A recent online survey in Toronto found that Canadians believe there are too many international students, which is causing housing shortages.
Navigator conducted the “International Students, Understanding Canada Opinions” survey, which sampled 1,500 randomly selected Canadian individuals.
According to the study results, 58% of Canadians believe an overwhelming number of international students are enrolled in Canadian universities, up nine percentage points from a similar survey conducted in October 2023.
Furthermore, the study shows that 61% of respondents believe that the admission of many international students to Canada is due to financial mismanagement by postsecondary institutions.
Although a slight majority of respondents (52%) support imposing a new cap on international student numbers, 51% of Canadians polled believe that certain programmes, such as healthcare, agriculture, and science, should be exempt from this regulation.
Mohamed Bagha, managing director of the Saint John Newcomers Centre, commented on the poll findings, saying, “This is not surprising. However, Atlantic Canada is experiencing expansion and is coping with growth-related challenges. These are far more manageable issues than dealing with decline.”
Bagha points out that the study fails to recognise the myriad benefits that overseas students offer to their communities.
He emphasizes their role in filling gaps in the labour market, contributing to school populations in the region, and generating increased investment opportunities for their communities.
“Our region has been one of the last regions to grow in Canada,” Bagha said.
“And today it is growing because of newcomers to Canada, including international students.”
According to the survey findings, respondents perceive a direct correlation between the housing crisis and immigration. 66 per cent of participants believe that Canada is unable to manage the recent influx, including the significant number of international students who remain in the country after completing their education.
“We need investment, and we need increased housing supply in the market,” Bagha emphasizes, in response to the notion that newcomers are to blame for the housing problem.
“The last time we saw a population surge anything like we are seeing in Canada today, or rather the surge in housing, was back in the Second World War. I think it’s time we start looking at how can we create more opportunities to increase the housing supply and to create favourable investment opportunities.”
Bagha further adds that smaller communities in Atlantic Canada rely on younger demographics for growth. He highlighted that a significant portion of this youthful demographic in towns and cities across the region comprises international students who choose to settle down in the area after completing their education.