Federal departments hired nearly 900 foreign students in a single year despite official warnings that Canadian students are struggling to find work and facing rising unemployment.Blacklock's Reporter says records tabled in Parliament show the federal government employed 889 foreign students in 2024, the most recent year with complete data, even as the Treasury Board acknowledged Ottawa is supposed to prioritize Canadians.“The Treasury Board does not typically employ temporary foreign workers or temporary residents,” said an Inquiry Of Ministry response filed in the Commons. It noted the Public Service Employment Act gives preference first to eligible veterans, then to Canadian citizens and permanent residents for external job postings, provided merit requirements are met.Despite those rules, federal agencies filled a wide range of positions with foreign students. Jobs included tour guides and gift shop assistants at national museums, researchers at the CBC, kitchen staff and stagehands at the National Arts Centre, and clerks and IT workers at the Canada Revenue Agency. Officials said hiring was limited to positions filled under work or study permits..The National Research Council alone hired 135 foreign students, while Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation employed 30.The figures were released after a request from Conservative MP Vincent Ho of Richmond Hill South, Ont., who asked how many temporary residents and foreign workers were hired across government departments, agencies and Crown corporations.The hiring occurred as federal employment officials warned Canadian students were being hit by what they called “economic shocks.” A June 12 briefing note titled Employment And Skills Support For Canada’s Youth said young people are often the first to feel downturns and that youth unemployment is rising.Canadian student jobless rates climbed after cabinet issued a 2023 order allowing 1,040,985 foreign students unlimited access to the labour market. Immigration department data later showed 81% of foreign students were able to secure employment.Meanwhile, Food Banks Canada told MPs in 2025 that many Canadian students are falling into poverty. In a submission to the Commons human resources committee, the group said 28% of young adults surveyed skipped meals because they lacked money, while 20% relied on free food from community organizations, nearly double the rate for the general population.“These indicators point to a heightened level of economic strain among youth,” Food Banks Canada said.
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