B/ordering and healthcare access for migrants with precarious status: The role of healthcare workers in counteracting restrictive policies.

This article introduces the concept of ‘visa journeys’ to explore the lived experiences of first-generation migrants in Australia as they navigate restrictive migration policies and precarious legal statuses. While scholarship on migration journeys has traditionally been framed around spatial mobility, this article shifts attention to transitions between visas and migration statuses, arguing that it constitutes a central aspect of contemporary migration trajectories. Drawing on ethnographic data, it examines how migrants strategise and cope with the uncertainties of navigating visa categories, highlighting the interaction between structural constraints and individual agency. Framing visa journeys within the concept of welfare state bordering, the article explores how legal status mediates access to essential services, and how ‘permanent temporariness’ is produced by restrictive policies. This article aims to contribute to wider debates on migration governance, migration temporalities, precarious status, and social inclusion. While grounded in the Australian context, the framing of visa journeys offers a perspective for understanding and comparing migration experiences globally.

This paper analyzes the institutionalized production of precarious migration status in Canada. Building on recent work on the legal production of illegality and non-dichotomous approaches to migratory status, we review Canadian immigration and refugee policy, and analyze pathways to loss of migratory status and the implications of less than full status for access to social services. In Canada, policies provide various avenues of authorized entry, but some entrants lose work and/or residence authorization and end up with variable forms of less-than-full immigration status. We argue that binary conceptions of migration status (legal/illegal) do not reflect this context, and advocate the use of ‘precarious status’ to capture variable forms of irregular status and illegality, including documented illegality. We find that elements of Canadian policy routinely generate pathways to multiple forms of precarious status, which is accompanied by precarious access to public services. Our analysis of the production of precarious status in Canada is consistent with approaches that frame citizenship and illegality as historically produced and changeable. Considering variable pathways to and forms of precarious status supports theorizing citizenship and illegality as having blurred rather than bright boundaries. Identifying differences between Canada and the US challenges binary and tripartite models of illegality, and supports conducting contextually specific and comparative work.

This paper analyzes the institutionalized production of precarious migration status in Canada. Building on recent work on the legal production of illegality and non-dichotomous approaches to migratory status, we review Canadian immigration and refugee policy, and analyze pathways to loss of migratory status and the implications of less than full status for access to social services. In Canada, policies provide various avenues of authorized entry, but some entrants lose work and/or residence authorization and end up with variable forms of less-than-full immigration status. We argue that binary conceptions of migration status (legal/illegal) do not reflect this context, and advocate the use of ‘precarious status’ to capture variable forms of irregular status and illegality, including documented illegality. We find that elements of Canadian policy routinely generate pathways to multiple forms of precarious status, which is accompanied by precarious access to public services. Our analysis of the production of precarious status in Canada is consistent with approaches that frame citizenship and illegality as historically produced and changeable. Considering variable pathways to and forms of precarious status supports theorizing citizenship and illegality as having blurred rather than bright boundaries. Identifying differences between Canada and the US challenges binary and tripartite models of illegality, and supports conducting contextually specific and comparative work.

Using an autoethnographic approach, I use my experiences of precarious migration status to explore the internal and forced displacement of African/Black women and mothers due to their precarious status in Canada. The research highlights specific events in my story of living with precarious migration status in Canada. I use Black feminist thought and deservingness theory to guide this study in answering two research questions. The study concludes with recommendations and implications for future research on African/Black women and mothers’ experiences. Keywords: Autoethnography; African/Black women; precarious migration status; displacement; Canada<p></p>

Increasingly, migrants with precarious status (MPS) are recognized as being particularly vulnerable. This exploratory study assesses whether the health of MPS in Montreal, Canada, is similar to that reported in the international literature (see Health situation of migrants with precarious status: Review of the literature and implications for the Canadian context—Part A, Social Work in Public Health, 27 (4), 330–344). The results of this study show that, as in other parts of the world, MPS in Canada appear to be confronted by multiple obstacles to health, many of which are linked to their precarious migration status and its impact on living conditions and access to health care. To reduce health inequalities, therefore, it is crucial to better understand and address the specific needs of this highly vulnerable population.

This paper analyzes the institutionalized production of precarious migration status in Canada. Building on recent work on the legal production of illegality and non-dichotomous approaches to migratory status, we review Canadian immigration and refugee policy, and analyze pathways to loss of migratory status and the implications of less than full status for access to social services. In Canada, policies provide various avenues of authorized entry, but some entrants lose work and/or residence authorization and end up with variable forms of less-than-full immigration status. We argue that binary conceptions of migration status (legal/illegal) do not reflect this context, and advocate the use of ‘precarious status’ to capture variable forms of irregular status and illegality, including documented illegality. We find that elements of Canadian policy routinely generate pathways to multiple forms of precarious status, which is accompanied by precarious access to public services. Our analysis of the production of precarious status in Canada is consistent with approaches that frame citizenship and illegality as historically produced and changeable. Considering variable pathways to and forms of precarious status supports theorizing citizenship and illegality as having blurred rather than bright boundaries. Identifying differences between Canada and the US challenges binary and tripartite models of illegality, and supports conducting contextually specific and comparative work.

This thesis explores the role of social work in shaping access to social protection among migrants who are undocumented or hold a precarious immigration status, with an empirical focus on Finland. This diverse group of precarious migrants includes both people living in the country without a residence permit and legally residing migrants such as seasonal workers, EU migrants without a right of residency, and international students from outside the European Union. Although these groups are widely excluded from public social protection provision, they remain entitled to ‘indispensable subsistence and care’. In practice, it is often statutory social workers who widely determine what this right entails, as they are mandated to determine access to social services. Moreover, multiple NGOs provide social protection for precarious migrants. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted in social services in the public sector and in NGOs, the thesis shows that social workers support precarious migrants by way of providing access to vital resources and by rejecting police requests to share client data for immigration enforcement. However, despite similar legal entitlements, precarious migrants receive different treatment by social workers depending on how they are categorised in social services, resulting in a differential access to social protection within the diverse group.

• The paper examines access to health care in Costa Rica by Nicaraguan migrants. • It confronts two opposing views - Nicaraguan migrants overuse public health services and they are discriminated • Based on administrative and unique survey data there is no support for either view. • The incidence of migrant health care use is lower than their share in the population. • There is no evidence of systematic discrimination in access to health care against Nicaraguans based on their nationality. As in most immigrant-receiving countries in the global North, countries in the South face challenges regarding migrant access to social rights and the effect of migrants on the sustainability of the welfare state. In the Latin American context, this holds especially for countries such as Costa Rica, which has one of the strongest social policy regimes in the South and the highest (Nicaraguan) immigrant stock in Latin America. Set in the context of Costa Rica, this paper assesses two views which seem hard to reconcile, and, are common in the country. First, it is claimed that Nicaraguan migrants use public health services disproportionately, thereby threatening the country’s welfare system. Second, pro-migrant rights non-governmental organizations and academics are concerned, primarily based on qualitative studies, that access to health services for Nicaraguan immigrants is limited, and that they are discriminated based on nationality. This paper relies on administrative data and a unique data set representative of Nicaraguan born individuals residing in Costa Rica to examine the validity of both these claims. We do not find support for either. The incidence of migrant health care use is lower than their share in the population and at the same time there is no evidence of discrimination in health care access for migrants based on their nationality. The paper underlines the need for more informed migration debates.

One of the foremost factors that integrate individuals into both life and society is undeniably the realm of employment. When considering disabled individuals, the working environment not only becomes a social right but also emerges as a primary means of participation in social life. Regular employment in a structured job is a crucial step in social inclusion for disabled individuals. The social conditions of the work environment, along with occupational health and safety considerations, are imperative for achieving positive outcomes in employment. In the literature, the requirements for the adaptation of disabled individuals to the work environment are largely addressed within the scope of "vocational rehabilitation for the disabled." However, a holistic examination of the subject reveals that the adaptation of disabled individuals to the work environment, both physically and socially, transcends this concept and encompasses multidimensional aspects. This study employs a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on perspectives from social work and occupational health and safety, to assess the current state of adaptation of disabled individuals to the work environment in terms of health and safety. The research aims to identify the existing conditions and explore the challenges faced by disabled individuals in this regard, while also investigating potential solutions. Through the research findings, the challenges encountered by disabled individuals in terms of health, safety, and social adaptation in work environments have been categorized. The causes of these challenges have been identified, and recommendations for solutions have been proposed. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on the integration of disabled individuals into the workforce by offering insights from both social work and occupational health and safety perspectives in a comprehensive and multidimensional manner.

Low-wage labor migrants experience major human and working rights abuses in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries despite national labor laws and signatures to various human rights conventions. On paper, India has established an institutional framework of transnational social protection for its officially estimated 5.5 million low-wage workers migrating to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, e.g., financial emergency support, repatriation services, and walk-in centers. However, migrants in low-wage employment often cannot access substantive social rights in practice. Indian upper/middle-class migrant civil society groups mediate their access to Indian embassies’ services and the destination countries’ state institutions. The realization of social rights via informal, third-party representation stems from a representational disjuncture between low-wage labor migrants and the Indian state, which is rooted in their historical socioeconomic marginalization, limitations of the formal political system, and the constitutive role of informality in shaping and structuring citizen-state interactions in India. Through the lens of Piper and von Lieres’ (2015) concept of mediated citizenship and based on data from semi-structured interviews and participant observation of migrant support networks in the Gulf countries, this article examines why mediation takes place and how volunteers speak and take action for marginalized migrants in low-wage employment and consequences of mediation. It argues that migrant volunteer organizations and individuals are powerful stakeholders in the migration governance in the GCC region, as they possess leverage over who has (better) access to state institutions and the provision of social and human rights. Their status as intermediaries underlines the disaggregation of Indian citizenship along class and caste lines, which can be (mis)-used by mediators to pursue their interests, resulting in ambiguous effects. The article contributes to perspectives on migration governance in the GCC region, transnational social policies, and migrant volunteering.

The role of healthcare workers is central to the modern healthcare system and was further highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic situation. However, the healthcare workers did face a lot of work pressure during the pandemic which also had some negative consequences. In the present study, we investigated the effects of work stress and its five dimensions including the availability of resources, work environment, reward and incentive, functional relationship, and fear of catching COVID-19 on employee job satisfaction in the context of the public healthcare system in Oman. The sample is selected from a selected healthcare unit and data is collected using the survey-based method. The findings show that there are significant effects of two dimensions including functional relationships and work environments on healthcare job satisfaction. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that healthcare workers facing a lot of stress and this issue need greater managerial attention.
 Keywords: Work Stress, Job Satisfaction, Healthcare Workers, COVID-19 Pandemic.

Working from home has been mandated in many parts of the world as a temporary public health measure. Transition to such alternative working forms and environments have required new working arrangements and alternative working plans for job functions and tasks that were not fully anticipated by company policies, national laws and regulations. Risks arising in the new remote workspaces need to be identified to safeguard workers' health and mental well-being, especially among the most vulnerable workers. Workers' ability to carry out the tasks, their living arrangements, family responsibilities, and health conditions or disabilities need to be considered. Confidentiality, security, and an anti-harassment policy are also critical in remote working. Workplace policies and clear guidelines have been deemed necessary to address these challenges. Many countries around the world have begun legislating aspects of remote working to grant legal certainties and specify rights and responsibilities for both employers and workers. The workshop will attempt to map the work patterns that emerged during the covid-19 pandemic and to highlight the opportunities, challenges and risks arising from the new working environments. Health, economic and social impacts of new employment arrangements will be discussed with emphasis on systemic and structural factors increasing inequalities. Social protection gaps will be highlighted in line with human rights and international labour standards. The workshop will further discuss how to take advantage of the extensive potential of innovative tools and forms of work with regard to employee health and safety. Public policies, legislative initiatives and innovative ways of responding to the challenges will be presented. The workshop will conclude with policy recommendations taking into account the future of work that will be shaped due to COVID-19. Overall, the workshop will promote a discussion on emerging working environments, occupational risks and access of workers to social protection and social rights. It will further discuss the factors that increase workers' vulnerability, practice standards and organisational principles and policies as well as innovative ways to mitigate risks at individual, company and system level. Key messages Map new trends, risks and opportunities in the transition from traditional working environments to working from home and identify systemic and structural barriers to safe employment. Review public policies, legislative initiatives and innovative ways of responding to the challenges of new ways of working.

This chapter examines variations in diaspora policies across generations and migration status, considering changes in migrants’ precarious status from the perspective of the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program. It focuses on the ways in which the rhetoric and implementation of Mexico’s diaspora programs has adapted focusing on the 1.5 generation, and the ways in which these policies have been challenged by returned migrants. In the context of massive deportations that have coincided with the rise of the Dreamers movement and the implementation of DACA, origin countries’ attempts to engage this group reveal the challenges and contradictions of diaspora policies that offer assistance abroad and expand the concept and practice of extraterritorial membership in specific moments and for particular groups, but have limited resources and opportunities for those same populations upon their return to their country of origin.

Devolutionary trends in immigration and social welfare policy have enabled different levels of government to define membership and confer rights to people residing within the political boundary of a province or municipality in ways that may contradict federal legal status. Drawing upon theories of postnational and deterritorialized citizenship, we examined the legal construction of social rights within federal, provincial, and municipal law in Toronto, Ontario. The study of these different policy arenas focuses on rights related to education, access to safety and police protection, and income assistance. Our analysis suggests that the interplay of intra-governmental laws produces an uneven terrain of social rights for people with precarious status. We argue that while provincial and municipal governments may rhetorically seek to advance the social rights of all people living within their territorial boundaries, program and funding guidelines ensure that national practices of market citizenship and the policing of non-citizen subjects are reproduced at local levels.

Globalisation pressures and demographic trends affect the chances of the Nordics to be prosperous and indirectly threaten the welfare states as we know them. These pressures and trends underline the twin challenge to the Nordics of productivity stagnation and a decreasing work force. A contribution to an answer to both challenges can be an increase in productivity and new ways to increase the work force. A good work environment can do both. In this context, the Nordic Council of Ministers has initiated a project aiming at clarifying the impact on productivity of work environment and well-being in companies. This report presents an indicator manual for use in measuring work environment in the Nordic countries. The report also outlines and defines a common Nordic concept of work wellbeing. The indicators serve as important first steps on the way to thorough econometric analysis of the relationship between work environment, well-being, and productivity.