In solidarity with international students: demanding fairness in Canada’s labour policies

BY: PAULYN MANDAP

Did you know that Canada’s labour policies are a mirror reflecting its dark past? In the same way that the Temporary Foreign Workers Program and the Domestic Scheme took advantage of racialized communities, today’s international students are being held to a system designed to maintain inequality. It’s a modern-day story of discrimination and exploitation.

During the pandemic, Canada saw a high rate of entry of international students, to fill in gaps in the labour force that domestic students left behind. With no caps on their working hours, these students became essential contributors to our economy, often taking on low-wage positions to cover their steep tuition fees and living expenses.

Many international students come from developing countries, drawn to Canada’s promises of a better future. They juggle their academic studies and the heavy burden of familial responsibilities, high-tuition debt, rent, and living expenses. So, for Immigration Minister Marc Miller to say, ‘the purpose of the international student program is to study and not work’ completely ignores the harsh realities that the average international student has to overcome daily. The truth is, that many of these students are barely scraping by, forced to turn to food banks to make ends meet, struggling to afford basic necessities while striving for a better future. “They are limiting us to 20 hours per week, while the economy continues to skyrocket. It’s almost impossible to pay for rent and groceries”, an international student from York University shares.

By limiting international students to low-wage jobs, Canada is not just encouraging a cycle of exploitation; it’s actively restricting their path to permanent residency. It’s a modern-day version of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, where Canada benefits from charging international students with sky-high tuition fees, pushes students into unfulfilling jobs, and ultimately increases the likelihood of them returning to their home countries after completing their degrees.

It's time for a change. That’s why I’m calling on you, the reader, to take action. Write to your local MP, sign petitions, join advocacy groups – do whatever it takes to demand the lifting of the working hours cap!