What Does Mental Health Support Look Like for Migrant Workers?
Like everyone else, migrant workers face challenges that affect their mental well-being. Many are the sole breadwinners for their families, often supporting not only their immediate loved ones but sometimes extended relatives as well. They are also separated from their families, often lacking the close-knit community networks they once relied on for emotional support and connection.
Furthermore, the lack of agency experienced by migrant workers intensifies their mental health struggles. Job insecurity is a constant threat, as employers hold the power to send them back home at any moment. Workers are also prohibited from changing jobs without their employer’s consent, which forces many to endure abusive or exploitative conditions for fear of losing their livelihood. Workers who face salary arrears have their stresses compounded as they are unable to send money home to support their families.
Some migrant domestic workers (MDWs) have restrictions on the use of mobile phones (some have their phones confiscated entirely), which limits their ability to speak to their loved ones, which can include young children. In extreme cases, MDWs are isolated and confined to their households and prevented from speaking to anyone else.
Migrant workers also face severe restrictions on their time, limiting their ability to relax or decompress in the way others might. Their schedules are almost entirely controlled by their employers, leaving little room for personal downtime. Many activities that could offer relaxation or relief — such as socializing, enjoying a favorite meal, or engaging in hobbies or relaxation practices — are either financially out of reach or simply unavailable within their rigid working hours, and lack of rest days.
Thus, ensuring robust mental health protections for migrant workers requires strong labor and social safeguards, including:
Better enforcement of wage theft
The right to change jobs freely
Weekly, mandatory rest days for MDWs
Prohibition against confiscation and unreasonable limitations of phone use on MDWs
These protections are essential in safeguarding the mental well-being of migrant workers and ensuring they are treated with dignity and respect.