Family
The fact that the program “temporarily” separates the father or the mother from the rest of the family members creates problems that have
an impact on their affectionate and, in some cases, sexual relationships. The children, regardless of their ages, are emotionally affected by having
a long-distance father or mother. This also affects romantic partners, when a relationship of this kind exists.
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The Mexican government has sent men to work in the Canadian agribusiness for the past 46 years and women for 31 years.
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According to Mexico’s Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare, 25,637 men and 770 women migrated in 2019. Mexico is the country
with the highest migrant influx participating in this program.
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More than 50 percent of SAWP migrants spend more time in Canada than in Mexico per year, working under this scheme for more
than 10 years; such circumstances have a negative impact on family ties.
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For decades, Canadian and Mexican businessmen and public officials have claimed the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program as
an exceptional binational policy that guarantees the participating migrants’ labor, social and human rights.
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Also, for decades, us activists and academics have investigated and proved the irregularities, abuses and problems that this
transnational labor program upholds.
•
The humanistic view of our research has allowed us to perceive and deepen our understanding of various aspects of this program,
opposed to the purely economic sight that businessmen and government actors usually have. Some of the key aspects we have
explored are mentioned below.
Labor rights
Workers do not have the right to change employers, which limits their freedom of mobility and work. There are cases in which working hours are
very few or non-existent, which makes them look for jobs in other farms illegally, putting them at greater risk. Both in Canada and Mexico,
migrants depend on their income. At the other end, it is common for migrants to work more than 10 hours per day, which negatively impacts on
their physical and emotional health. Moreover, they are not compensated for their overtime work.
Housing
A constant situation among workers is the overcrowded condition in which they live during their stay in Canada. They regularly share a house
with several other migrants without having basic conditions in terms of infrastructure or privacy.
Health
The issue of health among migrants is probably the most complicated one since, despite having medical insurance, its implementation becomes very
complex due to issues involving government, insurance companies, employers, and migrants themselves.
Socialization
Migrants face the lack of social networks and spaces in Canada where they can develop themselves outside their role as workers; they frequently
experience a longing for what they left behind in Mexico as well.
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1.
To generate spaces, both in Canada and Mexico, where issues related to themselves (identity, homesickness, care), the “others” (Canadians, Mexicans, Guatemalans, etc.), the environment
(climate, agribusiness, rural Canada), work (employment contract, life insurance, health, pension, salary, etc.), and family (maternity, paternity and distance partner, and temporary) are
discussed and solved.
2.
To link migrants with social workers from universities to accompany them in this life scheme.
3.
To train newly recruited workers, and those who are about to retire, for the mechanisms they will have to deal with.
4.
Officers working in the secretaries do not know in depth what migrants experience in Canada as migrant workers. It is essential to raise their awareness to improve the attention and
efficiency in the demands made by migrants.
Journal articles concerning the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program