Debunking Misconceptions: International Students and Canada's Housing Crisis

Canada's reputation as a welcoming country for international students has recently faced scrutiny, with many attributing the current housing and healthcare crisis to the influx of international students. However, this simplistic approach to the problem oversimplifies the issue and fails to take into account the many other factors that contribute to these issues. Canada has set a 2-year cap on the number of international students it intends to issue in 2024. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), it intends to issue 360,000 study permits in 2024, which is a 35% decrease from 2023. The 2-year cap comes on top of IRCC doubling the cost of living requirement for international students who intend to study in any Canadian province other than Quebec. Currently, international students must provide proof of $20,635. In 2024, the federal government will bring down study permits issued to international students last year by 35%, pointing to the doubling of the cost-of-living requirement. Let's have a look at some of the points blaming international students for the Canada housing crisis.

Canada as a Choice of Study Destination

In 2023, the number of international post-secondary students in Canada is expected to be about 900,000. International students have long been seen as a lucrative market for higher education institutions. In fact, Canadian universities charge three to five times higher tuition fees to international students than to Canadian students. In August, Fraser, minister of the government's housing, infrastructure and communities committee, said that the  government is "looking at caps on international students" as a way to relieve the housing market's "pressure." While the blame game continues, the reality is that Canada depends heavily on international students. Unsurprisingly, universities have spoken out against a cap that could hurt their bottom lines. Some provinces and territories remain opposed to the cap, while the Quebec government rejects it. 
Canada has presented itself as a choice destination for international students for years. But while international students are seen as ideal professional immigrants, they are viewed as commodities to finance Canada's higher education system and address the country's labor shortage.

International Students as Scapegoats

The media's coverage of the cap hasn't focused on whose fault it was, really. The international students themselves have $22.3 billion worth of economic and social benefits to Canada. The media has focused on how the 2- year cap announcement will hurt universities' financial sustainability and how they'll be forced to raise tuition for domestic/Canadian students. They've also focused the cap impact on public higher education institutions, which have long catered to international students as an important source of revenue in the face of declining provincial government grants.
These stories have focused on the financial impact on universities and how they will be forced to increase tuition for domestic/Canadian students, which will have a negative impact on Canadians. However, this does not take into account the fact that international students have been exploited for years by provinces and universities and are already struggling financially in Canada. Some articles have argued that the cap on visas and stricter work permit rules will fix the "industry" that exploits international students. The federal government has promised to create a "recognized institution" framework that will require institutions to set higher standards for the support, services, and outcomes of international students, as well as fast-track study permits. However, there are many other ways to prevent exploitation, such as facilitating the transition to studying in Canada and providing inclusive learning environments.

Understanding the Canada Student Housing Crisis

Canada's student housing crisis is a complex issue that is affected by several factors, including rising international students, city sprawl, and a lack of housing supply. Cities with large universities tend to have higher housing demand. But to blame the crisis on international students is an oversimplification.
The government's official news release and the media's coverage continue to blame international students for Canada's biggest issues, stating that the influx of international students has "put pressure on student housing, healthcare and other services." The student housing affordability crisis in Canada has been around for many years. Experts believe that the housing bubble is caused by a combination of municipal, provincial /territorial/federal government, municipal zoning regulations, developers' interests, and the central bank's policies.
Immigration Secretary Marc Miller said immigrants are "essential to the solution of the Canada housing crisis" because they bring "skilled labor" to the country." By focusing too much on demand and demonizing immigrants and "international students," the government is deflecting attention from what it could be doing right now to boost supply. Most international students can't afford to pay as much as Canadians do for homes or rentals.
A research report from York University stated that international students from Punjab can only afford to pay a few hundred dollars per month for rent, which means they are forced to live in overcrowded and illegal basements, sharing beds, living in their cars, or even facing homelessness. These students are not the only reason why home prices and rental costs are rising in Canada, and economists doubt that the cap will have a significant effect on rental prices.

Canada Health Care Crisis

The Canadian healthcare system faces challenges that predate the influx of international students. Problems such as long waiting times, misallocation of resources, and system inefficiencies stem from wider healthcare policies. While international students use healthcare services, they are not the only reason for these systemic issues.
Furthermore, the healthcare landscape in Canada has been in a state of crisis since the pandemic began, with a sharp drop in international student arrivals. In fact, a majority of Canadians believe that the country's provincial and territorial healthcare systems have been declining for over a decade because of structural problems.
According to the organization's latest policy proposal package, what's most important for family doctors today are higher compensation and less administrative burden. International students, or immigrants in general, aren't mentioned anywhere in the package. The federal government's claim that international students are "intimidating" healthcare providers is both inaccurate and negligent.

Recreating Power and Presence

Together with the cap and new international student financial aid rules, the federal government is attempting to address some of the most pressing issues in an environment they helped shape.
"There are complex ethical issues that tie migration and education together," says Lisa Brunner, a University of British Columbia immigration scholar. "International students will be locked out of Canada because of these new policies." The new policies will replicate power and privilege, and this pattern of scapegoating is already reflected in government rhetoric and media coverage. It is thus far affecting public attitudes about immigration levels, and it may spill over into negative attitudes and behavior toward immigrants and international students. Logically, then international students are worried and raising their voices against the unjust accusations being leveled against them. All levels of government have a responsibility to fix the problems that international students have helped create. This includes taking swift action to crack down on predatory colleges' effectiveness. Moreover, it also includes unethical recruiters, as well as increasing government grants for public universities and colleges and investing in health care and affordable housing. The government and media need to stop blaming international students for the problems they have created.

To sum up, blaming international students as the cause of Canada's housing crisis and healthcare crisis is simplistic and perpetuates misunderstandings. It is important to recognize that international students bring economic, cultural, and academic value to the table. Inclusivity and informed dialogue are essential for building a more equitable and sustainable future. Canada's international student community must work together to address the underlying causes of these issues and celebrate the diversity and value of its international students.