November 26, 2025
SWAN Vancouver launches mobile STBBI testing for im/migrant women engaged in indoor sex work
xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) territory/Vancouver, B.C – SWAN Vancouver (SWAN), in partnership with the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre (VIDC), has launched mobile testing for sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) for im/migrant women engaged in indoor sex work. The pilot project launched in August 2025, and brings low-barrier, anonymous and language-accessible testing directly to women’s workplaces—at indoor locations in 13 municipalities across the Lower Mainland.
As an alternative to in-person visits to clinics, SWAN staff travel to women’s workplaces to collect urine samples and facilitate dried blood spot (DBS) tests. These samples are transported to the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) Public Health Laboratory, allowing women to access testing privately. SWAN and VIDC inform women of their test results, using their preferred language — Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese or English — and SWAN provides ongoing support for accessing medication and treatment from VIDC for those diagnosed with an infection.
“Everyone should be able to access healthcare without fear or invasive questions,” said Angela Wu, Executive Director of SWAN Vancouver. “Even for the average person, navigating Canada’s healthcare system can be confusing and frustrating. Now imagine what it’s like for im/migrant sex workers who face stigma and systemic racism, and are trying to protect their privacy, communicate in another language, and avoid interactions that could lead to arrest or deportation. Accessing care under those conditions can feel impossible.”
More than 70 per cent of the calls for service SWAN receives are from women trying to access healthcare safely. Many im/migrant sex workers avoid basic services, including healthcare, police and social services support, out of fear of being arrested and deported. On top of Canada’s sex work laws, migrants also face deportation under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, which ban temporary residents from working in the industry. However, SWAN has built trust with the community throughout the nearly 25 years of supporting im/migrant sex workers.
“Healthcare is a basic human right, not a privilege,” said Shana Yi, General Manager, Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre. “For many marginalized communities, including im/migrant women who engage in sex work, accessing care can be intimidating due to stigma, discrimination, and systemic barriers. At VIDC, we use a community-based model that brings testing and treatment directly to people where they feel safest, reducing barriers, protecting privacy, and promoting equitable access to care.”
“Women feel safe with SWAN staff, so we’re able to bring testing to their workplaces in a way that protects their privacy and feels culturally appropriate. Our mobile testing uses a task-shifting model, which decentralizes healthcare by meeting communities where they are, and often leads to better follow-up and support. Many of the women we support face uncertainty and risks when attending local clinics, so this approach bridges a critical gap,” said Wu.
The pilot project phase runs until March 2026 and was made possible through funding from the Provincial Health Services Agency. The service was informed by feedback from SWAN’s Advisory Group, which consists of women with lived experience who guide the organization’s programs and advocacy.
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About SWAN Vancouver
SWAN Vancouver promotes the rights, health, and safety of im/migrant women engaged in indoor sex work through front-line service and systemic advocacy. It grew out of a pilot project that provided safer sex supplies to massage businesses, but extended its services to address women’s concerns about law, immigration and safety among others.