A severe unemployment crisis is impacting over a million international students in Canada, including Nigerians. This situation has raised concerns about Canada’s relaxed immigration policies and the shortage of low-income jobs.
Voice of America reported that images from the Canadian internet depicted long lines of people waiting to apply for a basic cashier job, highlighting the struggle of foreign students to find work that meets their financial needs.
International students in Canada face restrictions in the job market as they are generally only allowed to work part-time in low-paying jobs. However, these jobs are becoming increasingly difficult to find. Dhvani Malik, a senior international relations student at the University of British Columbia, told VOA, “The current affordability crisis in Vancouver, coupled with dwindling job opportunities, is becoming very stressful. International students already pay high fees, and the rising costs of rent and living only increase the financial burden.”
As of March, Statistics Canada reported that the unemployment rate for young people in Canada reached 12.6 percent, indicating that the country might be struggling to accommodate its fast-growing population, largely made up of immigrants.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged the issue, stating at an event in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, on April 2, “The number of temporary immigrants is something we need to get back under control,” according to Global News. He added that the growth of temporary foreign workers and international students has exceeded what Canada can handle.
After Canada created more job and immigration opportunities for international students who complete their degrees, many migrants moved to the country. However, this led to an unexpected rise in housing costs due to the lenient immigration policies.
Reducing the number of international students might negatively impact Canadian educational institutions, which rely heavily on the high tuition fees paid by these students.
The government now faces a tough choice between limiting temporary immigrants and continuing to allow educational institutions to benefit from the substantial tuition fees paid by international students.
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