Static perceptions and individual agency: the settlement experiences of Filipina former caregivers in Toronto

This paper explores the various narratives and media representations surrounding Filipinas in Canada’s Live-In Caregiver Program. This study draws upon existing scholarship in global migration of (gendered, racialized, and class-based) domestic labour, as well as theories of postcolonialism and media studies. Using critical discourse analysis, the content of 132 news articles from 1988 to 2014 in the Toronto Star are coded and discussed. The five main categories in which these Filipina live-in caregivers – ‘or Filipina nannies’ – are constructed are identified as foreigners, mothers, workers, victims, and activists. The research findings suggest that representations of Filipina live-in caregivers are framed by notions of difference and social hierarchy in Canada’s most widely disseminated newspaper. Thus this newsprint media discourse reproduces the subaltern status and dual in/visibility of this minority group in Canadian society.

This paper explores the various narratives and media representations surrounding Filipinas in Canada’s Live-In Caregiver Program. This study draws upon existing scholarship in global migration of (gendered, racialized, and class-based) domestic labour, as well as theories of postcolonialism and media studies. Using critical discourse analysis, the content of 132 news articles from 1988 to 2014 in the Toronto Star are coded and discussed. The five main categories in which these Filipina live-in caregivers – ‘or Filipina nannies’ – are constructed are identified as foreigners, mothers, workers, victims, and activists. The research findings suggest that representations of Filipina live-in caregivers are framed by notions of difference and social hierarchy in Canada’s most widely disseminated newspaper. Thus this newsprint media discourse reproduces the subaltern status and dual in/visibility of this minority group in Canadian society.

Since the 1900s, Canada has heavily relied on foreign domestic workers. This program has evolved over the years into what is currently known as the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). It is rooted in our colonial history and has reproduced power imbalances between employers and caregivers. Challenging dominance is a difficult task given that immigration policies perpetuate inequalities through the denial of social, economic and political rights to caregivers. I selected this topic based on my experiences as a live-in caregiver with this program. This study uses anti-colonialism and feminist thought to examine the experiences of three former LCP workers. Through narrative interviewing, the findings indicate that the live-in requirement of the LCP has contributed to the abuse, exploitation and marginalization of these caregivers. The study concludes with a discussion of the ways in which the structure of the program can be modified to prevent further exploitation and human rights violations.

Under neo-liberalism, commodification has emerged as a major issue of concern for those studying immigration and immigrants. The term ‘commodification’ refers to market relations where services are bought and sold. According to Burke, commodification under neo-liberalism shows ‘an increasing reliance on the market’ for the financing or delivery of services (Burke, 2000: 180). This is certainly true for Canada, where both federal and provincial governments increasingly rely on the global market for a constant supply of domestics, especially from the Philippines, for childcare and eldercare financed by private employers. Social democrats expect domestics’ work to be a regulated arena. However, in Canada the absence of government regulations as well as the lack of private bonds and obligations has created an unregulated, neglected area where labourers are mostly at the mercy of their employers. Immigration statistics from 2001 show that under the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP), about 4,000 workers entered Canada in 2000. The Vancouver Philippine Women Centre newsletter brings this statistic to life: ‘As of 1996, there were over 50,000 Filipino women in Canada who entered as domestic workers under the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). Over 6,000 of these women work in the Lower Mainland area and most are between the ages of 20–35 with at least a two-year university level education’ (The Centre Update, 1996: 1–2). This chapter explores the socio-economic relationships between employers and female im/migrant employees in a private but commodified social sector, i.e., the family/household, in British Columbia (BC), Canada. The BC government’s labour regulations are either inadequate or non-existent, and the federal government’s controlled immigration rules make female im/migrant workers vulnerable in several ways and place them in exploitative situations. In 1992, the federal government, through the LCP, endorsed a two-tier immigration system. Those who are well educated, skilled, and privileged in wealth (i.e., entrepreneurs) are welcomed to Canada as independent immigrants and enjoy social rights and entitlements immediately. Im/migrants who lack these qualifications enter Canada as

Canada is unique among the countries included in this volume with regards to the immigration status of care workers; they are much more likely to be immigrants or permanent residents rather than temporary workers (migrants). One program specific to Canada that enables care workers to migrate to Canada is the Live in Caregiver Program (LCP). Through this program workers are able to migrate without having to meet the qualifications of the immigration points system or family sponsorship. One of the key requirements is that they work for at least 24 out of 36 months as a care worker in the home of their client who in turn is their immigration sponsor. Though this has typically been a means to bring in care workers to work with children, increasingly care workers are attending to elderly clients. Interviews we conducted with 19 immigrant care workers in the home and long-term care sector who came to Canada through the LCP, contributed to a broader understanding of the way in which this recent shift in focus can help to address the growing need for care of older persons in their home. However, it has been implemented with little of the additional resources needed for this increasingly complex clientele. This program holds clear potential, but not without it being better customized to meet the needs of older persons and their care workers.

Systemic Discrimination in Canadian Context: Employment Equity, Live-in Domestic Care, and the Challenge of Racialization

The aim of the study is a practical analysis of social network services as a place to store multimedia resources that allow you to store and share digital photos, audio and video recordings, text files, presentations, and organize resource discussions for free. They can be used as educational materials (educational videos, photos on various topics, audio and video recordings of scientists' speeches, eyewitnesses of events, etc.), as well as means to store student video, photo, audio files and creative works. Method. Theoretical materials of the research are the best practices of foreign and domestic scientists in the field of network communications and their impact on the future specialists preparing in geography and tourism, namely articles, monographs, abstracts, dissertations. The study uses the method of theoretical materials analysis, as well as methods of observation, abstraction in identifying the qualification characteristics of social Internet networks. Content analysis (analysis of the social networks community messages content); statistical and comparative information analysis was carried out. Empirical research on the social Internet networks lies in creating and filling a community on the social Internet network, as well as engaging students in that community. Results. In the research it was found out that social networks can be used to solve the following tasks: to organize the collective work of students in the classroom (and outside it), which will be favourable to the communication, to gain the team experience; to ensure the development of the students personalized learning environment; to promote students independent learning, as everyone works in his own rhythm; to promote informal communication between the tutor and the students; to change the tutor's role, who will become an assistant, friend, mentor; to create digital educational content of the disciplines. The scientific novelty of the obtained results lies in the fact that on the comprehensive analysis of social internet networks, internet blogs, tourist internet resources basis, their place and role in the information and educational environment of higher education institutions are determined, in particular: the specifics of the content, prospects and mechanisms of the development of the social Internet networks from the point of view of training future tourists are determined; the dependence of the functions of the Social Internet Network, Internet blogs on their structural elements is established. Practical significance. The obtained scientific results are used in the educational process of future specialists in the field of training "Tourism", with the educational qualification "tourism expert, organizer of excursion and animation activities" when teaching the disciplines "study of local lore and tourism", "tourist work", "recreational geography", "geography of Ukraine", "professional competencies in tourism business", "organization of tourist activities". The research practices can be used to conduct tourist, museum, local history, excursion and other types of student's practice.

This chapter examines the obliviousness of Canadians in witnessing and attaching to the violence associated with the Live-In Caregiver Program (LCP), as well as government programs in the Philippines. Many Canadians fail to see the violence of these state policies despite often living close to women who are experiencing it. The chapter addresses a site of invisibility that lies in the Philippines. It invites Canadians to witness violence in the Philippines by highlighting an event in November 2006 when Filipino Canadian activists from the Kalayaan Centre in Vancouver assembled a team of Canadians to conduct a fact-finding mission in the Philippines. The focus of the mission was the state-sanctioned murders since 2001 of many human rights workers and members of the political left in the Philippines.

<p>Caregiver migration programs and policies in Canada have undergone numerous changes since the implementation of the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) in 1992. Although changes made by the Canadian government between 1992 and 2020 claimed to “support” migrant caregivers, many caregivers continue to face precarious conditions. The purpose of this Major Research Paper is to argue that caregiver migration programs and policies need to be reassessed and challenged as they continue to embody problematic labour practices that render migrant caregivers vulnerable. Broadly, this research brings literature on racism, sexism and colonialism into one conversation in order to better understand the root causes of inequality faced by migrant caregivers in Canada. The significance of this work lies in its provision of a contemporary understanding of caregiver migration, especially in light of a global pandemic, in order to advocate for policy amendments that will genuinely support migrant caregivers and lead to the elimination of exploitative care labour practices.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Key Words: Canadian Caregiver Migration Policies, Caregiver Migration, Decolonial Lens, COVID-19, Migrant Care Workers, Migrant Caregivers, Care Work.</p>

The community care philosophy in Australia has led to a number of older people remaining in their own homes, dependant on others for the majority of their care needs. A small number of older people being cared for by a family member or friend will move into residential aged care facilities for full-time care. This article describes a qualitative study that explored the meanings that older rural Australian caregivers gave to their day-to-day lives after their care-receiver had entered full-time residential aged care. Semi-structured interviews with seven older caregivers were conducted to gain understandings about their 'life after placement'. Thematic analysis was employed to identify common themes. Quality of life concepts provided the boundaries to the research questions. The sample included four men and three women. In the study, the men reported spending more time continuing their carer role, while the women reported being more focussed on reconnecting with the community. Both men and women reported that their own health was a major constraint in being able to maintain these two tasks. The findings mirrored those of similar studies with one notable exception: this study highlighted the meanings that caregivers gave to their lives after placement in a more holistic way, as opposed to focussing on caregivers in relation to the residential aged care facility context alone. This study demonstrated that there are differences found in relation to gender and tasks after in-home caring roles have ended. Worry about loss of driving ability was a major concern in the caregivers' lives. The experiences of the caregivers in this study give a better understanding of what life is like for caregivers after in-home caring has ceased. Understanding of 'life after placement' expands our knowledge about carers and the role of carer. The findings suggest a need for funding and programs for caregivers after their in-home carer role has ended to assist caregivers (particularly men) in reconnecting with people and activities outside their immediate family. The findings may direct rural community development workers to appreciate the challenges that older rural caregivers face when their in-home caring role ends and visiting and socializing is dependant on their ability to drive. This study also offers a perspective for residential aged care staff to consider as they work with families placing an older family member into full-time care. If aged care staff recognise the value of the continuing caring role of the caregiver and integrate them into the care plan, enhanced positive outcomes could transpire for both caregiver and care-recipient.

Password-based authentication and the experiences of end users

Digital solutions are seen as promising ways of addressing current challenges in rural regions. Individual or group key actors accessing resources foster these developments through networks. In light of regional clustering and agglomeration effects on the one hand and increased virtual mobility on the other hand, assumptions about the spatiality of such networks are highly controversial. Our paper takes this as a point of departure, asking how spatiality is constructed in the networks of so-called ‘digital pioneers’ (DPs). The sampling process took place in two German rural regions with different preconditions for digital technology adoption, where we conducted egocentric network analysis and qualitative interviews. Employing the assemblage perspective, we analysed networks of 30 individuals in terms of the analytical categories of territoriality, stability and connectivity. Our findings distinguish between three important roles of network contacts: (1) multipliers in social networking, (2) users of the DP’s products and services, as well as (3) close family members that are important in professional contexts. Although DPs are often deeply embedded in and feel attached to their region, networks vary significantly in their territorial radius, also including highly functional problem-solving contacts to distant places. Consequently, our evidence challenges static territorial models of innovation processes, advocating for processual and multidimensional perspectives that consider social networks and individual agency. Likewise, our study complements current research on rural governance by shifting the focus from key institutions and formal networks to less formally integrated actors and problem-solving networks.

Increasing numbers of rural girls and young women in Ethiopia are migrating to urban towns and cities and taking up employment as domestic workers, some of whom continue their education by attending evening classes. For urban households, rural migrants help to fill the domestic work gaps created by the entry of urban women into employment. For rural young women, migrating as a domestic worker is an important strategy for achieving social mobility and empowerment. However, domestic workers are vulnerable and largely hidden in the city and we know little about their lived experiences. In this paper, we start to address this gap, drawing on interviews with eight rural female migrants who are working as domestic workers in the city and attending evening classes in urban secondary schools. Informed by a critical framing of empowerment, we explore the extent to which intersecting inequalities in rural areas disempower these young women, and how migration and education become important strategies for improving their lives. We show how the support of social network members is crucial in enabling participants’ migration, yet how this also leads to power asymmetries and exploitation. We reflect on how the ability of rural young women to achieve better futures is limited due to their status as poor, rural, female migrants, yet how many wait in the city in the hope of a better future. Our analysis demonstrates the importance of critical approaches to female empowerment that includes a focus on structural inequalities and power imbalances.

The Republic of Yemen, situated on the southwestern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, is the least economically developed country in West Asia. While it is well known that migrant domestic workers are employed in neighboring countries such as Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States, there is little awareness that most domestic work in Yemen is also done by migrant women. The majority of migrant domestic workers come from Somalia and Ethiopia, but women from Asian countries, such as the Philippines, Indonesia, India, and Sri Lanka also fill this role. These Asian women are positioned at the top of Yemeni employers’ hierarchy of domestic workers: they have a high status, are employed by the upper classes, and receive the highest salaries. Ethiopian and Somali women have a lower status: they are employed by the middle and upper middle classes and receive lower salaries. Yet, women from Asian countries do not constitute a homogeneous category: important differences are evident among them and, as well, in the preferences of employers for particular categories of Asian women. This article analyzes some of these differences in respect to recruitment, employment, and living conditions, access to social support networks, and contacts with fellow countrywomen. The author argues that the shifting preferences of employers relate to the various recruitment and support networks available to Asian women. This article is based on anthropological fieldwork, interviews with fifteen Asian domestic workers, and interviews with employers in two cities in Yemen from 2003 to 2006.

This paper adopts a feminist and intersectional perspective to investigate platform-mediated domestic work in Italy. While existing scholarship has extensively analysed classed, gendered and racialized hierarchies in traditional domestic labour, the growing role of digital platforms in mediating these work arrangements deserves further theoretical and empirical attention. Focusing on the experiences of migrant cleaning workers in Milan, this study contributes to the debate on domestic platform work by interrogating the relationship between (de)professionalization and (in)visibility. First, we show how digital labour platforms, while claiming to enhance visibility and professionalization, often reproduce existing intersectional inequalities through mechanisms of legal stratified access to platform work, gendered, racialized and classed division of labour, as well as social invisibility. Second, we challenge the victimization narrative of workers, highlighting not only the lived forms of oppression but also the individual and collective agency actively exercised by platform domestic workers. By adopting an intersectional approach, we then critically challenge the dominant narratives of professionalization and increased visibility related to platform work, illuminating the complex entanglements of oppression and agency in contemporary digital economies.