Category: Social life

Ordeals of Immigrants Traveling Home During Holiday Season

Roisin Brigid Cullen

The Covid-19 pandemic made the distance between immigrants living in Canada and their loved ones in their home countries seem all the longer. Empty airports, travel restrictions and Zoom calls became the norm. Christmas 2022 was set to be a welcome return to normal, with people eager to visit family and friends they had not seen for years. Sadly, a rare winter weather event left thousands stranded in Vancouver, forcing them to make alternative holiday plans. Would this become a normal experience during holidays?

The Real Cost of Free Healthcare in Canada

Brittany Stuckless

Canadians and permanent residents don’t have to deal with staggering hospital bills like Americans. However, there are several exceptions and downsides to Canada’s free healthcare. For instance, if you need dental work, pain management or another regulated healthcare service, getting a job with extended healthcare coverage is the only way to secure affordability. Otherwise, you will have to pay out of pocket. Even emergencies like needing an ambulance can set people back hundreds of dollars.

Migration Nation – How Immigrants Have Made It In Other Part of Canada

Likam Kyanzaire

Canada is a large country. It is the second-largest country in the world after Russia. This country is blessed with tons of land for new arrivals to call home, yet over 13 million people out of the total 38 million people live in MTV (Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver). The dominance of these cities and their respective provinces has attracted international visitors for decades. According to Statistics Canada, around 53 per cent of immigrants to Canada end up in one of these three cities. But no one said you had to stay there. Many new immigrants move into the big cities to move out to other locations sooner. But why come to MTV at first? 

Limited Resources Available to International Students Despite Funding Education in Canada 

Immigrant Muse

According to Statistics Canada, international undergraduate students will pay 429 per cent more in tuition than domestic students in 2023. Postgraduate international students will also pay 184 per cent more for their studies than their domestic peers.  The Canadian Federation of Students’ factsheet on international student tuition fees notes the increases are differential fees that post-secondary institutions use to generate income because of inadequate funding from provincial governments. Private post-secondary schools view international students as a low-risk revenue source. With non-Canadian students at a clear disadvantage regarding schooling costs, exploring other available resources and supports is essential to balance school and work life.