Prioritizing vaccine access for migrant workers in Nova Scotia

Photo: Noe Arteaga, NOII-Hfx Migrant Worker Organizer, receives his first dose of the vaccine in May 2021

Photo: Noe Arteaga, NOII-Hfx Migrant Worker Organizer, receives his first dose of the vaccine in May 2021

May 14 2021 —

TO: The Honourable Iain Rankin, Premier of Nova Scotia, The Honourable Zach Churchill, Minister of Health and Wellness and Dr. Robert Strang, Chief Medical Officer: 

CC: The Honourable Keith Colwell, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture and The Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Labour and Advanced Education:

We are writing to express concern with respect to the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout for migrant workers who are essential workers in Nova Scotia’s agriculture and seafood sectors. We are concerned that the implementation of the province’s vaccine plan is not in line with the commitment to prioritize vaccine access for migrant workers announced several months ago. 

In January 2021, Dr. Robert Strang stated that migrant workers living in congregate settings are a vulnerable population in Nova Scotia and would be included in Phase 2 of the provincial COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan, expected to begin in late May. In addition, the province’s vaccine plan prioritizes essential workers like migrant workers. However, the website of the provincial development agency Perennia indicates that migrant workers will only have access to the vaccine once their age group is called. This change in approach away from the inclusion of migrant workers in the Phase 2 rollout of the vaccine has created the following barriers, which must be addressed: 

Current Situation Barriers to access
  • Online booking of the COVID-19 vaccine requires a Nova Scotia Health Card.

  • People without Nova Scotia Health Cards must book an appointment by phone.
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  • The majority of migrant workers do not have Nova Scotia Health Cards, nor phone plans for direct calling.
  • Vaccination sites are not within walking distance from where migrant workers live and work.
  • Migrant workers do not have their own transportation. They are dependent upon their employer for transportation.
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  • Appointment availability for COVID-19 vaccinations does not align with the availability of migrant workers.
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  • Migrant workers often work 10-12 hour days and are not available for the majority of appointment slots. Moreover, there are a lack of vaccine appointments on weekends when migrant workers have a day off.
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  • The majority of migrant workers have not yet received their first dose of the vaccine. According to the province's timeline, the second dose of the vaccine will be administered 4 months after the initial dose.
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  • Delays in vaccine distribution to migrant workers may result in them not receiving their second dose of the vaccine before returning to their country of origin.

    • We recommend that the province of Nova Scotia take the following steps to improve vaccine access for migrant workers: 

    • Provide culturally and linguistically appropriate information to migrant workers to address concerns they may have about the risks of being vaccinated;

    • Work with Perennia to coordinate mobile vaccine clinics for migrant workers in proximity to their workplace;

    • Provide migrant workers with transportation to vaccination sites, if needed; 

    • Require employers to provide time for migrant workers to access vaccinations without loss of pay; 

    • Enforce protections to prevent migrant workers from being fired, sent back to their country of origin, or barred from being called back to work in Canada if they decide not to receive the vaccine. Migrant workers should not face reprisals for opting not to get the vaccine; 

    • Consult with migrant support organizations who are in on-going dialogue with migrant workers’ communities in order to effectively implement vaccine roll out 

    Unfortunately, many of the migrant workers in the province with whom we are in contact have not yet received information with regards to vaccine access. Migrant workers risk their lives to come to work in Canada during the pandemic. Since the onset of the pandemic, thousands of migrant workers across the country have become ill with COVID-19, including in Nova Scotia, and several have passed away from the virus. We urge you to ensure that migrant workers are not left behind in the province’s vaccination strategy and implementation. 

    We welcome the opportunity to engage in ongoing dialogue around the concerns of migrant workers in Nova Scotia.

    Sincerely, 

    Migrant Worker Rights Working Group 

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