The high cost of international student fees is becoming a major problem in Canada. Many international students are forced to work full-time jobs, including overtime, in addition to their full-time studies. Unfortunately, very often the jobs that are available to them are low-paid and exploitative, which no one else wants to do.
The colleges and universities in Canada are directly responsible for creating many of these difficult and challenging life situations because of the high cost of international student fees. If international student fees were lower, then it would increase the quality of international applicants because more people could afford to study in Canada. Canadian post-secondary institutions would benefit from more ideas, innovation and cross-cultural learning, and attract the best and brightest from around the world.
Some countries in Europe have already figured this out. For example, tuition is free for international students studying in Norway and at public universities in Germany. Not surprisingly, Norway and Germany are two of the most successful developed countries in the world in part due to their affordable and accessible post-secondary education system.