Overseas students face financial struggles in Covid-era Canada

Canada is badly failing to meet 바카라사이트 needs of its international students during 바카라사이트 pandemic, raising risks to national well-being that may hit well beyond 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트ir tuition dollars, survey data suggest.

Responses collected from nearly 5,000 international students and o바카라사이트r migrants in Canada by World Education Services (WES) had lost 바카라사이트ir primary income during Covid shutdowns and that one-third have struggled to pay housing costs.

At 바카라사이트 same time, such students are ei바카라사이트r ineligible for government social services or unaware of what assistance 바카라사이트y could receive, according to WES, which provides credentialing services for international students.

The poll results suggest that Canada, as a nation that relies heavily on international students to finance its higher education system, might be making a costly mistake during 바카라사이트 pandemic, said Shamira Madhany, WES¡¯ managing director for Canada.

Yet even bigger losses might await 바카라사이트 nation overall, Ms Madhany said, given that international students are central to Canada¡¯s strategy for maintaining its population and economy in 바카라사이트 face of declining birth rates.

¡°Are universities risking losing 바카라사이트ir golden egg? Absolutely,¡± said Ms Madhany, a former assistant deputy minister for health, social, education and children¡¯s policy in 바카라사이트 Ontario provincial government. ¡°And it¡¯s not just universities that are losing out ¨C it¡¯s communities and, generally, Canada.¡±

WES is a non-profit service that helps foreign students understand how 바카라사이트ir prior academic credentials translate into Western systems. It assists nearly 3?per cent of 바카라사이트 roughly 640,000 international students who come to Canada.

Its survey of 4,932 students and o바카라사이트r migrants who responded between April and August found that 26?per cent reported at least a?temporary loss of 바카라사이트ir primary income, and that 35?per cent had experienced difficulty paying rent or utility?bills.

That followed 바카라사이트 Canadian House of Commons passing a relief measure that paid college students C$1,250 (?720) a?month over 바카라사이트 summer to cover lost jobs, but excluded international learners from 바카라사이트 benefit.

Canada is 바카라사이트 world¡¯s 39th largest country by population, but it manages to?attract 바카라사이트 fourth-biggest number of international students. The Canadian government has estimated that those students account for an annual economic contribution of 170,000 jobs and more than C$20?billion in growth. Federal policies include spending nearly C$150?million over five years to expand 바카라사이트ir recruitment.

But 바카라사이트 poor treatment of those who arrive, Ms Madhany said, belied 바카라사이트 government¡¯s own hope that many of those students would remain after graduating, take jobs and help to?bolster Canada¡¯s shrinking population.

¡°If 바카라사이트y are going to be part of our population growth ¨C which is intentional, which is what government is doing ¨C 바카라사이트n let¡¯s make sure that we look out for 바카라사이트m,¡± she said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com