Amid Canada's Escalating Housing Crisis, Nova Scotia Minister Calls on International Students to Secure Funds for Accommodation and Jobs
As the housing crisis in Canada intensifies, Nova Scotia's Minister of Advanced Education, Brian Wong, has emphasized the importance of international students arriving in Nova Scotia to have financial resources readily available for their accommodation and job needs.
While acknowledging the existence of recruiters who mislead students regarding housing arrangements, Minister Wong, following a cabinet meeting in Halifax on September 7, stressed that international students should proactively secure their own accommodation and employment opportunities before entering the country, as reported by Erudera.com.
In his statement on Thursday, Wong asserted, "If we're grappling with a housing crisis or a high cost of living, it is crucial for students to have the necessary financial support when they arrive in Nova Scotia or Canada."
Meanwhile, a card shop in Sydney has reported an influx of resumes from international students desperately seeking jobs to cover their living expenses, citing confusion caused by recruiters. Many of these students claim to have been misguided by recruiters associated with Cape Breton University.
Addressing the issue, Wong acknowledged, "There's no doubt that there are recruiters out there engaging in unscrupulous practices, which is truly unfortunate." However, he affirmed that the institution has been actively collaborating with recruiters and training them to provide accurate and honest information to prospective students.
Canada currently faces a housing shortage, prompting Housing Minister Sean Fraser to propose restricting the intake of international students as a potential solution.
Following Fraser's remarks, Immigration Minister Marc Miller and student advocates across Canada expressed concerns that international students might face discrimination and be unfairly blamed for the housing crisis.
In an interview with CBC News, Miller voiced his apprehensions about the stigmatization of individuals, including international students, who have chosen to contribute to the betterment of Canada.
In the preceding year, Canada witnessed a record number of international students. Data reveals that in 2022, there were a staggering 800,000 international students in Canada, with 373,599 enrolled in tertiary education institutions alone—an impressive 75 percent increase compared to five years prior.
Notably, India had the largest number of study permit holders in Canada over the past year, with 226,450, followed by China with 100,010 and the Philippines with 32,425.
As of the beginning of this year, nine out of ten Canadian provinces witnessed a decline in house prices. According to Statista data, the average Canadian home price in 2022 stood at approximately C$704,000, with projections indicating a potential 3.5 percent increase in home prices in the coming year.