Category: Settlement

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.

Education Programs by CBE to Integrate Newcomers, Students and Families in Calgary

Tom Miller

Migrating to a new country is a stressful and anxiety-ridden process, but grown-ups are expected to be able to deal with the stress. What about young immigrants, though? How do we prepare a child, already in a very vulnerable position, for life in a country where the language and culture may be quite different and alienating? The Calgary Board of Education provides programs to support students and their families as they navigate life in Canada.

The End of the Rainbow Foundation Welcomes LGBTQ+ Newcomers to Calgary

Tom Miller

Among the over one million refugees in Canada are individuals who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+), often fleeing an unwelcoming or dangerous country. The last person criminally charged for homosexual practices in Canada was Everett Klippert in 1967. Since 2005, all sexual and gender identifications and same-sex marriages have been recognized in Canada. But this is not the case in many countries, where it is not only illegal to express non-heteronormative gender and sexual identities, but such identifications can result in physical violence or death. This is one of the reasons many seek refuge in a more welcoming country and why organizations like the End of the Rainbow Foundation exist.

Invisible Immigrants

Tom Miller

I moved to Canada in 1980, at six years old, to Richmond, BC, 7294 kilometres away from my birthplace of Ormskirk, England, just outside of the port city of Liverpool. My family only had a few work friends for support. Little Tom, sounding like an English version of Mickey Mouse, began navigating a new country and culture that has brought me, 42 years later, to writing this article or open letter to you.

A New Initiative in the Prairies Aims for Excellence in Mentoring

Immigrant Muse

Prairie Centre for Excellence in Mentoring is a new initiative launched in 2022 to improve outcomes for newcomer mentees and mentors by creating new knowledge and practical resources for organizations offering mentoring programs. In its first stage, the project focuses on researching and developing an employer engagement toolkit for organizations offering employment mentoring.    

Things Immigrants Thought They Knew About Canada Before Migrating

Tom Miller

Immigrating to a new country is a bit like learning on a new job. Your education has hopefully prepared you for life in the country of your origin and has probably taught you little bits and pieces about other countries. But when you’re preparing to move to one of those countries, you must have more knowledge before leaving home. Here are some of the things immigrants thought they knew about Canada until their experience proved otherwise.