Safer Workplaces

Examining de-skilling amongst racialized immigrant women in the Lower Mainland

Safer Workplaces builds on our 2023 project, Short-Changed, which explored deskilling and underemployment among racialized immigrant women in Canada. Through interviews and focus groups with participants, we uncovered a range of challenges—including systemic racism, lack of support in the workplace, and barriers to fair employment despite high qualifications. In 2024, we expanded this work to focus on workplace health and safety. We found that many racialized immigrant women—especially those with precarious immigration status—face unsafe and exploitative working conditions due to limited knowledge of their legal rights, language and cultural barriers, and fear or mistrust of institutions like WorkSafeBC. Our project aims to raise public and policymaker awareness while also empowering racialized women with knowledge, legal education, and access to resources. We worked closely with a peer group of lived experience experts and conducted interviews with service providers and labor stakeholders to better understand the systemic barriers to workplace justice. By centering the voices of racialized women and supporting them to lead change, Safer Workplaces advocates for more inclusive, informed, and equitable labor protections in British Columbia.