World Education Services (WES) is a non-profit social enterprise dedicated to helping international students, immigrants, and refugees achieve their educational and career goals in the United States and Canada. The weekly roundup includes research, stories, and events of interest to the Canadian immigration and settlement community. This content has been created by WES and is reproduced here with their permission, in partnership.
Majority of new Canadians feel they are being unfairly blamed for housing crisis: OMNI poll (City News)
As various economic challenges continue to affect Canadians, many immigrants feel unfairly blamed. Amid the worsening housing crisis, immigrants are also experiencing barriers to accessing homeownership. According to a recent OMNI poll, nearly seven in ten newcomers believe politicians are wrongly scapegoating immigrants to divert attention from broader economic concerns and policy mismanagement contributing to the housing shortage. While the federal government plans to reduce the proportion of temporary residents within the general population from 6.5 to 5 percent, experts argue that high immigration is not necessarily driving shelter costs. Although the issue continues to generate political buzz and shift public opinion, the housing crisis "…is not new. We’ve been dealing with this for a long time", says Prentiss Dantzler, the Director of the Housing Justice Lab at the University of Toronto. Advocates like Sabine El-Chidiac from the Consumer Choice Center, emphasize it is politicians, not immigrants, who must address housing shortages. "Every level of government has made policies that have made it more difficult for homes to be built in Canada", she says, calling for a tailored approach to addresses flaws in housing policy.
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Quebec premier floats idea of ’waiting zones’ in Canada for asylum seekers (Global News)
Quebec Premier François Legault has proposed the creation of "waiting zones" for asylum seekers in Canada, drawing inspiration from a similar system in France. He argues that Quebec currently takes in 45 percent of the country's asylum seekers and wants the federal government to more evenly distribute them across provinces. Former Quebec immigration minister Christine Fréchette had previously called on Ottawa to set up a secure transition site to temporarily hold asylum seekers. However, federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller criticized Legault's suggestion, saying it was politically motivated and that the concept of waiting zones does not align with Canada's current approach. In France, asylum seekers can be held in such zones for up to 26 days.
Canada: Int’l students’ mental health on the line as policy changes bite (The Pie)
International students in Canada are experiencing significant mental health challenges due to recent policy changes to limit study permits, tighter work permit requirements, and increased financial burdens. For many students, these changes are causing stress and uncertainty, with individuals feeling unfairly blamed for national issues such as the housing crisis and rising living costs. Many report instances of racism and struggle to find jobs or paid internships, further worsening their situation. Additionally, the drop in study permit applications and rising anti-immigration sentiment are affecting Canada's reputation as a study destination. Universities are working to rebuild trust and support students, but overcoming these challenges will take time.
Displacement and International Protection in a Warming World (MPI)
Globally, forced migration due to climate-related conditions continues to rise. This includes short-term displacement due to flooding and situations where entire regions become uninhabitable. The wide spectrum of movement across territories has made governance increasingly complex, as policy solutions cannot adopt a one-size-fits-all approach. To address global migration crises, strategic collaboration is needed among stakeholders in international protection, humanitarian aid, transportation, and government input at both local and federal levels. Key considerations might include:
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