June 26, 2024
SHARE
COMMONS
WORK #15 – Canada’s New Underclass
The huge rise in international students in Canada — most of them from Punjab, India — has become one of the biggest stories in the country.
Arshy Mann
Host & Producer
Jordan Cornish
Producer
Noor Azrieh
Producer
Karyn Pugliese
Editor-in-Chief
max collins
Production Manager

The huge rise in international students in Canada — most of them from Punjab, India — has become one of the biggest stories in the country. But most media outlets and political parties have framed it entirely as a housing issue. 

 

They’re missing the point. 

 

This is a story about the creation of a new, racialized underclass to do all of the work we don’t want to do. And it’s about the human wreckage that’s left in the wake after we’re done squeezing those people of every penny and every drop of sweat that we can.

 

Featured in this episode: Jaspreet Singh, Rupa Banerjee

 

To learn more:

“The International Student Boom Might Be Over” by Kuwarjeet Singh Arora in Baaz News

“How recruiters in India use false promises to lure students to Canada” by CBC’s Fifth Estate

“Canada’s open secret: International students are here to be exploited” by Kunal Chaudry in The Breach

 

Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Producer), Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Cahief)

 

Sponsors: Douglas, Article 

 

Additional music from Audio Network

 

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. 

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

More from this series
The huge rise in international students in Canada — most of them from Punjab, India — has become one of the biggest stories in the country.
June 26, 2024
She expected to face opposition from tech companies and governments that are hostile to workers. But what she didn’t anticipate was that one of the biggest obstacles in her path would be a labour union. 
June 19, 2024
Mandalena Lewis is one of far too many flight attendants who have been harassed or assaulted on the job. And her story is just one example of a culture of sexism and abuse that she alleges pervades the airline industry.
June 12, 2024
In 2006, Zakaria Amara was arrested and imprisoned for planning what could have been one of the deadliest terror attacks in Canadian history. A ringleader of the so-called “Toronto 18,” he’s one of the most infamous Canadian convicts of the last few decades. 
June 5, 2024
♩♪ But Spotify, it’s nearly killed us Ticketmaster’s ground us to dust The companies got too large Now monopolies are in charge ♩♪
May 29, 2024
Not only do Canadian prisoners work for for-profit businesses, but they’re sometimes doing the most dangerous and nauseating work around
May 22, 2024
If we want to truly understand our criminal justice system and Canadian labour, we need to examine how prisoners work.
May 15, 2024
In Newfoundland and Labrador, fishing is more than just an industry or a job. It truly is a way of life. It’s at the core of what has made this place what it is.
May 8, 2024
all podcasts arrow All Podcasts
COMMONS