When the Minimum Wage Isn’t Really the Minimum

by Vidhu

 

When I started working in Canada, it was tough.   It was expensive to come to Canada and study.  What made it even worse was the paycheque I was getting in one of my first jobs.  I took it because I needed money.   The minimum wage in Ontario is 15.50 dollars per hour but I was paid nine dollars per hour in a restaurant called Asia Garden.  As a student who is studying and working at the same time to pay for school and daily expenses, it was discouraging. I didn’t stay.

Some employers know that you are in need and they take advantage of your situation. And it’s not just me. Many students have experienced such things at least once in their life.

In Ontario, the minimum wage was raised  on April 5, 2022 from 15.00 to 15.50. But there are employers who are still paying less than 10 dollars.   Veronica a new student in Canada said,” I got so many rejections just because I was not ready to work on less than the minimum wage. Everyone just say that we don’t need more people but if you really want a job, then you’re gonna have to work in cash and that means less than 10 dollars an hour. Eventually I said yes because I was in need of work but this is so not fair.”

Rai Garg, a 21 year old college student shared her experience, “I used to work in H&M as a sales representative. It was my second week there and I remember I was on an eight hour shift when I got my break. So I pushed my break in and once you do that it counts as your only break, you cannot take it again. I was really hungry and I wanted to have my lunch when this customer stopped me for a query. I spent over 15 mins of my break trying to help her but I really wanted to leave so I asked her that I can provide you with a better assistance. And my manager saw that and came to me saying customer is our first priority. I said that when I’m on my break, I’m not a part of H&M. But she said then stay home and no need to come back and that day I left my job there. But it was really bad.” 

 

 

Students like Rai and Veronica are struggling because unscrupulous employers take advantage of students, especially international students.

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