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Informality, Social Citizenship, and Wellbeing among Migrant Workers in Costa Rica in the Context of COVID-19

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  • Mathieu J. P. Poirier

    (School of Global Health, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
    Global Strategy Lab, Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada)

  • Douglas Barraza

    (Health Section, Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 41101, Costa Rica
    Coordinación de Docencia, Universidad Técnica Nacional, San Carlos 21001, Costa Rica)

  • C. Susana Caxaj

    (School of Nursing, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B9, Canada)

  • Ana María Martínez

    (York International & Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada)

  • Julie Hard

    (Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada)

  • Felipe Montoya

    (Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada)

Abstract

Costa Rica is home to 557,000 migrants, whose disproportionate exposure to precarious, dangerous, and informal work has resulted in persistent inequities in health and wellbeing in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a novel multimodal grounded approach synthesizing documentary film, experiential education, and academic research to explore socioecological wellbeing among Nicaraguan migrant workers in Costa Rica. Participants pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as exacerbating the underlying conditions of vulnerability, such as precarity and informality, dangerous working conditions, social and systemic discrimination, and additional burdens faced by women. However, the narrative that emerged most consistently in shaping migrants’ experience of marginalization were challenges in obtaining documentation—both in the form of legal residency and health insurance coverage. Our results demonstrate that, in spite of Costa Rica’s acclaimed social welfare policies, migrant workers continue to face exclusion due to administrative, social, and financial barriers. These findings paint a rich picture of how multiple intersections of precarious, informal, and dangerous working conditions; social and systemic discrimination; gendered occupational challenges; and access to legal residency and health insurance coverage combine to prevent the full achievement of a shared minimum standard of social and economic security for migrant workers in Costa Rica.

Suggested Citation

  • Mathieu J. P. Poirier & Douglas Barraza & C. Susana Caxaj & Ana María Martínez & Julie Hard & Felipe Montoya, 2022. "Informality, Social Citizenship, and Wellbeing among Migrant Workers in Costa Rica in the Context of COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-14, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:10:p:6224-:d:820018
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. 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.
    2. C. Susana Caxaj & Amy Cohen, 2019. "“I Will Not Leave My Body Here”: Migrant Farmworkers’ Health and Safety Amidst a Climate of Coercion," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-14, July.
    3. Carlos Colindres & Amy Cohen & C. Susana Caxaj, 2021. "Correction: Colindres et al. Migrant Agricultural Workers’ Health, Safety and Access to Protections: A Descriptive Survey Identifying Structural Gaps and Vulnerabilities in the Interior of British Col," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-1, September.
    4. Andreas Neef, 2020. "Legal and social protection for migrant farm workers: lessons from COVID-19," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 37(3), pages 641-642, September.
    5. Gordon Anderson & Lucy Kenner, 2019. "Enhancing the effectiveness of minimum employment standards in New Zealand," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 30(3), pages 345-365, September.
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