TORONTO – Young Canadians are growing more vocal about a job market they feel has turned against them. Many blame international students and foreign workers for taking entry-level positions, which used to help local youth get started.
With youth unemployment spiking and the cost of rental housing climbing, there’s mounting anger directed at immigration policies set by the Liberal government.
The latest data from Statistics Canada shows a troubling trend. Unemployment among 15 to 24-year-olds hit 14.2% last summer. British Columbia saw youth joblessness reach 16.6% in May 2025.
Recent grads under 25 faced an 11.2% unemployment rate in early 2025, the highest in twenty years, according to Brendon Bernard, a senior economist at Indeed Canada. Bernard points to fewer job openings and a surge in population as the main reasons for this tough summer job market.
The hardship is easy to see in stories across the country. Sarah Nguyen, a 22-year-old university student in Toronto, has struggled to find work this summer. “I’ve applied to more than 50 jobs in retail and restaurants, but they keep hiring international students who work for less,” she says.
Entry-Level Jobs Being Filled by Foreign Workers
Similar complaints fill social media, with users on X claiming that over 600,000 foreign students with work permits are pushing Canadian youth out of entry-level jobs. One post reads, “Student unemployment hit 20%, the highest in 16 years. Liberals’ focus on foreign students is spot on.”
The growing number of international students has drawn sharp criticism. Canada welcomed over a million in recent years, and many can work in low-wage jobs in retail, hospitality, and food service fields, where young Canadians have always found work.
A Bank of Canada report noted that foreign students now make up a larger part of the workforce in these jobs, pushing out Canadian-born workers. King’s Trust Canada found that between 2016 and 2023, the number of temporary foreign workers in restaurants rose by 634%, and by 456% in retail.
Many critics blame the Liberals’ immigration policies for making the problem worse. The Trudeau government allowed more temporary foreign workers into sectors that generally employ young Canadians. Jamil Jivani, a Conservative MP re-elected in April 2025, started a petition to scrap the program, arguing it’s driving youth unemployment higher.
“Young Canadians are getting left behind in their own country,” Jivani said. This message helped the Conservatives win big with voters under 35 in the recent election.
Skyrocketing Costs for Canada’s Youth
On top of job worries, high rents add to the pressure. In May 2025, the average rent for a one-bedroom in Vancouver hit $2,700, and in Toronto, it reached $2,500. For students like Nguyen, who juggles part-time classes with a job search, these numbers are hard to manage.
“Even if I get a job, half my pay goes straight to rent,” she says. While an Australian study found no direct link between international students and rising rents, many Canadians believe immigration-driven population growth is stretching housing supply thin. India Today reports that over 40% of international students in Canada struggle to find housing, often facing racism and discrimination.
The Liberal government, now under Prime Minister Mark Carney, has started rolling back immigration numbers. In October 2024, Ottawa passed the Strong Borders Act to combat fraudulent asylum claims by international students. The new law sets stricter timelines for claims and improves information sharing between agencies.
Still, public frustration hasn’t eased. Many immigrants and permanent residents also blame past policies for creating a system where both newcomers and Canadian youth are fighting over too few jobs.
Amnesty International highlighted the issue with a migrant worker’s comment: “Canada has destroyed me,” pointing to abuse within the temporary foreign worker program.
Economists point out that other factors are also hurting the job market. Higher interest rates meant to fight inflation have slowed growth, and trade tensions with the United States have led some businesses to pause hiring.
Rising Unemployment in Canada
In April 2025, Canada added only 7,400 jobs—nowhere near enough for a growing workforce. Newcomers, especially immigrants, now face an unemployment rate of 11%, about double that of those born in Canada. This suggests that the job squeeze affects everyone.
For many young Canadians, the stakes are high. Ongoing unemployment is forcing them to put off big goals like buying a home or starting a family.
“It’s more than just about finding work—it’s about building our lives,” says Ethan Patel, a 24-year-old from Calgary, who is now thinking about moving abroad for better opportunities.
As the government tries to fix these problems, young people face a tough reality: jobs are scarce, rent is out of reach, and the hope for a secure future feels more distant than ever.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Bank of Canada
