New policy aims to prioritize local students and address physician shortages by reserving medical school admissions for Canadian applicants
The Ontario government has announced that, beginning in 2026, international students will no longer be eligible to enroll in Ontario's medical schools. Premier Doug Ford stated that this measure aims to prioritize Ontario residents in medical school admissions to help address the province's ongoing physician shortage, especially in underserved regions.
Ontario has faced a persistent shortage of physicians, particularly in rural and remote communities, where healthcare access remains a significant issue. Sylvia Jones, Ontario's health minister, remarked that the policy aims to ensure that medical education slots are allocated to Ontario residents more likely to stay in the province and work within the province's healthcare system.
International students currently represent less than one per cent of admissions in Ontario medical schools in the 2023-2024 school year, with the remainder being Canadian residents. The policy shift intends to reallocate these seats exclusively to Canadian students to address the province's healthcare needs. The province will reserve 95 per cent of seats for Ontario residents, with out-of-province admissions accounting for the remaining five per cent.
The province will reserve 95 per cent of seats for Ontario residents, with out-of-province admissions accounting for the remaining five per cent.
With this ban, many international pre-med students will need to seek alternatives. Riya Patel, an international undergraduate student at McMaster, spoke to the Silhouette about how this will effect international students with aspirations of applying to medical school in Canada. "I know so many people who are crushed by this because what are [they] supposed to do now? They went into these good schools [for] pre-med and now, what are their chances, what are their future paths?," said Patel.
I know so many people who are crushed by this because what are [they] supposed to do now?
Riya Patel, international undergraduate student
Alongside the new ban, the Ontario government is introducing a series of programs to encourage Ontario-trained physicians to work in Ontario as family doctors. The government will cover the cost of 1,000 of these students' tuition for those who agree to stay and practice family medicine in Ontario, costing the government $88 million. This subsidy is expected to be put in place starting in 2026 along with the ban on international students.
McMaster's second annual Cultural Fest held in the MUSC atrium celebrates McMaster's diverse student groups
Cultural Fest took place on Oct. 30, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. as part of the programming for International Education Week. Seventeen different clubs had tables set up in the atrium of the McMaster University Student Centre. This event was organized by the McMaster International and Exchange Students Club in partnership with the Student Success Centre.
Each club showcased their culture and club events with poster boards, flags, books and slideshows. Some clubs also offered cultural foods to students.
Attendees were given a bingo card with all the clubs’ logos to encourage interaction. To complete the card, attendees had to participate in the activity offered by each club. These activities included trivia, drawing and trying on traditional clothing. MIX, the McMaster International and Exchange Students Club, provided treat bags or cupcakes as prizes for completing at least eight activities.
Humphrey Erizo, the co-president of MIX, explained that the idea for the event was modelled after Clubs Fest, which is held by the MSU during the first week of school.
“A lot of cultural clubs get to hold their booths [at Clubs Fest] but we have to kind of divide the attention of the people. Usually people who come to our booths or the booths of specific [cultural clubs], they come there because they are from that specific culture and so we don’t necessarily get that kind of a broader audience,” said Erizo.
Cultural Fest offers an opportunity for clubs to engage with students in a more focused setting. This event also emphasizes education about the cultures represented in addition to promoting club activities and events.
“Having culture fest concentrates it a little bit. When people who are not necessarily from any of the cultures that we have present in the event, when they see the crowd . . . they become interested . . . they get to learn about all of the clubs that are there,” said Erizo.
When people who are not necessarily from any of the cultures that we have present in the event, when they see the crowd . . . they become interested . . . they get to learn about all of the clubs that are there.
Humphrey Erizo, co-president
McMaster International and Exchange Students Club
Matt Min, one of MIX’s events coordinators, said that his favourite part of the event was meeting people from the various clubs. “I really enjoyed the fact that I got to like just talk with a lot of other clubs that I didn't know even existed. It’s really cool seeing how much I’m missing out on . . . I think talking to people with different cultures is a really cool thing. It helps me educate myself,” said Min.
Erizo shared that the Student Success Centre provided financial support and managed registration for the event. “Because it was so successful last year … the Student Success Centre caught wind of it and a sub-department of SSC which is McMaster’s international and exchange office. They coordinated a lot with us this year,” Erizo.
Min said that the number of clubs involved increased from 12 to 17 since last year. “Maybe it’ll just keep increasing. Maybe we’ll eventually have not enough space to help everybody. Seeing that diversity was really really cool,” said Min.
Maybe it’ll just keep increasing. Maybe we’ll eventually have not enough space to help everybody. Seeing that diversity was really really cool.
Matt Min, events coordinator
McMaster International and Exchange Students Club
Erizo further commented on Cultural Fest’s success and shared that roughly 450 people attended the event. “We hope to keep holding it. Even though it’s only been held two times, it’s quickly become a staple for our club,” said Erizo.
Although MIX is targeted towards international and exchange students, Erizo said they encourage domestic students to attend their events as well, especially if you are interested in going on exchange. MIX holds a variety of events throughout the year, including an upcoming pub night which will be held on Nov. 7, 2024 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Phoenix.
Organized by the Spiritual Care and Learning Centre, the harvest dinner stems from a long-standing tradition of welcoming international students
This year's harvest dinner on campus was held during reading week on Oct. 17, 2024 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at The Buttery in Alumni Hall. Students who attended the dinner enjoyed an evening of food, conversation, and friendship.
This dinner was primarily organized by the Spiritual Care and Learning Centre, one of the services of the Student Success Center, along with the McMaster Chaplaincy Centre. It was supported by the International and Exchange Student Experience office. The SCLC was founded in 2021 to provide accessible and comprehensive spiritual care.
Andy Crowell, the SCLC director, explained that the harvest dinner evolved from an annual thanksgiving dinner that the ecumenical chaplaincy held for nearly thirty years. “The heart behind it is to provide hospitality for any students, but particularly identifying international students. The heart behind it was to provide a little hospitality at a time when Canadians are celebrating in a traditional way,” said Crowell.
The heart behind it is to provide hospitality for any students, but particularly identifying international students. The heart behind it was to provide a little hospitality at a time when Canadians are celebrating in a traditional way.
Andy Crowell, Director
Spiritual Care and Learning Centre
The ecumenical chaplaincy falls under the umbrella of groups supported by the SCLC. Crowell noted that he advocated for the SCLC to help host the dinner to sustain the tradition without relying on volunteer support. “The original dinner through the ecumenical chaplaincy would involve at least 50 volunteers … That kind of organization, you can imagine, was wide and arduous,” said Crowell.
The dinner is held during reading week to provide a social opportunity for international students. “A lot of students go to their homes … [but] many are still on campus, most of whom are international students,” added Crowell.
Crowell also spoke to the decision to rename the event. “Thanksgiving is a perfectly appropriate word for a human expression of something, but it has a connotation at that time of year,” said Crowell.
Elder Katherine Knott, who works with the SCLC, was invited to speak at the dinner to honor the significance of this change. The harvest dinner included traditional thanksgiving and Indigenous dishes. “The repositioning is sought to try and decolonize a little bit out of the Canadian, sort of Euro-thanksgiving concept to one that is no less grateful,” said Crowell.
The evening began with opening remarks from Crowell, Knott, ecumenical chaplain Marlice Simon and dean of students Sean Van Koughnett. Each table had a host who facilitated icebreakers and friendship bracelet making. Door prizes were given out throughout the event and winners were encouraged to introduce themselves.
Crowell shared that the event was at full capacity, with over 100 students attending. Many students stayed and continued their conversations after the event officially ended.
Speaking about what he hoped students would take away from the event, Crowell said, “If they’ve not had many points of contact with other students to help build a small sense of community, they could and did find it that night."
If they’ve not had many points of contact with other students to help build a small sense of community, they could and did find it that night.
Andy Crowell, Director
Spiritual Care and Learning Centre
The harvest dinner provided an opportunity for students to find community and express gratitude. To connect with the SCLC and their programs and services, you can visit their website or drop in to their office, located in room 212 of MUSC.
Amid Canada's housing crisis, the cap on international students will fail to address it and only comes at the cost of their education and futures
News flash: Canada is suffering from a housing crisis! What a surprise.
The lack of housing, and affordable housing at that, has been a chronic issue affecting off-campus students. In recent years, renting costs have dramatically increased..
Partly in response to the lack of affordable housing, the Canadian government implemented a two-year cap on the number of international students to be admitted into the country. They also implemented rules limiting these students from receiving work permits and buying homes in Canada.
Partly in response to the lack of affordable housing, the Canadian government implemented a two-year cap on the number of international students to be admitted into the country
According to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the temporary cap would help to regulate the number of students in the country and reduce demand on the housing market.
Specifically, it limits the enrollment of international students to approximately 360,000 individuals, a 35% decrease from last year's statistics.
Each province or territory is receiving a cap that is proportional to their population. Each province and territory will receive a specified cap based on its population size and provinces are able to decide how they want to allocate their cap across their universities.
For example, Ontario is estimated to have a cap of 236,373 international students for this academic year, while Alberta will have a cap of 71,149 international students. Although these may seem like drastic differences, the amount of international students Ontario plans to admit is down 133,404 from last year while Alberta could experience an increase of 36,243 international students.
The international student cap will not solve the housing crisis because they are by no means the cause. More significantly, the cap will perpetuate unfair blame targeted towards these students, unrightfully holding them partly responsible for the state of the Canadian economy.
The idea that international students are a big contributor to the housing crisis is incorrect. Considering the deep and interconnected economic issues that have produced the current housing crisis, it should not be expected that cap will have any meaningful positive effect on the issue.
Unaffordable housing and rent costs, increasing inflation, the cost of building materials and difficulties within the labour market are some of the major contributors to the housing crisis. The slight contribution to our population that international students make is not the problem we face.
Considering the deep and interconnected economic issues that have produced the current housing crisis, it should not be expected that cap will have any meaningful positive effect on the issue . . . The slight contribution to our population that international students make is not the problem we face.
The government can take much more meaningful and needed action to combat the housing crisis, as well as the other crises we are facing that all contribute to the overall cost of living crisis.
Expanding initiatives and grants to build affordable social housing and implementing vacancy taxes on landlords who own vacant properties are just two examples of action the government could take to address the housing crisis at its roots. Creating programs that ensure grocery prices stay low and incentivizing businesses to pay a living wage are all steps that could be taken to address the current cost of living crisis.
Expanding initiatives and grants to build affordable social housing and implementing vacancy taxes on landlords who own vacant properties are just two examples of action the government could take to address the housing crisis at its roots.
By enacting the cap on international students, the government wrongly reinforces the idea that international students are the problem. Sadly, this could contribute to fostering contempt for and prejudice towards international students. Many citizens may feel resentment towards these students and create a negative environment for them to live in.
Although Justin Trudeau has stated that international students aren't the problem numerous times, the implementation of the cap contradicts this.
The cap can also prevent family members from being with each other. For example, a current international student may have a sibling who wants to attend university with them. However, because of the restriction, it may now be impossible for that international student to attend university with their sibling abroad. This can contribute to increase the isolation international students feel from being away from family.
Although the government has proposed many benefits to the cap on international students, it not only falsely blames international students for the housing crisis, it will also fail to provide any meaningful relief to the crisis. As such, the move by the federal government is a two-fold blunder that does not effectively serve its own citizens and reinforces a xenophobic narrative. Domestic and international students and Canadian citizens as a whole deserve much better from the government.
New federal regulation on international students will limit work hours to 24 per week, sparking debate over financial impacts
A federal law limiting the number of hours international students' are allowed to work to 24 per week was set to come into effect this September. The limit would apply to off-campus work during the academic term and has sparked discussion surrounding academic success, financial stability, and career growth opportunities for international students studying in Canada.
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada announced earlier this year that the proposed cap would apply to off-campus work during the academic term, increasing the limit from the previous 20-hour cap. According to CBC News, the federal government has not yet implemented the new 24-hour cap and has not provided a clear timeline as to when it will.
The proposed change aims to protect students from overworking and support academic success, but many are questioning the effects it will have on international students finances.
The Silhouette spoke with three international students at McMaster about the new cap, whose identities have been anonymized.
Student A is a fourth-year anthropology student. "Living expenses in Canada are really high, even though they assume that international students always come from a very rich and high economic background . . . That is not always the case. Sometimes students save money to get out of their country and then coming here, they need to work to meet their monthly expenses," said Student A.
Living expenses in Canada are really high, even though they assume that international students always come from a very rich and high economic background . . . That is not always the case.
Student A, fourth-year
anthropology student
In a press release, the ministry noted that the cap is intended to help students focus on their studies without the burden of excessive work hours.
However, some students feel that a rigid cap could force them to make difficult choices between covering essential living costs and focusing on their education.
Student B, a third-year international student studying anthropology, acknowledged both sides of the argument about the cap. "I think it could be beneficial for a lot of international students because we do come here to study and at times, working and studying at the same time is pretty difficult . . . But it can be difficult for other students who come here and want to work in Canada. Getting work experience as an international student is already really difficult."
I think it could be beneficial for a lot of international students because we do come here to study and at times, working and studying at the same time is pretty difficult . . . But it can be difficult for other students who come here and want to work in Canada.
Student B, third-year
international psychology student
Student B also expressed frustration at the level of support offered by McMaster's regarding opportunities for work.
"We do have the international student work opportunity, but a lot of the time, international students are not given proper criteria for being eligible . . . The school prioritizes domestic students over international ones when it comes to jobs, which, fair enough, but it's still difficult for us to find jobs through that program," said Student B.
They further explained that they thought on-campus jobs, which are not restricted by the new cap, were hard to come by.
"A lot of us do not have that experience because it's so hard to find jobs, and the time where you would gain that experience is on campus and working with staff. But we aren't being given these opportunities," Student B added.
The new work cap comes alongside additional financial requirements for international students to study in Canada. Marc Miller, minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship Canada, announced in December 2023 that for the 2024-2025 school year, international students wanting to study in Canada would need access to a minimum of $20,635.
Student C, a third-year computer engineering student with campus work experience, shared concerns that while students working on campus may be accommodated, but those seeking off-campus jobs could face difficulties due to a lack of understanding on the part of employers'.
"I think 24 to 30 is a good range if they allow for students, especially because they're paying a lot to institutions and have a lot going on . . . On campus, employers understand your situation. Outside employers wouldn't," said Student C.
Student A shared that many prospective international students come in search of a better quality of life, motivated by the hope of improving their circumstances. They also expressed concerns that a 24-hour work cap could push some students to seek unregulated or unsafe work, especially those unable to meet their financial needs within the time limit.
"If there is a guideline that restricts them from working, we are going to get into low-paid, unsafe, not secure work . . . But they have to get their expenses right; they're gonna do it one way or the other," said Student A.
If there is a guideline that restricts them from working, we are going to get into low-paid, unsafe, not secure work. But they have to get their expenses right; they're gonna do it one way or the other.
Student A, fourth-year
international anthropology student
On April 29th, 2024, IRCC defended the policy in a news release, stating that they developed the new cap after considering student needs, policies in other countries and research showing that excessive work hours can negatively impact academic performance. However, Student B expressed they thought international student's voices need to be considered more.
"There needs to be a better dialogue between the government and international students . . . The government should maybe try [to] speak to their international student demographic a bit more to gain a perspective on how to handle the situation properly," expressed Student B.
There needs to be a better dialogue between the government and international students . . . The government should maybe try [to] speak to their international student demographic a bit more to gain a perspective on how to handle the situation properly.
Student B, third-year
international psychology student
Although the new law is still set to come into effect, it is unclear when exactly this fall the new cap will begin to be enforced.
This is an ongoing story.
If you are an international student who uses social media frequently, and find it hard to put down your phone, it’s time to start prioritizing your social and mental health
By Nada Mahmoud, Contributor
Every day, international students leave their homes and families behind to earn a powerful education abroad and secure a future with greater opportunities. Some might say that trying to make new friends is key to coping with feelings of loneliness. But, being in a new environment with different socio-cultural norms and barriers like language makes it harder to put yourself out there.
The International student population has been rapidly growing in Canada over the past decade, contributing about 22 billion dollars to the Canadian economy.
Universities put in a lot of effort to attract international students, who tend to pay more than triple the tuition of domestic students. However, efforts to support them mentally and socially upon arrival are limited.
When the COVID-19 pandemic came along, feelings of loneliness increased. Many were unable to go back home to their families and the lack of community resulted in increased reliance on social media. According to research, poorly adjusted international students reported the highest use of social media before and after the pandemic. Social media was the only way for students to satisfy their need for social interaction without feeling uncomfortable or exposed.
A study was conducted on university students which considered other factors such as moving into residence, to a new community. With McMaster’s very large international and out-of-province student population, many students end up being away from home in a new environment with new people which can be difficult.
On one hand, some students report low levels of loneliness as they remain focused on schoolwork and only use social media as a method of communication to stay in contact with friends and family.
Yet, most students show high levels of loneliness because they yearned to reinvent themselves online when starting a new phase of their life. The desire to edit themselves caused loneliness. It became challenging to maintain the standards they set, hindering their ability to communicate with other students offline.
Thus, students over-rely on social media, causing severe loneliness and social anxiety. Excessive social media use leads to an increase in cases of loneliness and corresponding mental illnesses which is why researchers continue to try and pinpoint the best way to use social media to take advantage of its benefits while staying shielded from the harm it causes.
Today, mental health research indicates that loneliness is more prominent than ever, which is particularly worrying since the majority of internet and social media users are young adults.
People who use social media the most, especially those who depend on it, suffer at the highest rate. We can see this through the way they use social media which reflects on how it impacts their mental health.
For example, if an international student uses social media to connect with people, they know offline such as family and friends back home, the impact is minor. But for students who use social media as a primary source of communication with others, the impacts are serious. As a result, when they stop or simply log off, all sense of connection vanishes.
Social media usage needs to be managed on a personal level since everyone is different; everyone's brain functions differently and this is especially true for teenagers. Young adults are more vulnerable to developing feelings of loneliness and hurt caused by over-usage. Therefore, trying to reduce social media use and focusing on offline social life is essential for students to keep their mental health a priority.
While resources are offered, current efforts to support international students are severely lacking. As was proven when the pandemic hit students across Canada found it hard to make appointments with their university counsellors due to the high number of students trying to get support. Universities and governments must work to prioritize the social and mental health of international students and provide more holistic support to meet their needs.
Universities can focus on creating spaces for students from similar backgrounds to connect and come together to feel more at home while governments need to focus on making international students feel valued.
Despite the resuming of processing for certain visas to enter India, travel visas in particular remain inaccessible to students who wanting to travel there this holiday season
On Oct. 25, the Indian Government resumed processing certain visas, including entry and conference visas. Visas are notations in passports granted by international countries embassies where a person does not hold passport or permanent residency.
On Sept. 21 the Government of India paused the processing of VISA requests from Canadian passport holders. The pause on visa processing arose after the Government of Canada expressed that they believed the Indian Government assisted in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who expressed beliefs pertaining to independent Khalistan State. The statement had caused several other actions to be taken by both countries.
This pause resulted in a few different impacts on the Canadian passport-holding population. Given that the overall service was paused, any applications that had been submitted before the pause were affected. Canadians currently in India are also affected, as any requests for extensions of stay were not being processed.
For those who intend on visiting family and relatives in India, tourist visas are still not being processed. Additionally, if your layover for a flight requires staying in India for over 24 hours (or to leave the designated transit areas) a transit visas is required. Transit visas are currently suspended as well.
Given the current pause on tourist and transit visas, the two types of visas students are most likely to need if they are travelling to India to visit family or tourism purposes, this pause could have an impact on students' upcoming plans.
This is an ongoing story.
McMaster’s international student population faces struggles navigating the housing market, including housing scams, communication barriers and exploitative landlords.
For McMaster University students, navigating the Hamilton housing market can be a challenging experience. With a housing crisis on the rise and rent prices rapidly increasing, many McMaster students struggle to find affordable and accessible places to live.
International students in particular face unique struggles with finding housing. Fourth-year international computer science student Nisheet Kumar Sobti explained how communication barriers between international students and landlords complicate the already difficult process of finding student housing.
“First, you need to understand how difficult it is to find a house for an international student. Especially if you're coming from a different country and you speak a different language. A lot of students when they come to Canada don't even know how to speak English,” said Sobti.
First, you need to understand how difficult it is to find a house for an international student. Especially if you're coming from a different country and you speak a different language. A lot of students when they come to Canada don't even know how to speak English.
Nisheet Kumar Sobti, fourth-year computer science student
In the 2022-2023 school year, approximately 6,500 of McMaster students were international, making up 17.5 per cent of the student body. Sobti explained that the struggles specific to this student population are real and ongoing, which became most apparent to him during his experience finding housing.
“Finding a house the first time was so difficult. There were a lot of scams going on. A lot of landlords, they didn't want to give a house to international students because we couldn’t meet in-person,” said Sobti.
Housing scams can include advertisements for houses that don’t exist or already-rented properties, suspicious requests for money or false lists of amenities. Many incoming international students are unable to attend in-person house showings prior to signing a lease, making them subject to misleading advertisements or housing scams.
Second-year software engineering student Aysu Özdal echoed Sobti’s sentiments. Özdal explained that despite feeling apprehensive to sign her lease, she was desperate to find somewhere to live for the upcoming school year.
“Until the day I moved into that house, I was so scared that it could be a scam. I paid first and last months’ rent and I was so scared that it would be a scam, because there's no getting the money back,” said Özdal.
Until the day I moved into that house, I was so scared that it could be a scam. I paid first and last months’ rent and I was so scared that it would be a scam, because there's no getting the money back.
Aysu Özdal, second-year software engineering student
Özdal explained that although her lease agreement ended up being legitimate, this is not the case for every student put in her position. Beyond language barriers and physical distance, international students aren’t always well informed on their rights as a tenant and navigating potentially exploitative landlords.
McMaster arts and science graduate and current CFMU community outreach coordinator Sharang Sharma spoke on this barrier, explaining that international students a prime target for exploitative landlords.
“Half the time [international students] don't know what the laws are, what our rights are … So those kinds of predatory practices are particularly effective,” said Sharma.
Half the time [international students] don't know what the laws are, what our rights are … So those kinds of predatory practices are particularly effective.
Sharang Sharma, arts and science graduate and CFMU community outreach coordinator
McMaster does have programs in place, such as International Student Services office, that aim to address these barriers and assist international students in their transition to Canada. However, many international students still face these struggles and are victims to scams and unlawful housing conditions.
Fourth-year international health science student Vitoria Murakami Olyntho shared her thoughts on this shared circumstance and suggested some potential avenues for McMaster to get involved.
“I wish McMaster could take more of an involved role in helping students find housing. Maybe having groups of McMaster accredited landlords or regions where there's kind of a partnership between the school and the housing market…It would be easier to navigate, it would be less confusing and [feel] more trusting,” said Murakami Olyntho.
Not only does this student population face specific barriers when navigating finding places to live close to campus, such as facing housing scams and communication difficulties, but they also are often scapegoated market.
This year, federal government officials stated that the growing number of international students entering Canada has put a strain on housing availability and as a result has driven up rent prices.
Rates of issued international student study permits in Canada have increased by 75 per cent over the last five years. and this increasing blame has resulted in the federal government considering an international student cap.
Conversations around an international student cap are ongoing, all the while incoming international students continue to struggle to find secure and affordable places to live. For more information on resources for international students, visit the International Student Services office.
McMaster students looking for housing in Hamilton deal with rent increases, lack of availability and lack of information
As the in-person fall term arrives, some McMaster students are struggling to find available and fairly priced student housing that is also of sound quality.
Lack of Availability and Increases in Rent
Bronwyn Mowat, a McMaster student, found the process of house hunting to be extremely challenging.
“It's absolutely insane trying to get an off-campus house right now. I've had lots of experiences of people telling me they're no longer accepting applicants because of the sheer volume of people responding to ads. A lot of people straight up ghosted me too,” said Mowat.
The increase in demand, according to Robert Braun, president of Wolverine Property Management, gives landlords the upper edge when selecting tenants, which leads to a sense of frustration when searching for housing.
“A landlord wouldn't let us on their property to tour the house because one of our members was in class and they would only give tours to full groups, even though when we messaged them that morning, they said it was fine if one person was missing,” said Mowat.
Ali Rehmaji, an Honours Biology fourth year student, described the difficulty of interacting with landlords. Rehmaji resorted to messaging several Facebook listings after having no responses through the Mac Off-Campus Housing program.
“Around fourth year, out of 52 different landlords I messaged, only 15 came back to me and I only was able to set up two actual visits before I found a place. It can be a nuisance that I could feel like could be changed,” said Rehmaji.
"Around fourth year, out of 52 different landlords I messaged, only 15 came back to me and I only was able to set up two actual visits before I found a place. It can be a nuisance that I could feel like could be changed."
Ali Rehmaji, Honours Biology fourth year student
Rehmaji also described the lower quality houses currently for pre-pandemic prices.
“My rent is the same. But the difference is, in second year, I had a whole house a full kitchen, two bathrooms, five bedrooms and two floors, whereas this time, it's a small basement apartment, which is, if you look at size, I'd say at least four to five times smaller for the same price,” said Rehmaji.
Information Barriers for International Students
Chinmay Ravindran, an international student going into his final year of the MBA program, described the added difficulty international students face when searching for student houses. Ravindran, who moved to Hamilton in 2021, initially found it hard to access resources about tenant’s rights.
“Before we flew in, we didn’t know the rules. We didn't know that that the rules were mostly in the favor of the tenant,” said Ravindran.
"“Before we flew in, we didn’t know the rules. We didn't know that that the rules were mostly in the favor of the tenant."
Chinmay Ravindran, an international student into his final year of McMaster's MBA program
Ravindran explained this lack of information about tenant’s rights can lead to some landlords taking advantage of international students.
“There needs to be a playbook or guide that really shares what an international student needs to know before that first conversation with a potential landlord. Before they take their first step, they need to know it all,” said Ravindran.
Ravindran also echoed the struggles of dealing with a rent increase.
“The extra $250 that we pay each month, it adds up. We would have wanted to use that $250 to buy a little more groceries or to go out more,” said Ravindran.
The Housing Crisis: A Property Manager’s Perspective
Braun attributes the lack of available houses to owners selling properties during the pandemic.
“Since the pandemic, a lot of the owners we work with sold off their properties because they couldn't rent them. And a lot of them converted back to residential use because that was still a viable option through the pandemic,” said Braun.
As in-person classes were reintroduced, students faced a market with a lower availability of student houses, which resulted in large volumes of applicants for landlords.
“Well, it's been crazy. Really. The demand so outstrips the supply and a lot of our available rooms were gone in May and June,” said Braun.
"Well, it's been crazy. Really. The demand so outstrips the supply and a lot of our available rooms were gone in May and June."
Robert Braun, president of Wolverine Property Management
Braun remarked rent increases are a a result of various increases in insurance, hydro costs, taxes and the inflation and supply-chain issues of property maintenance.
Moving Forward
As the class of 2026 progresses through their first year, issues with finding off-campus housing loom over them. With a highly competitive housing market that favours the landlords, students are left to deal with rent increases, a lack of availability and information when looking for accommodations.
C/O Travis Ngyuyen
Vaccines, distance learning and living continents away present unique challenges to international students
It should come as no surprise that international students studying in Canada have faced unimaginable barriers.
Perhaps the most visible of all is the 6.9 billion dollars of revenue earned by Canadian post-secondary institutions in 2018, a 360 per cent increase from 2007. The source of this ballooning revenue is none other than the near $40,000 difference in the tuition paid by international students, when compared to domestic students.
Despite our long-standing knowledge of these challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic has only materialized into a steeper financial and psychological climb for international students. With McMaster University’s recent announcement of resuming in-person classes in the winter semester, it’s important to take a step back and fully internalize its impact on the international student population.
Kimia Tahaei, an Opinions Staff Writer at the Silhouette and McMaster student who has lived in Iran for the past six years, expressed her concerns about re-adjusting socially in the winter semester.
“I’m in a small program of 80 or 90 people and I’m the only person in that program who hasn’t participated in the one or two in-person classes they had this fall. Being in a whole other continent, it’s almost inevitable that I feel left out and that worries me going into next semester,” said Tahaei.
Clearly, the pandemic brought forth a sense of isolation that persisted even while most classes took place online. While it can seem that the return to in-person learning is the ultimate solution to this problem, that may not be the case.
Robin Barala is an executive for the McMaster International & Exchange Club, which fosters connections between international students and planned sightseeing trips, who detailed the difficulties international students will face once they arrive in Canada.
“For international students who may not be vaccinated with a Canada-approved vaccine, they’ll have to quarantine for almost the entirety of the winter break. It’s going to be even more tough if they don’t know anyone here, which is the case for a lot of them right now,” said Barala.
While Canada has expanded the list of approved COVID-19 vaccines to include Sinopharm, Sinovac and COVAXIN, barriers still exist for those who received vaccinations such as Sputnik which were offered in many countries, including India.
Although international students remain exempt from vaccine entry requirements, this exemption ends on Jan. 15, 2022, after which an approved vaccine will be mandatory.
“While I was lucky enough to get AstraZeneca, which is approved in Canada, I just got the first vaccine I could get. A lot of people in Iran got the Sputnik vaccine so I don’t know what other Iranian students will do when they have to go back to Canada,” said Tahaei.
Ultimately, the return to in-person will inevitably bring about both positive and negative experiences for international students. While it may breed opportunities for socialization, hesitations about mixing vaccines, finding housing and reaching out to university-provided services may be unsurprising effects of the rapid geographical and cultural changes that come with a mandatory in-person semester.
Barala further expressed that the culture shock that many other international students face often make them more likely to reach out to informal groups at Mac, such as the McMaster Indian Association, before being directed to more formal services like International Student Services.
When asked about this phenomenon, team members at International Student Services — a division of Mac’s Student Success Centre — responded that they were well-aware of the many avenues available to international students and recognize the importance of authentic peer-to-peer connections.
“The important role we play as professionals is reaching out to these clubs so that they are aware of all of the services we provide to international students. When it comes time to give that referral, they know exactly where to refer the student to,” explained Gisela Oliviera, Associate Director at the SSC.
While it may be easy to paint the university with a wide brush – given the immense difficulties expressed by both international and domestic students with respect to housing, socialization and mental health – progress has been made by International Student Services.
iCent, an application that sends out exclusive information from the SSC, is just one intervention that supports international students in their journey as McMaster students.
The movement back to in-person learning this winter is an unprecedented change for all of us. It’s incredibly important for the university to be cognizant of what exactly this means for students that may have never lived in Canada before, received an unapproved vaccine or have not yet had the chance to meet any of their peers.
There’s no doubt that there have been steps made towards increased cognizance — with the strategies introduced by the SSC — but those strides need to be so much larger to truly accommodate the unique uncertainties faced by international students and foster the connections that they need right now.
However, being cognizant alone isn’t enough.
International Mac students deserve a university that takes on the responsibility of advocating for them, rather than turning a blind eye to “off-campus” issues such as housing, budgeting, loneliness and unique hesitancies surrounding vaccines.
Our expectations of what international students are responsible for has to ultimately change, taking into consideration the extenuating circumstances of a pandemic and its snowball effects on mental health, among other concerns.
It’s no longer the time for recognition — it’s time for action.
