Challenges Faced By International Students In Canada
Today we are going to discuss the exploitation of international students in Canada and what Canada can do to better support its international students.
Although Canada has opened permanent residency doors for international students, there are obstacles in the students that students are suffering from.
When it comes to bringing foreign students and benefitting from them, Canada is in the lead. However, the current situations are quite different due to the way those students are treated in Canada.
The post-secondary institutions in Canada have put resources and done significant efforts for attracting international students since the mid-2000s. To balance the government funding shortages, the universities and colleges rely on the higher tuition fees of these students compared to the Canadian local students.
International students support and grow the post-secondary education system of Canada. They also fill critical shortages in the Canadian labour force, especially in the service sector. The colleges and universities are the ones who monitor the immigration system and have the chance to play a role in assembling future Canadians for success.
The federal government has now removed the limit on work hours for international students off-campus and increased postgraduate work permits for previous students with permits that were going to expire this year. Although many people can consider these changes a sign of positivity, these reforms have been primarily focused on filling the labour shortages. To some extent, the present system has created a new stream of temporary foreign workers which is administered by higher education institutions.
But what benefits do students get from these changes? Removing the limits on work hours will not help international students to find good jobs in their field, but it simply increases the time of low-paying, and low-skill jobs that do not help students in the transition to permanent residence status, nor do they assist in career progression.
The vulnerability of graduates and international students within the system is still not addressed properly. Contrary to the fundamentals of equity and acceptance advocated, the limited support provided to these students during and after graduation raises questions about whether the students are being used simply as assets to support the economic indicators of Canada.
The mistreatment of foreign students has recently been exposed, as stories of some private colleges and recruiters’ shocking conduct unfold. But the stories of these terrible conducts mask the extensive ill-treatment within the system.
International students are recruited by publicly funded post-secondary institutions with the assurance of routes to permanent residency. The chances of getting permanent residence status are what drive most students to choose Canada for studying. But after their arrival in Canada, there are very few systems that can assist and support their settlement and getting employment later.
Out of ten international students arriving in Canada, only about three make the transition to permanent residency. They don’t get publicly funded services for the settlement and are often left unhelped and they navigate immigration and academic requirements and adjust to Canada on their own. Many international graduates don’t obtain permanent residency because of the hurdles in finding proper employment after graduation.
For better integration of international students, post-secondary institutions should put in more effort. For instance, on-the-job learning opportunities are essential for getting experience that is professionally relevant in Canada. Through co-ops and internships, students can understand the work culture of Canada, improve their communication skills professionally, and get high-skilled jobs after graduation.
If Canada needs international students to be the “Ideal immigrants” that it needs right now, then it should do better. It should invest in these students and provide them with opportunities to stay in Canada and play a role in its economic development.
This is the end of today’s blog update. We hope you found this blog useful. Please don’t forget to support us by subscribing to our newsletter and sharing this blog with your friends and family on Facebook, Whatsapp, and Twitter.
