Fairness for International Students

Between 2000 and 2010, the number of international students at Ontario colleges increased by five times, while the number of international students at Ontario universities almost tripled. International students are an integral part of our college and university campuses as they make our institutions more diverse and they help contribute to the academic community similarly to all other students. International students also have a large economic impact, as they contribute $3 billion annually to the province’s economy through paying tuition fees, basic living expenses, taxes and consumer spending. Despite these significant contributions, international students are faced with various challenges when it comes to accessing post-secondary education, health care and immigration processes.

The Federation launched the Fairness for International Students campaign, to achieve:

• The elimination of differential fees and the restoration of post-secondary funding for international students.
• The elimination of UHIP and C-HIP and simultaneously, the restoration of OHIP for all international students.
• Improving immigration policies to ensure international students lives in Canada are easier.

Three versions of Fairness for International Students posters have been produced which member locals can use on campus to initiate discussions on the issues. The Federation has also produced a leaflet and fact sheet that will be used to compliment other materials member locals may develop.