Static perceptions and individual agency: the settlement experiences of Filipina former caregivers in Toronto

Historic and contemporary perceptions of immigrants who came to Canada as live-in caregivers have changed little over time. Gendered, racialized and classed assumptions continue to demarcate belonging and impose obstacles to their uccessful settlement and integration into Canadian society. However, the notion of success can be interpreted in different and conflicting ways. This paper analyzes the interpretations of settlement for 7 Filipina former caregivers in Toronto, who entered under the Foreign Domestic Movement and the Live-in Caregiver Program, according to their valorization and investment of their different forms of capital, such as educational qualifications or social networks. Focusing on the subjective and diverse perceptions of these women is integral to reaching a more nuanced understanding of the priorities and values that drive the settlement and integration outcomes of this ethno-cultural group while simultaneously avoiding essentialist practices that normalize their presence as domestic workers.