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The Experiences of Caribbean Migrant Farmworkers in Ontario, Canada

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Securing a reliable work force for Canada’s agricultural sector has been
challenging (Ferguson 2007). Canada has sought to meet these challenges
through its Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP), a managed
migration programme that brings temporary workers to Canada. The
experiences of farm workers have garnered much attention over the last
two decades but relatively little has been written about the experiences of
Caribbean workers. This paper is based on a qualitative study of farm
workers from the Caribbean. It examines the lived experiences of Caribbean
migrant workers in Southwest Ontario and suggests considerations for the
future participation of Caribbean workers in Canada’s SAWP. The study
found that migrants experienced the farm work programme differently in
terms of working conditions, treatment and accommodations. These
experiences were largely determined by the farmer who they worked for.
Major emerging themes from the research include poor working
conditions, dissatisfaction with pay, perceptions of exploitation, a culture
of fear and intimidation, job insecurity, and feelings of exclusion and
alienation.

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