Last week it was reported that two University of Regina students would be deported for working off campus illegally. This situation has brought to light some worrisome trends in Canadian post-secondary education.
International students and their non-subsidized tuition fees help finance universities across the country. However, current laws governing the ability of foreign students to work has left these students without the means to pay these fees.
One of the big selling points that attracts international students to Canada is the fact that students are allowed to work off campus as soon as they obtain a work permit, something that can be applied for after a few months of study. However it is not made clear on most university or government websites that the process to get a work permit can be very lengthy. Often, it takes upwards of a year to complete, although it is advertised that after a few months international students can obtain a work permit and work off-campus. This is inaccurate and unethical.
The matter is not a hard one to solve. Under a regular student visa, students are allowed to work on campus. Universities should take responsibility for the international students that need to work to pay for tuition, and ensure there are on-campus jobs available for them until their work permit application is processed.
To make the students in Regina leave the country is an exaggerated punishment. The students only worked for two weeks at a Wal-Mart, and shouldn’t have to face such a harsh penalty.
