Nigerian students, others face tough times in Canada

Nigerians and other foreign students are facing a tough time in Canada over their inability to secure part-time jobs to sustain themselves.

According to a report by the Voice of America, the development has led to some of the affected students living in deplorable conditions.

After Canada opened employment pathways cum immigration opportunities for foreign students, many from Nigeria and other parts of the world flocked to the North American nation.

According to the VOA, photos seen on the Canadian Internet showed crowds waiting in line for a simple cashier job opening, as foreign students lamented the unavailability of jobs that would cater to their financial needs and responsibilities.

Foreign students in Canada can only work part-time and mostly in low-income jobs.

“The present affordability crisis in Vancouver, along with the declining job opportunities, is becoming very stressful,” Dhvani Malik, a 400-level student of international relations at the University of British Columbia, told VOA. “International students already pay so much in fees, and the increasing rent and living costs have only added to the financial pressure.”

As of March, according to Statistics Canada, the unemployment rate for young people in Canada hit a staggering 12.6 per cent, a red flag signalling that the North American nation may be unable to cope with its rapidly rising population, most of whom were immigrants.

Aware of the situation, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admitted that the number of temporary immigrants was “something we need to get back under control” while speaking at Dartmouth in Nova Scotia on April 2, according to Global News.

“Whether it’s temporary foreign workers or whether it’s international students in particular, that have grown at a rate far beyond what Canada has been able to absorb,” Mr Trudeau said.

However, reducing international students may not be the option for Canadian institutions, as they make a large chunk of their money from fees paid by international students.

The government may be torn between shutting its doors to temporary immigrants or allowing its institutions to continue benefiting from the high tuition cost of international students.