COVID-19 and the intersections of gender, migration status, work and place

The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare existing inequities faced by many migrants whose contributions have been recast as ‘essential’. In this chapter, I use an intersectional lens to illuminate the lived experiences of two groups of migrants: Filipino and Indonesian women migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong who reside with their employers, and migrant agricultural workers in Ontario, Canada - men from Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America - who live in congregate housing. The intersections of gender, racialization, socioeconomic class, nationality, work, and place create differential exposures to COVID-19 and structure access to determinants of health. Migration policies, labour practices, and newly instituted public health measures further entrench structural issues facing temporary migrant workers whose lives have become increasingly precarious. Examining these examples of migrant workers through an intersectional lens suggests that the most impactful policy interventions for these migrant workers must be targeted towards migration policies and labour rights.