Onome Daphne Akhigbe

Topic

A Comparative Policy Review of Undocumented Children and their access to healthcare in Sweden and Canada

School of Public Administration

Date & location

• Monday, September 15, 2025

• 3:00 P.M.

• Virtual Defence

Reviewers

Supervisory Committee

• Dr. Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly, School of Public Administration, University of Victoria (Supervisor)

• Dr. Lynne Siemens, School of Public Administration, UVic (Member) 

External Examiner

• Dr. Oliver Schmidtke, Department of Political Science, University of Victoria 

Chair of Oral Examination

• Dr. Sarah Wright Cardinal, School of Public Health and Social Policy, UVic

   

Abstract

This study reviews the policies on access to healthcare for undocumented children in Sweden and Canada, with a focus on the implementation of these policies and the barriers to accessing healthcare in both countries. During this study, no specific comparative study was found that focuses on undocumented minor migrants in both Sweden and Canada. This gap in existing literature offers a unique opportunity to explore both countries’ approaches to the issue of access to healthcare for undocumented children since both countries are signatories to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and both countries have a decentralized healthcare system with different responses to undocumented children and access to healthcare. The core research problem revolves around the gap between the rights to healthcare for undocumented children as ratified by both countries in 1989 at the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the access they receive. Guided by research questions that explore (1) how international conventions are translated into domestic policy, (2) how immigration policies can override or shape healthcare access, (3) the key barriers undocumented children face in each country, and (4) how policy implementation differs, including ethical considerations, this study seeks to highlight the disconnect present between domestic and international legal and policy frameworks and lived experiences.

The research began with a review of academic and grey literature in both Canada and Sweden to establish the context and identify key policy issues, followed by qualitative data collection through interviews with stakeholders such as healthcare professionals, researchers, authors who are knowledgeable on the issue, humanitarian workers, lawyers – see participant information in appendix (A) as well as a review of the relevant policy documents. By comparing the two countries, the review aims to identify some of the legal, social, ethical, and indirect barriers that hinder their access to healthcare.

The study revealed that Sweden guarantees healthcare for all children, including undocumented minors, but faces implementation barriers due to limited provider awareness. Canada lacks a cohesive policy, with only Quebec offering similar access, leaving coverage inconsistent and largely dependent on provincial policies and humanitarian efforts. This research contributes to the understanding of the challenges that undocumented children face by identifying the gaps in the implementation of policy and practice and the need for a cohesive intersection between healthcare access and immigration policies. The study concludes with four policy recommendations aimed at aligning laws with human rights standards, protecting confidentiality, expanding family-centred care, and improving public awareness in both countries. 

Keywords: Healthcare access; undocumented children; undocumentedness; Sweden; Canada; immigration policies; healthcare policies.