Canada's planned curbs on work by international students could spark shortages of temporary workers in food services and retail industries as employers are wrestling with a tight labour market and wage inflation in some pockets of the economy. Last month, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller outlined measures, including slashing the number of allowable work hours, to address bottlenecks created by a surge in international students, who have been blamed for rental shortages.
Canadians are facing increased challenges in securing affordable housing as rents climb nationwide - rising 7.7% in December from a year earlier, according to Statscan. Canada is planning additional measures to reduce the number of international students coming to Canada, including possibly a cap, and will introduce them during the first half of this year, Miller told Reuters in an interview on Monday. Canada has emerged as a popular destination for international students since it is relatively easy to obtain work permits after finishing course