Policy Landscapes and Vulnerabilities of Migrant Care Workers in East Asia: A Scoping Review

Migrant workers have emerged as agents of change, shaping the social and economic development of destination countries. Specifically, migrant care workers played a crucial role in filling labor market gaps in destination countries with ageing populations, which entails increased care needs and broader demands from such fast ageing populations. The ageing population has become a significant "full" factor in international migration patterns; however, long-term care can be physically, emotionally, and psychologically demanding, requiring a high degree of responsibility. This scoping review focuses on the migrant care workers' experiences as caregivers for older adults with long-term care needs in East Asia. Using the PRISMA Framework, full texts of relevant articles published in English were screened using databases such as Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, and PubMed. This database search identified 4197 eligible articles, out of which, 12 articles met the inclusion criteria. The central research question explored in this review is, "What challenges do migrant care workers face while providing long-term care for older people in East Asia?. The scoping review identifies several challenges, including communication and interactional difficulties, occupational health risks, challenges in the work environment, demanding work and inadequate pay, and divergent care cultures and work expectations. Based on the review, the paper concludes with recommendations for future policy interventions.