Dear Mr Brown,

I heard that some schools in Canada do not provide adequate housing and employment opportunities for international students due to COVID-19. I would like to know how these problems can be avoided.

—DB

Dear DB:

I have read about such problems. For example, senior administrators at Cape Breton University (the university) in Nova Scotia stated that the concerns regarding the affordable housing and employment struggles facing international students are being addressed.

Housing and employment struggles

The University Administration stated that between 350 and 1,000 new students are expected to arrive in January. There are more than 6,000 students from 70 countries worldwide attending the university. Two-thirds of the university’s enrolment rate are international students.

Their heavy reliance on international recruitment started in 2018 after university officials realised they couldn’t rely on domestic students to keep the university financially viable.

The university explains the problem was caused by a combination of:

• Travel and government visa processing was paused due to COVID-19

• Many students who were accepted to the university in 2020/21 could not travel to Canada and had to defer their enrolment

• When restrictions were lifted, a double cohort of students began arriving on campus.

International student campuses

It is true that educational institutions in the more rural parts of Canada may not have the infrastructure and available housing and employment opportunities that exist in the urban centres. Colleges such as Humber and Lambton have campuses dedicated to international students to cater to their particular needs. Moreover, they are public schools that do not have the potential problems that private schools have in terms of applying for permanent residents.

The benefits of having a campus dedicated to specialising in education for international students include:

• Dedicated support services tailored for international students

• Prospective students may select the campus of choice. However, students at the international campus will study the same curriculum and earn the same credential regardless of where the programme is offered.

• Select programmes designed to meet international student demand

• More opportunities for international students to learn in a multicultural community.

Please visit JAMAICA2CANADA.COM for additional information on Canadian Permanent Residence programs, including Express Entry, The Study & Work program, Visas or Appeals, etc.

Antonn Brown, BA, (Hons), LLB, MSc, RCIC, is an immigration counsel and an accredited Canadian education agent of JAMAICA2CANADA.COM—a Canadian immigration & education firm in Kingston. Send questions/comments to documents.jamaica2canada@gmail.com