Invisibleworkers:migrantdomesticworkersintheUK
Dr. Tomoko Hayakawa University College London Department of Anthropology This paper explores the living and working situations of migrant domestic workers in the UK. Due to the political climate of recent years, the government has put increasing emphasis on limiting the number of migrants. However, little is discussed regarding varying circumstances and needs of migrant workers, and how these affect migrants’ decisions. By looking at the cases of Non‐EEA domestic workers, I intend to illustrate the context in which the concept of illegitimacy is applied disproportionately to migrant workers rather than to their employers, agents, or the state. Due to the nature of their work, workers remain invisible and their issues unrecognised. Following a brief review of recent policies, I will discuss 3 issues relevant to migrant domestic workers: 1) the vulnerability of migrants: the challenges caused by the lack of knowledge of the life in the UK, relatively low literacy level, and the perceived pressure of having to support their family in the home country in the form of remittances, 2) physical and legal constraints; issues related to the tied‐visa such as the dependency of migrants on the employer and confiscation of passport by the employers, lack of privacy and personal space in their working and living environment, and limited legal aid available to them, and 3) migrants’ expectations of social and legal systems in the UK and their fear which affect the way migrants perceive their alternative solutions to their problems. Under these circumstances, neither employers’ breach of contract nor the role of the state to protect the vulnerable is questioned. Consequently, many migrant workers continue to bear exploitation and abuse or become undocumented without any alternatives. For those migrants, being undocumented is Illegal but do not necessarily appear illegitimate.