For immediate release:
January 23, 2024

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CFS-NL: International Students Against Two-Year Cap on Visas;
Migrant students should not be scapegoated for housing crisis

ST. JOHN’S - International Students are speaking out against the recently announced two-year cap on student visas, and are opposed to limiting any student to their right to an education.

“It appears that politicians are attempting to use International Students as scapegoats for the housing crisis that Government Officials have continuously ignored, allowing it to perpetuate” states CFS-NL Chairperson, Mary Feltham. “Further, International Students are faced with exploitative, xenophobic, differential fees, as these students are often seen as cash cows to PSE Administration; an opportunity to cover their luxuries of custom chocolates and limousines, like we have seen from the Auditor General’s report. If there is a cap on International Students permitted to study here, I fear their already outrageous fees will be increased even further, pricing many out of their right to an education”

“Differential fees for International Students are exploitative, and contributing to a xenophobic system where many International Students are forced to make the impossible decision between their right to an education and food,” said Shireen Merchant, CFS-NL International Students Rep. “Rather than limiting the number of International Students allowed to study in Canada, governments and administrators should be looking at strategies to reduce the cost of living and financial barriers placed on International Students to create a more fair and equitable system overall”.

Students are calling that Minister Marc Miller to find alternative, long-term solutions to our housing crisis, that does not place the blame on marginalized groups, and removes the cap on International Student acceptance to PSE.

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For further information, please contact:‍

Robert Leamon, Organizer
709.737.3204 (O), 709.771.0222 (M)
r.leamon@cfs-nl.ca

The Canadian Federation of Students - Newfoundland and Labrador proudly unites 25,000 public post-secondary students in NL in the fight for high-quality, affordable, post-secondary education.

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