The federal government’s restrictive policy on work hours risks making international students vulnerable to exploitation, trafficking and abuse.
Canada’s international student population has dramatically increased over the past two decades. By the end of 2023, there were over 1 million students in Canada—a staggering increase from 301,545 students in 2013.[1] While these students contribute significantly to the Canadian economy, they face growing challenges that leave them vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, and human trafficking.
International students pay higher tuition fees than domestic students, providing a crucial source of revenue for Canadian colleges and universities. This influx of funds substantially impacts the economy, surpassing even traditional exports such as auto parts, lumber, and aircrafts.[2] Additionally, Canadian employers benefit from the skills and talents of international students, who often join the workforce and help meet labour market demands.
Despite these contributions, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently announced that the temporary policy allowing students to work more than 20 hours per week off campus will end on April 30, 2024. This fall, Ottawa intends to change the number of hours students may work off campus per week to 24 hours during academic sessions.
The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking believes that the recent announcements will make students vulnerable to exploitation. Despite common misconceptions, many international students do not come from wealthy families. Their ability to live in Canada, particularly during the current cost of living crisis, often depends on access to employment income. Restricting students’ ability to work more than 24 hours per week is likely to drive many into the grey economy, the part of any economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government, to pay their bills. This leaves them vulnerable to unscrupulous employers who can exploit and traffic them by making threats, exposing them to unsafe work conditions and reducing and withholding their pay. International student ineligibility for certain social services further marginalizes this population from the supports and information they need.
The Centre recommends the following solutions to address the vulnerabilities international students face:
- Lift Work Hour Restrictions: Permanently remove work restrictions to help students support themselves and reduce vulnerability.
- Standardize Oversight for Education Recruiters: Adopt the London Statement to promote ethical recruitment practices and ensure provincial standards for informing students of their rights and access to social services.
- Strengthen Canada’s International Education Strategy: Assess the study permit program’s effectiveness and involve stakeholders in identifying challenges. Also, it requires institutions to build housing suitable for international students.
- Expand Settlement Services: Make federally-funded settlement services available to international students to support their integration.
- Combat Misinformation: Collaborate with countries of origin and international organizations to monitor and address misleading information that affects international students.
These policy changes highlight the need for comprehensive reforms to address the vulnerabilities international students face. Canada must prioritize stronger protections and support for international students, ensuring they can pursue their education without fear of exploitation and abuse. By doing so, Canada can maintain its reputation as a welcoming destination for students worldwide while safeguarding their rights and well-being.
Exploitation happens in Canada, and this can happen to anyone. If you suspect that you or someone you know may be exploited, please call 911 if it is an emergency. If it is not an emergency, please call 1-833-900-1010 or reach out via chat at www.canadianhumantraffickinghotline.ca. The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline is a confidential, multi-lingual service available 24/7. The Hotline uses a victim-centered approach when connecting human trafficking victims and survivors with local emergency, transition, and/or long-term supports and services across the country, as well as connecting callers to law enforcement where appropriate.
[1] Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada. (2023). Temporary Residents: Study Permit Holders. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
[2] International students are responsible for almost 40% of all tuition fees across Canada. Hune-Brown, N. (August 18, 2021). The Shadowy Business of International Education, The Walrus. However, they make up only 17% of the post-secondary student population. Statistics Canada. (2022). Table 37-10-0086-01 Postsecondary enrolments, by status of student in Canada, country of citizenship and gender. Retrieved June 19, 2023.