Health Issues In Canada Essay

Health Issue Based on Immigrants to Canada

Introduction Canada has one of the highest immigration rates in the world. In fact, among the G8 countries, Canada tops as the country with the highest number of immigrants for seven years in a row. Even though Canada has opened its doors to immigrants seeking employment, such immigrants do not enjoy the same sustained high standards of health like their Canadian-born peers. Health and overall well-being are critical to success in life in addition ensuring that one can positively contribute to the society. However, among others, when employment or work conditions (social determinants of health) are not favorable, the aforementioned cannot be achieved as health of workers is compromised (Anderson,

First, Zuberi and Ptashnick (2012) argue that the majority of immigrants looking for employment in Canada take on riskier jobs or jobs with unfavorable work conditions due to necessity. Lack of legal status, less education, lower English ability, and fewer opportunities for jobs make them work in unfavorable work conditions that end up affecting their health status. Closely related to the above, some employers across Canada have always preferred to hire undocumented immigrants, an aspect that would ensure that they do not comply with condition necessary for guest worker programs. This is evident by the number of immigrant farm workers or other immigrants occupying jobs with unfavorable work conditions (Zuberi and Ptashnick, 2012). According to Stilwell et al (2004), during the first five years of migrating to Canada, immigrants are 30% less likely to work on a full-time basis, 65% less likely to have unemployment benefits, 40% more likely to be overqualified for their jobs, and more than twice as likely to be working on a part-time basis, though wanting to work on a full-time basis. Even if they manage to work on a full-time basis, majority of immigrant workers are likely to find themselves working under inhumane work conditions, an aspect that has significantly affected their health