The ‘survival job’ pathway: Risk-focusing and occupational challenges among Canadian racialized and immigrant adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were not equally distributed, with emerging research demonstrating that racialized and immigrant populations in Canada have been disproportionately affected. Drawing on the risk-focusing hypothesis, a theoretical lens that explicates how risk burden concentrates disproportionately in marginalized populations, government mitigation strategies such as shutdowns can be seen as exacerbating existing social and economic challenges, making individuals more susceptible to COVID-19 and its adverse outcomes. This paper examines the economic and occupational challenges experienced by individuals from racialized and/or immigrant populations in the Peel Region (Ontario, Canada) during COVID-19 shutdowns. Semi-structured interviews (n = 46) were conducted from October to December 2021, discussing participants’ experiences throughout the pandemic. Using thematic analysis, interviews were coded for concepts related to employment, economics, and government support. Semantic codes were grouped into categories, where themes were identified and refined. Loss of work and difficulties in securing employment were primary themes across interviews, with participants discussing taking on low-skill “survival jobs” to pay the bills. Participants spoke of being worried about finances and decreased mental health as a result. An additional theme was the pathways of risk that accompanied employment. While government economic and social programs were considered helpful, challenges were noted in navigating resources. This study highlights the importance of examining pandemic outcomes from a risk-focusing framework, to understand how certain groups were repeatedly put at risk.