Australia is home for immigrants from more than a hundred countries and in total almost a quarter of all Australians are overseas-born. A high proportion of immigrants in a society raises question about socioeconomic equality. The purpose of the thesis is to study the differences in socioeconomic attainments between immigrants and native-born workers. Using data collected from the Issues in Multicultural Australia Survey, conducted in 1988, and the ABS Census of Population and Housing, 1986 and 1991, the study finds that human capital variables such as education, language proficiency and experience largely explain the socioeconomic attainments of Australian-born workers. Among immigrant workers, however, these human capital variables have little or no effect on status attainments. The data also show that the lower socioeconomic status of immigrants may not be due only to the lower investment in human capital. Even second generation NESB immigrants are unable to obtain comparable rewards compared to longer established Australians with similar education and skills. The study indicates that there may be barriers in the Australian labour market operating against NESB immigrants. The study concludes that there are birthplace variations in workers??? socioeconomic attainments. When employers can hire Australian-born workers from a large pool of unemployed workers, immigrant workers will be excluded from employment. Immigrant workers will only be hired if the rewards for these workers are lower compared to Australian-born workers. In situations of high unemployment, especially, immigrant workers will find it difficult to be treated equally in the labour market.

Organismes subventionnaires ayant contribué à la réalisation de la mémoire: Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation du Montréal métropolitain (CRIR), Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (l’IRSST), Réseau provincial de recherche en adaptation-réadaptation (REPAR), Canadian MSK Rehab Research Network, Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQ-S), Faculté de médecine et École de réadaptation de l'Université de Montréal. / Les travailleurs immigrants blessés sont plus à risque de subir des répercussions sur leur bien-être physique et mental que les Canadiens de naissance. Bien que la physiothérapie soit essentielle pour leur réadaptation, aucune étude ne s'est intéressée aux expériences des travailleurs immigrants par rapport à ces soins. Notre recherche visait à explorer les expériences des travailleurs immigrants blessés quant aux soins de physiothérapie reçus. Cette étude fait partie d'un projet qualitatif plus vaste qui a examiné les expériences de 30 travailleurs (dont 10 immigrants) indemnisés par la CNESST et ayant reçu des soins de physiothérapie. Nous avons mené des entrevues et les avons analysées à l'aide des approches de « description interprétative » et intersectionnelle. Deux thèmes principaux ont été identifiés : (1) les voies d’accès complexes vers les soins de physiothérapie, via le manque de familiarité avec le système de santé et d’indemnisation, l’accès tardif aux soins et le cumul des fardeaux physiques et psychologiques et (2) les piliers clés des expériences de soins que sont la priorisation du soutien moral/émotionnel, la centralité du soulagement de la douleur et la reconnaissance des aspects socioculturels, des croyances et des craintes. L’analyse intersectionnelle a mis en lumière l'interaction complexe entre les facteurs socio-identitaires et systémiques qui façonnent l'expérience de soins de physiothérapie des travailleurs immigrants. Notre étude offre de nouvelles perspectives qui peuvent guider les physiothérapeutes vers une offre de soins plus inclusive qui répond aux besoins, aux valeurs et aux divers contextes qui caractérisent ces patients immigrants. / Injured immigrant workers are at greater risk to experience impacts on their physical and mental well-being than native-born Canadians. Although physiotherapy is essential to their rehabilitation, no studies have examined immigrant workers' experiences with this care. The purpose of our research was to explore the experiences of injured immigrant workers with physiotherapy care. This study is part of a larger qualitative project that examined the experiences of 30 injured workers (10 of whom were immigrants) compensated by the Workers’ Compensation Board in Quebec and who received physiotherapy. We conducted interviews and analyzed them using the “interpretive description” and intersectional approaches. Two main themes were identified: (1) the complex pathways to physiotherapy care due to the lack of familiarity with the health and compensation systems, delayed access to care, and cumulative physical and psychological burdens and (2) the key pillars of care experiences which are: the prioritization of moral/emotional support, the centrality of pain relief, and the recognition of sociocultural aspects, beliefs, and fears. Our study offers new insights that can guide physiotherapists towards more inclusive care delivery that addresses the needs, values, and the diverse contexts that characterize immigrant patients.

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