Research summary
People from South Asia are the fastest-growing racialized group in Canada, arriving through many pathways and for a variety of reasons. Dr. Harshita Yalamarty, Canada Research Chair in Gender and Migration, is exploring how Canadian and international migration policies are shaped by—and reinforce—inequalities of gender, race, class and caste within diasporic South Asian communities. She is also studying how migrant justice movements in Canada connect with other social justice issues.
She and her research team are analyzing policy responses to delays in spousal reunification during and after the COVID-19 pandemic; new restrictions on open-work permits for spouses of international students; and the outcomes for queer migrants compared to heterosexual couples. They are also investigating cases of transnational marriage abandonment, where women face deportation or insecure status due to domestic violence, and the impact of caste-based discrimination in Canada. Their research could shape more equitable immigration and human rights policies.