworks on housing quality. Our review revealed a range of housing-related health risks, including: (1) Sanitation, food security, and water; (2) Thermal safety, electricity, and utilities; (3) Habitability of structure, air quality, and exposure to hazards; (4) Spacing, privacy, and co-worker relations and; (5) Geographic proximity to necessary services and social opportunities. Although housing has been increasingly recognized as a social determinant of health, little research examines how migrant farmworkers’ accommodations shape their health outcomes, particularly in Canada. This scoping review provides timely insights and recommendations to inform research, policy, and public health interventions.
Description
Keywords
migrant workers, housing, health equity, Temporary Foreign Worker Program, migrant labor
Citation
Caxaj, C. S., Weiler, A. M., & Martyniuk, J. (2023). Housing conditions and health implications for migrant agricultural workers in Canada: A scoping review. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/08445621231203086