We are delighted the federal government implemented benefit programs to minimize the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB), and Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG) programs.
We are concerned, however, that international students at Canadian post-secondary institutions are not eligible for CESB and CSSG, and are eligible for CERB only if they satisfy the past work earnings requirement.
If the needs of international students continue to be disregarded, it is possible we will lose the international talents we all are proud of and benefit from.
There are more than 600,000 international students in Canada. About 3,500 of them study at Memorial University. International students pay higher tuition, have restricted work opportunities, and are away from home. Current students and recent graduates depend on off-campus employment to subsidize living expenses. And with the global economic slowdown, many are unable to receive funding from home, further amplifying effects of their financial disadvantage. Despite challenges, international students contribute significantly to the Canadian and provincial economies, our social fabric and character. They continue to make tremendous contributions to our academic, scientific and technical discoveries, research, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Due to lack of eligibility for many COVID-19 financial aid programs, the vulnerability of international students has increased considerably. We are horrified, for example, of the stories appearing in local news articles. It is clear international students are hit hard by the effects of pandemic and lack of financial security.
If the needs of international students continue to be disregarded, it is possible we will lose the international talents we all are proud of and benefit from.
More importantly, there has not been a better time to re-emphasize the importance of diversity-inclusion equity. Leaving out this vulnerable population of international students from federal aid just because of federal residency status while we enjoy their labour, talents, skills and efforts is a type of systematic bias. Isn’t it our moral obligation to remove such barriers, rather than creating new ones?
It is key to note these students are considered “residents” for federal tax purposes when they receive a SIN card on arrival in Canada. Also, many are considered residents in the provinces where they live, accessing provincial health care plans and other social programs. We do not agree student aid programs should be based on immigration status, but should be based on other residency criteria.
We were pleased to see the Canadian government take responsibility to students seriously. In a recent letter to St. John's South-Mount Pearl MP and Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan, we noted the federal government creates opportunities and provides financial aid for international post-secondary students and international graduates. We specifically asked that COVID-19 financial support packages be based on tax residency instead of immigration residency.
We believe international students in Newfoundland and Labrador, and elsewhere deserve needed support and the federal government will be more than happy to show,once again,its dedication to social justice and protecting the most vulnerable.
Sevtap Savas,
Meghan Burchell,
Memorial University
