International Migrant Workers Research Articles

Delayed care-seeking in international migrant workers with imported malaria in China.

Imported malaria cases continue to pose major challenges in China as well as in other countries that have achieved elimination. Early diagnosis and treatment of each imported malaria case is the key to successfully maintaining malaria elimination success. This study aimed to build an easy-to-use predictive nomogram to predict and intervene against delayed care-seeking among international migrant workers with imported malaria. A prediction model was built based on cases with imported malaria from 2012 to 2019, in Jiangsu Province, China. Routine surveillance information (e.g. sex, age, symptoms, origin country and length of stay abroad), data on the place of initial care-seeking and the gross domestic product (GDP) of the destination city were extracted. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors and a nomogram was established to predict the risk of delayed care-seeking. The discrimination and calibration of the nomogram was performed using area under the curve and calibration plots. In addition, four machine learning models were used to make a comparison. Of 2255 patients with imported malaria, 636 (28.2%) sought care within 24h after symptom onset, and 577 (25.6%) sought care 3 days after symptom onset. Development of symptoms before entry into China, initial care-seeking from superior healthcare facilities and a higher GDP level of the destination city were significantly associated with delayed care-seeking among migrant workers with imported malaria. Based on these independent risk factors, an easy-to-use and intuitive nomogram was established. The calibration curves of the nomogram showed good consistency. The tool provides public health practitioners with a method for the early detection of delayed care-seeking risk among international migrant workers with imported malaria, which may be of significance in improving post-travel healthcare for labour migrants, reducing the risk of severe malaria, preventing malaria reintroduction and sustaining achievements in malaria elimination.

Social Security Provision for International Migrant Workers: Comparing Indonesia and the Philippines

Despite migrant workers’ contribution to economic development, their social security protection remains inadequate. This article examines social security provisions for Indonesia’s international migrant workers and compares them with another labor-sending country, namely the Philippines using a desktop study. The Philippines is interesting to discuss due to their recognition as role model in managing labor migration and providing excellent social security protection for their national abroad. The purpose of this thesis is to answer the research question on how do Indonesia and the Philippines manage social security programs for their international migrant workers? What can Indonesia learn from the Philippines? This study demonstrates that both countries have implemented several schemes to protect migrant workers. Indonesia has provided a range of social security programs with the operation of a special insurance scheme under BPJS Ketenagakerjaan. The Philippines has covered their migrant workers through social insurance schemes under SSS, OWWA, and PhilHealth. The Philippines also complements its national scheme with bilateral social security agreements. It is concluded that Indonesia’s social security protection for migrant workers is still lagging behind the Philippines. Indonesia is considered inadequate to extend the protection for their nationals abroad due to a lack of bilateral social security agreements with receiving countries, which eventually hinders the portability of benefits for the migrant workers. While bilateral social security agreements are significant instruments for the Philippines ensure overseas Filipino workers acquire appropriate social security benefits in the receiving countries and enjoy the portability of social security benefits.

Effectiveness of a scalable, remotely delivered stepped-care intervention to reduce symptoms of psychological distress among Polish migrant workers in the Netherlands: study protocol for the RESPOND randomised controlled trial

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the mental health of international migrant workers (IMWs). IMWs experience multiple barriers to accessing mental health care. Two scalable interventions developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) were adapted to address some of these barriers: Doing What Matters in times of stress (DWM), a guided self-help web application, and Problem Management Plus (PM +), a brief facilitator-led program to enhance coping skills. This study examines whether DWM and PM + remotely delivered as a stepped-care programme (DWM/PM +) is effective and cost-effective in reducing psychological distress, among Polish migrant workers with psychological distress living in the Netherlands.MethodsThe stepped-care DWM/PM + intervention will be tested in a two-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial (RCT) among adult Polish migrant workers with self-reported psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale; K10 > 15.9). Participants (n = 212) will be randomized into either the intervention group that receives DWM/PM + with psychological first aid (PFA) and care-as-usual (enhanced care-as-usual or eCAU), or into the control group that receives PFA and eCAU-only (1:1 allocation ratio). Baseline, 1-week post-DWM (week 7), 1-week post-PM + (week 13), and follow-up (week 21) self-reported assessments will be conducted. The primary outcome is psychological distress, assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety and Depression Scale (PHQ-ADS). Secondary outcomes are self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), resilience, quality of life, and cost-effectiveness. In a process evaluation, stakeholders’ views on barriers and facilitators to the implementation of DWM/PM + will be evaluated.DiscussionTo our knowledge, this is one of the first RCTs that combines two scalable, psychosocial WHO interventions into a stepped-care programme for migrant populations. If proven to be effective, this may bridge the mental health treatment gap IMWs experience.Trial registrationDutch trial register NL9630, 20/07/2021, https://www.onderzoekmetmensen.nl/en/trial/27052

Do migrant workers have a higher risk of death and injury than the host population in high-income settings?

Abstract Karen Lau will describe the current situation in European policy and practice with respect to migrant workers in precious, exploitative or hazardous occupations. She will presenting findings from a recent systematic review on the mortality risk of migrant workers and previous work exploring health and wellbeing of migrant workers in high-income settings and the link between exploitative work and health. Given that existing research on the mortality of migrant workers remains limited and inconclusive, the aim of this study was to review and synthesise available mortality data on international migrant workers. This presentation will focus on findings relevant to migrant workers at risk of labour exploitation in the European region, including migrant worker characteristics and mortality risk estimates. The presentation will define challenges and opportunities in the study of comparative mortality of migrant workers in Europe and beyond.

1.Q. Workshop: Work, health, and migration: understanding the health impacts of precarious and exploitative work

Abstract The ILO estimates that of the 169 international migrant workers globally, the largest share resides in Europe, where increasing numbers are at substantial risk of precarious, exploitative, and hazardous work conditions. While the right to health and decent work of migrants is recognised by European member states, COVID-19 has exposed how some low-wage migrant workers are compelled to accept exploitative and precarious employment terms and conditions, with implications for their health. The vulnerability of migrants to labour exploitation is influenced by both personal factors (such as age and gender) as well as situational factors (such as risk environments across the migration journey and national legislation). Hazardous, precarious, and exploitative work is an entrenched driver of poor health. Data show that low-wage migrant workers have higher injury and mortality rates compared to host workers and face barriers to occupational and mainstream health and vaccination systems. In this workshop, we will discuss the patterns of precarious work and labour exploitation in migrants residing in Europe, physical and mental health effects of labour exploitation, research and policy gaps, and models of good practice to ensure that the health and rights of migrant workers are protected. Workshop plan The workshop will start with 10-minute presentations by each of the 4 speakers (including a short Q&A after each talk). This will then move into a 20-minute audience discussion centred around exploring how to foster intersectoral collaboration across the work, migration, and health research communities to begin addressing some of the evidence and policy gaps in the European region. Key messages • Migrant workers have worse health outcomes than native workers, including higher rates of occupational injury and deaths. • Labour exploitation is an important social determinant of health among migrants which requires greater recognition in research and practice.

Ritualizing the mundanity of holidays in usual environment

Temporary migrant workers have long been perceived as outsiders in host societies, despite these societies being the usual environment in which migrants perform everydayness. This study challenges the conventional views of holiday experiences outside a usual environment by exploring migrant workers' mundane leisure practices on holidays in host societies. Based on Collins' interaction ritual chains theory, this research presents a micro-sociological interpretation of international migrant workers' leisure practices as interconnected elements of interaction ritual chains. Results are drawn from the ethnographic experiences and narratives of domestic helpers in Hong Kong. Findings demonstrate how ritualized activities and symbolic repertoires associated with micro-social events shape migrant workers' mundane leisure practices as complex responses to social interaction and personal choices.

Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Depressive Symptoms among Indonesian Migrant Workers in Taiwan.

International migrant workers contribute significantly to the economic growth of the receiving country, and yet their health, especially their mental health, has long been overlooked. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors associated with depressive symptoms among Indonesian migrant workers in Taiwan. This study used cross-sectional data from 1031 Indonesian migrant workers in Taiwan. Demographic, health, and living- and work-related variables, as well as depressive symptom variables assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Study on depressive symptoms scale, were collected. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify related factors. About 15% of the Indonesian migrant workers had depressive symptoms. The significant factors associated with these symptoms were age, educational level, frequency of contact with families, self-rated health, time spent in Taiwan, region of work, satisfaction with the living environment, and freedom to go out after work. The findings thus identify target groups who are more likely than others to suffer from depressive symptoms, and we suggest appropriate approaches for devising interventions to reduce depressive symptoms. The findings of this research suggest the need for targeted approaches to reducing depressive symptoms among this population group.

The Psychological, Social, and Economic Impacts of COVID-19 on Nepali Migrant Workers

The global pandemic impacted Asian migrant workers disproportionately. During the first COVID-19 nationwide lockdown, Nepali migrant workers faced many challenges due to widespread misconceptions of them being vectors of COVID-19. This research examines COVID-19 impacts on international and internal Nepali migrant workers. A national survey on the social, economic, and psychological challenges of returning Nepali migrant workers was administered online from 10 May to 20 July 2020. A total of 672 responses were received. Using a binary logistic regression model, the research finds that the domestic migrant workers were less likely to get economic support, expect to borrow money during COVID-19, experience negative changes in their personal lives, and expect the COVID-19 contraction. In contrast, international migrant workers were less likely to return to their pre-pandemic employment. The research exposed long-standing vulnerabilities of migrant workers and identified immediate actions from Nepalese Central, Provincial, and Local governments to address their needs.

Optimalisasi Kesejahteraan Left-behind Children pada Keluarga Pekerja Migran di Pedesaan melalui Penguatan Sistem Keluarga Inti: Sebuah Perspektif dari Sisi Anak

Children who are left by their parents who work outside the region or abroad as migrant workers will face various well-being problems. This requires a further study to explore the well-being of left-behind children of migrant workers' families in Indonesia, both circular migrant workers and international migrant workers. This study aimed to analyze left-behind children's subjective well-being condition and its relation to family-based social capital and social support that children of migrant worker families perceive. This study is expected to be an initial finding to direct further studies related to strengthening the nuclear family system for families of migrant workers who can optimize the left-behind children's well-being of families of migrant workers. This research was conducted in Juntinyuat, Limbangan, and Dadap Villages, Juntinyuat District, Indramayu Regency. The sampling technique used snowball sampling with samples of children aged 12-18 years from families of migrant workers, both circular and international. The total respondents were 120 children whose data were collected through a self-administered method. The study found that left-behind children whose mothers worked as international migrant workers were more vulnerable to their well-being than other left-behind children. The role of family-based social capital and social support as components in strengthening the nuclear family system of migrant worker families is discussed further in this article

Home and away: How career adaptability and cultural intelligence facilitate international migrant workers' adjustment

The steady upsurge of international labor migration has raised new and important questions for career scholars: how do migrant workers adjust to their work and living conditions and what accounts for their successful adaptation? We address these issues in two time-lagged and multi-source field studies involving Filipino migrant workers in the Middle East. In Study 1, we found that migrant workers' career adaptability promotes work and general adjustment, which in turn enhances their work (i.e., job performance and retention) and psychological health (i.e., life satisfaction) outcomes. In Study 2, we found that the indirect effects of career adaptability on work and psychological health outcomes via work and general adjustment were stronger for migrant workers with high, rather than low, levels of cultural intelligence. Implications for research and practice are discussed along with the study limitations and opportunities for future research.

Các vấn đề của người xuất khẩu lao động ở Đồng Tháp khi quay về địa phương giai đoạn 2018 – 2020

Objective: This study aims to identify barriers and propose appropriate policies and solutions to support reintegration of international migrant workers as returning to their localities. Methods: We used a mixed-method cross-sectional study with 320 workers (quantitative questionnaire) and stakeholders (in-depth interviews). Results: Most workers did not have difficulty in reintegrating into their families and communities after their labour export. 71.2% had no vocational training before exporting and 32.5% found difficulty to seek a job due to their lack of concrete skills; - 13 - only 37.2% had a job the same as previous job oversea. The local government did not have an appropriate strategy for consulting, orientation and vocational training to promote this human resource of export workers. Conclusion: Our study made recommendations in terms of human management, vocational training according to the capacity and needs of the labor export market and the local market. Keywords: international migrant workers, labour export, reintegration, vocational training

Heritage Culture Detachment Predicts Hope and Well-Being of Filipino Migrant Workers: A Study of Low- and Semi-skilled Filipino Workers in Macau.

Heritage culture detachment occurs when migrants tend to distance themselves from their own cultural norms and values as they engage their host culture; research suggests that this approach to acculturation is often associated with psychological distress. We explore heritage culture detachment and well-being among Filipino migrant workers in Macau. Participants (N = 249) were recruited to answer a questionnaire that inquired into heritage culture detachment and several measures of well-being. The relationships between well-being and heritage culture detachment were examined by testing two structural equation models: Model 1: well-being predicts heritage culture detachment; Model 2: heritage culture detachment predicts well-being. The results show better fit between the data and Model 2; in particular, heritage culture detachment positively predicted satisfaction with life, external-peer locus-of-hope, but also negative self-esteem, and goal disengagement. Heritage culture detachment also negatively predicted external-spiritual locus-of-hope. The results are interpreted as possibly indicating how heritage culture detachment reflects efforts to adjust and cope in a new sociocultural environment. Unlike other migrants, international migrant workers may see their foreign work environment as temporary contexts and circumstances, wherein subordinating their cultural norms may have some utility. The discussion highlights how sources of well-being need to be understood within the specific temporal and sociocultural context of individuals’ life experiences.

Evaluating the Implementation of a Mental Health App for Overseas Filipino Workers in Macao China: A Mixed-Methods Study of Stakeholders' Perspectives.

BackgroundOverseas Filipino workers (OFWs) is one of the largest communities of international migrant workers. They face systemic barriers to fulfilling their health needs. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened this condition and provided a context to evaluate the utility of a digital mental health intervention delivered within a stepped-care model to address OFW mental health. Using an implementation science framework, this study aimed to evaluate stakeholders’ perspectives on the implementation of Kumusta Kabayan, a mobile phone-based mental health app, for OFWs in Macao.MethodsA mixed-methods convergent design was used by conducting two parallel steps, including quantitative and qualitative measures. The quantitative data was collected from Filipino team members and local non-governmental organization (NGO) staff members (N = 12). The qualitative data were gathered from interviews with OFWs in Macao who used the app (N = 25; 80% females, 76% domestic workers).ResultsFrom the online survey, the staff members of the local partner NGO and the Filipino team members strongly perceived that their organization could adapt Kumusta Kabayan to their program and generally evaluated that Kumusta Kabayan achieved its goal and was received well by OFWs. In the interviews, the OFW app users shared their experiences in using Kumusta Kabayan, which was thematically organized into six aspects of the participants’ experience: (1) promotional channel and expectation; (2) when to use the app and in what language; (3) lessons learnt; (4) memorable aspects; (5) key facilitators and barriers; and (6) suggestions.ConclusionKumusta Kabayan was well accepted and shows potential to be integrated into the existing support services for OFWs in Macao. This app has the promise of being scaled-up for OFWs in other countries by collaborating with local and overseas stakeholders. Lessons learnt from this evaluation could also be implemented in wider digital mental health services in different settings.

Sense of belonging, international migrants’ spending, and implications for their subjective well‐being

AbstractA lack of a sense of belonging in the host country has become one of the most common challenges facing international migrants in today's sociopolitical environment. Our two online experiments with 881 international migrant workers in the United States jointly demonstrate that, to cope with their lack of a sense of belonging in the host country, international migrants may spend money suboptimally: more on material purchases but less on experiential and prosocial purchases. More importantly, our studies suggest that prosocial purchases are more effective than experiential purchases in increasing international migrants’ subjective well‐being. This is because prosocial purchases can lead to both relatedness need satisfaction and beneficence, with each independently contributing to international migrants’ subjective well‐being. Our research suggests that public policymakers should address the social exclusion international migrants experience when moving to a new country because it can have a negative impact on their subjective well‐being. Our research further suggests that one way to mitigate social exclusion is to encourage international migrants to spend money on others rather than themselves.

Migrant workers and discrimination: realities, threats, and remedies

Migrant workers perform essential work but often have to do so in substandard or even abusive conditions. Women make up nearly half the migrant workforce and are exposed to extra dangers to their health and safety. The COVID-19 pandemic and other events have heightened the visibility of their situation. The rights-based approach, developed over a period of more than 60 years, offers coherent solutions to the whole range of issues pertaining to the employment of international migrant workers. It covers recruitment, admission, employment, unemployment, training, occupational safety, health care, social security, organisation, housing, family, and others, that by minimising the differences in treatment and opportunities between migrant and national workers protect not only migrant but also national workers and minimise social and economic divisions and the risk of political divisions inherent in them. Using examples, the article outlines the risk of discriminatory treatment not only by individuals but by law and administrative practice for migrant workers and the need to control the risk, not least for the benefit of national workers. It describes the many ways and situations in which migrant workers have been found to suffer discrimination. It takes a close look at the definition of discrimination in the international Conventions adopted in response. Among their implications it highlights the issue of indirect discrimination and touches on the issue of positive discrimination. Some reasons given by states for keeping migrant workers in situations prone to discrimination are mentioned.

Developing the Vulnerability Factor Structure Affecting Injuries and Health Problems Among Migrant Seafood Processing Industry Workers

BackgroundThe vulnerability of international migrant workers is on the rise, affecting the frequency of occupational accidents at workplaces worldwide. If migrant workers are managed in the same way as native workers, the consequences on safety assurance and risk management will be significant. This study aimed to develop the vulnerability factor model for migrant workers in seafood processing industries because of significant risk-laden labor of Thailand, which could be a solution to control the risk effectively. MethodsA total of 569 migrant workers were surveyed (432 Burmese and 137 Cambodian), beginning with 40 initial vulnerability factors identified in the questionnaire established from experts. The data were analyzed through descriptive analysis; exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to ascertain the model. ResultsThe result of content validity >0.67 and the Cronbach’s alpha of 0.957 specified the high reliability of 40 factors. The EFA indicated a total variance of 65.49%. The final CFA validated the model and had an empirical fitting; chi-square = 85.34, Adjust Goodness-of-Fit Index = 0.96, and root mean square error of approximation = 0.016. The structure concluded with three dimensions and 18 factors. Dimension 1 of the structure, “multicultural safety operation,” contained 12 factors; Dimension 2, “well-being,” contained four factors; and Dimension 3, “communication technology,” contained two factors. ConclusionThe vulnerability factor structure developed in this study included three dimensions and 18 factors that were significantly empirical. The knowledge enhanced safety management in the context of vulnerability factor structure for migrant workers at the workplace.

Access to Healthcare and Social Protection among Migrant Workers in Thailand before and during COVID-19 Era: A Qualitative Study.

Thailand is a popular host nation for international migrant workers, particularly those from Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar. Thailand has introduced approaches to protect their rights for health and social welfare, using various mechanisms over many years. However, the implementation of these policies is dynamic and has been influenced by national security, economic necessity, and public health concerns. The aim of this study was to explore how Thailand designs and implements health and social welfare policies for migrants in Thailand, both before and during COVID-19. A qualitative analysis was used alongside interviews with 18 key informants in various sectors in this field. Thematic coding was applied. Results show that there were seven key themes emerging from the analysis, including: (i) sustainability of the HICS; (ii) people dropping out from the Social Security Scheme (SSS); (iii) quality of health screening in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) migrants; (iv) health screening problems and state quarantine management in response to COVID-19; (v) managing the migration quota and dependency on migrant workers; (vi) influx of migrants in the backdrop of COVID-19; and (vii) poor living conditions of migrants and the impact of COVID-19. The majority of interviewees agreed that undocumented migrants is a critical concern that impedes access to migrants’ health and social welfare. This situation was especially pronounced during the second wave of COVID-19 in Thailand, which took hold in migrant communities. In the short term, the poor living conditions of migrants urgently need to be addressed in order to contain and mitigate this crisis. In the long term, there needs to be an improved health system design that includes migrants, regardless of their immigration status. This requires intersectoral policy coherence, including the hastening of nationality verification to sustainably mitigate undocumented migrants.

Contemporary slave labour on the Amazonian frontier: the problems and politics of post rescue solidarity

ABSTRACT This paper addresses the deepening vulnerability of both domestic and international migrant workers to contemporary slave labour and the challenges for its eradication in the Brazilian Amazonian state of Mato Grosso. Drawing upon the experiences of 40 workers ‘rescued’ from contemporary slave labour, the paper shows that the repetitive experiences of contemporary slave labour by subjects and the authoritarian turn in Brazil evokes a conceptual reinterpretation of solidarity and its operationalization. It must move away from the distinct liberal approach in the state paradigm to focus on class and agrarian based solidarity and their understanding of liberation. The paper redefines solidarity as structural and relational notion that engages with the epistemic insight of unfree workers to define the terms of their own freedom, pointing towards humanizing, and self-emancipating alternatives that challenge roots of class oppression and slave labour.

Health of International Migrant Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review.

BackgroundThe coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and control measures adopted have had a disproportionate impact on workers, with migrants being a group specifically affected but poorly studied. This scoping review aims to describe the evidence published on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical and mental health of migrant workers.MethodsPapers written in English covering physical and mental health among international migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, retrieved from six electronic databases searched on July 31, 2021, were included. A total of 1,096 references were extracted, of which 26 studies were finally included.ResultsMost of the migrant populations studied were born in Asia (16 of 26) and Latin America (8 of 26) and were essential workers (15 of 26). Few studies described the length of stay in the host country (9 of 26), the legal status of the migrant population (6 of 26), or established comparison groups (7 of 26). Ten studies described COVID-19 outbreaks with high infection rates. Fourteen studies evaluated mental health (anxiety, depression, worries, fears, stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder). Three of the 26 studies presented collateral positive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic because of improved hygiene.ConclusionThere is a limited number of original publications related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical and mental health of migrant workers around the world. These publications mainly focus on migrants born in Asia and Latin America. The physical, long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has, so far, not been evaluated. The positive collateral effects of improving healthcare conditions for migrant workers should also be further investigated.

When husband migrate: effects of international migration of husbands on fetal outcomes, body mass index and gestational weight of female spouses that stay behind

BackgroundInternational labour migration continues to be an integral component in Sri Lanka’s economic development. Previous research indicates an adverse perinatal outcome in association with low maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (PBMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG). However, evidence of this association is limited in migrant families. This study aims to investigate the associations between PBMI, GWG among lactating mothers (LM), and fetal outcomes in migrant households, where the father is the migrant worker.MethodsA secondary data analysis was done using a nationally representative sample of 7,199 LM. There were 284 LM whose husbands were international migrant workers. Maternal factors were taken as PBMI<18.5 kg/m2 and GWG<7kg. Preterm birth and low birth weight (LBW) were taken as fetal outcomes. Binary logistic regression was performed to assess the associated factors.ResultsThere was significant difference between LM from migrant and non–migrant households with regards to place of residency, ethnicity, household monthly income, household food security, average household members, husband’s education and husband’s age. Among migrant, PBMI<18.5 kg/m2 was associated with current BMI and mode of delivery. Migrant LM had significantly higher weight gain (≥12 kg) during pregnancy (p=0.005), were multiparous (p=0.008), delivered in private hospital (p=0.000), lesser percentage of underweight (p=0.002) and higher birthweight (p=0.03) than non-migrant LM. Logistic regression model revealed that for each kilogram increment in birthweight and GWG, preterm delivery decreased by 89%(OR=0.11;95%CI:0.04-0.28) and LBW decreased by 12%(OR=0.89;95%CI:0.81-0.97) respectively. Caesarean deliveries were positively associated with low GWG.ConclusionOur study showed LM in migrant families had invested remittances to utilize private health facilities for deliveries, to improve weight gain during pregnancy and adequate PBMI to deliver higher birth weight babies. In depth study is needed to understand further utilisation of remittances to improve fetal outcomes by increasing birthweight and GWG in migrant families.