Health, Safety, and Access to Health Care of Foreign Seasonal Farm Workers in Nova Scotia

Abstract

As the population of foreign seasonal agricultural workers (FSFWs) grows in Nova Scotia, so too does Nova Scotia’s responsibility to take care of this population. The first objective of this study was to determine the extent and content of the health and safety information available to FSFWs in Nova Scotia. The second objective was to examine FSFWs’ access to health care. These objectives were achieved through a document analysis and semi-structured interviews with farmers, FSFWs, and local seasonal farm workers. The document analysis suggested that high reading levels of and inconsistencies between documents make online documents pertaining to the health and safety of FSFWs difficult to access. Analysis of interviews suggested the following issues impact FSFWs’ access to and experiences with health care: limited interaction with the health care system, incomplete knowledge of health insurance and workers’ compensation insurance, the disconnect in farmers’ perceptions of FSFWs, and FSFWs’ vulnerability.