Barriers Encountered by Migrant Farm Workers When Accessing Health Care Services in Canada: A Scoping Review.
Sharona Naidoo, Sherry Morrell, Jamie Crawley and 6 others
PMID 41574912WHAT IT FOUND
Migrant farm workers in Canada avoid care due to fear of repatriation, language barriers, and lack of transport.
They often self-medicate or delay treatment to keep their jobs, as health coverage is tied to employment status.
Key findings
01Fear of medical repatriation is the most frequently cited barrier, causing workers to hide illness or injury to maintain employment and future visa eligibility.
02Language barriers and reliance on non-certified interpreters (like employers) lead to miscommunication, privacy breaches, and delayed reporting of workplace injuries.
03Workers often pay upfront for care because private insurance is not accepted by many clinics, and reimbursement delays mean they leave Canada before receiving funds.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review did not assess the quality or risk of bias of the included studies. Inclusion of grey literature and non-peer-reviewed sources may affect consistency. Searches were limited to articles published before July 2024. Thematic synthesis relies on researcher interpretation, which may affect reproducibility.
Declared interests
The authors declared no financial support or conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that migrant farm workers have adequate health coverage or access to care simply because they are legally entitled to it. Structural barriers like employer-controlled transport, insurance gaps, and fear of repatriation actively prevent timely treatment.