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Labor Exploitation and Health Inequities Among Market Migrants: A Political Economy Perspective

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  • Iffath Unissa Syed

    (York University)

Abstract

Previous discourses have recognized institutionalized forms of racism and pointed to structural violence embedded in Canadian policies, institutions, and labor markets. However, there is limited connection of these experiences to health. This paper theorizes a novel connection of health inequities experienced by racialized and immigrant peoples in Canada as a result of globalization and market liberalism. Beginning with a brief historical overview of the slave trade and indentured workers’ experiences, it is suggested that today there is a new variant of slave labor and indentured work. Employing a political economy perspective, this paper suggests the exploitation of “Market Migrants” in Canada. Racialized and migrant workers in Canada experience high levels of precarious work, denizenship, social exclusion, social inequality, and eventually health inequities, which is a result of discrimination experienced by these groups. It reveals that the government has failed to address these issues because of control and lobby through powerful economic and political structures that benefit from the situation as it stands. However, given that there are economic losses to migrant skill underutilization and the growing frustrations manifest in uprisings against these systems of dominance, the current situation is unsustainable and transformation is expected.

Suggested Citation

  • Iffath Unissa Syed, 2016. "Labor Exploitation and Health Inequities Among Market Migrants: A Political Economy Perspective," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 449-465, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:joimai:v:17:y:2016:i:2:d:10.1007_s12134-015-0427-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s12134-015-0427-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Mary Jean Hande & Ayesha Mian Akram & Shelley Condratto, 2020. "“All of This Happens Here?”: Diminishing Perceptions of Canada through Immigrants’ Precarious Work in Ontario," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 711-729, September.
    3. Joseph Benjamen & Vincent Girard & Shabana Jamani & Olivia Magwood & Tim Holland & Nazia Sharfuddin & Kevin Pottie, 2021. "Access to Refugee and Migrant Mental Health Care Services during the First Six Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Canadian Refugee Clinician Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-11, May.
    4. Sarah M. Munoz, 2021. "Environmental Mobility in a Polarized World: Questioning the Pertinence of the “Climate Refugee” Label for Pacific Islanders," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1271-1284, December.
    5. Carlos Colindres & Amy Cohen & C. Susana Caxaj, 2021. "Migrant Agricultural Workers’ Health, Safety and Access to Protections: A Descriptive Survey Identifying Structural Gaps and Vulnerabilities in the Interior of British Columbia, Canada," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-15, April.
    6. Ivan A. Kapitonov, 2020. "Transformation of social environment in the application of alternative energy sources," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(8), pages 7683-7700, December.
    7. Joanna Gaitens & Marian Condon & Eseosa Fernandes & Melissa McDiarmid, 2021. "COVID-19 and Essential Workers: A Narrative Review of Health Outcomes and Moral Injury," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-18, February.

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