Critique the article What these international students wish they$$d known before heading to college

Jobs, weather, friends, housing: how to make a new life in a new country

Ali Amad

October $4,2023$

When Shreya Rawat stepped out of Toronto Pearson Airport in March of $2022,$ more than $27$

hours after leaving her home in Delhi, India, she walked straight into a snowstorm. $$I breathed in

the fresh, cold air and the reality of my big move hit me$,$ says Rawat, now $23.$ Before coming to

Canada for a social service worker diploma at Sheridan College, Rawat was a cabin crew

member with SpiceJet, an Indian budget airline. She$$d chosen that path because she always had a

desire to travel. But after three years of flying around the world, she was ready to stay put. She

wasn$$t$,$ however, looking to remain in Delhi: Rawat wanted a better work$-$life balance than her

relatives, many of whom were working long hours into their $50$s and $60$s$,$ with little time for

themselves. A friend who$$d recently immigrated to Canada sold her on its benefits$$in addition

to its celebrated multiculturalism, the country offered higher salaries and the promise of more

leisure time. Ontario$$s green and open spaces appealed to her, compared to the air pollution and

dense traffic of Delhi. As she waited for her friend to pick her up from Pearson, Rawat found

herself navigating mixed emotions. $$I was excited, but I was also nervous, and scared of the

unknown.$$

Rawat was one of the record $651,235$ international students approved for a permit in $2022$ to

leave behind their homes, families and support networks and seek an education at a postsecondary institution in Canada. For Rawat and many other international students, the attraction

of Canada$$s colleges is the same as it is for domestic students: more affordable tuition than

universities, with a greater emphasis on practical education, as well as co$-$ops that provide work

experience. But Rawat quickly discovered that international students face a set of unique

challenges$$and a lot of hard work.

All students must meet college admission requirements by submitting application forms and

transcripts, but often international students also have to provide proof of language proficiency

and financial support. Most international students, in addition, need to secure a $$150$ study

permit through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada $($IRCC$).$ Once Rawat was

accepted at Sheridan College, she scrambled to submit an overwhelming mountain of documents

for her student permit, including medical exams, fingerprints and photos, as well as further proof

of financial support. $($Students need to show they have a minimum of $$10,000$ for living costs,

plus enough to cover tuition.$)$If I was to repeat the entire process again, I would have taken at

least a year before moving to get everything in order,$$ she says. After struggling to navigate

Canada$$s student permit requirements, she found a placement organization called IDP Education,

which guides foreign nationals through the rigorous application process of their country of

choice. $$Getting the help of those agencies can save you a lot of time and headache,$$ she says.

Organizations like IDP and ApplyBoard don$$t charge fees for their services, and many Canadian

colleges offer student advisers and information sessions for international applicants.

The next step for international students is figuring out a place to live. In major urban centres like

the GTA, where rental vacancies are rare, landlords often request proof of employment and,

though it$$s not legal, might ask for several months$$ rent in advance. These are challenging

requirements for international students, especially if they$$re still back home when they begin

their search. On$-$campus student residences are a popular and affordable option, but spots are

limited$.$ International students can use Craigslist, Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace to find

rentals, while organizations like the non$-$profit Canada Homestay Network help match

international students with Canadian hosts. Rawat was stressed about trying to find an apartment

near Sheridan College$$s Brampton campus while she was still living in India.

Fortunately, her friend in Canada served as her eyes on the ground. Eventually, she secured a

basement apartment in Mississauga through Facebook Marketplace. When she arrived for the

first time, she found that the one$-$bedroom was incredibly drafty and its walls and floors were in

poor condition. Despite its shabbiness, the apartment still cost $$1,100$ a month.

On top of that, she was shelling out $$16,000$ a year in tuition. On average, international

undergraduate students pay more than four times the tuition that domestic students do$.$ It$$s a boon

for institutions: in Ontario, which is the most popular destination, colleges generate more than

two$-$thirds of their tuition fee revenue from international students. The majority arrive from

India, like Rawat.

To help international students pay their higher