On international students in Canada : a review of their experiences in the academic literature and the Canadian media

International students are considered active, rather than passive members of the Canadian society for a wide range of factors. First, it is important to note that the arrival of these individuals equip the country’s post-secondary education sector with an unprecedented amount of revenues in the form of tuition fees. Second, international students’ labour work and personal spending contribute towards Canada’s economic growth. Third, the presence of international students in Canada enriches the country’s socio-cultural climate. Unfortunately, international students encounter several challenges during their stay in Canada and struggle to have access to a set of comprehensive settlement services to enable them to smoothly adapt into their new environment. The following study is essentially a literature review that aims to fulfill two objectives. First, there will be an examination of the experiences and struggles of these students as they have so far been reported in the academic literature and the Canadian media. Second, some of the most prevalent knowledge gaps about international students that exist in the academic literature and the Canadian media will be identified and critically analyzed. Key Words: International Students, Language Barriers, Discrimination, Micro-Aggression, Socio-Cultural Challenges, Settlement Services, Knowledge Gaps.