International students and recent immigrants arriving in Alberta are being systematically targeted by predatory landlords who exploit their unfamiliarity with local rental practices, according to a new research project that interviewed approximately 150 Chinese immigrants and students across Alberta and British Columbia over three years.
The findings paint a stark picture: while public discourse often blames newcomers for Canada's housing shortage, the reality is far different. Rather than contributing to the problem, international students and immigrants are themselves becoming victims of exploitative rental practices, researchers say.
Language Barriers Create Vulnerability
The study identified a critical vulnerability: newcomers lack access to rental resources and information available in their native languages. This disadvantage forces many to turn to social media platforms and online support groups instead of traditional rental agencies, leaving them exposed to misleading landlords and unfair agreements.
"When you're competing against renters with local references and established credit scores, newcomers simply can't compete," explains the research team. "They're desperate to secure housing before arriving, making them easy prey for landlords willing to exploit that urgency."
Yuting Yan, a Chinese immigrant who relocated to Calgary with her family in July 2023, experienced this firsthand. Despite struggling to understand the terms of her rental agreement due to language barriers, she felt pressured to sign. As a newcomer, she received limited responses from landlords and had virtually no opportunity to negotiate or request in-person viewings before committing.
Predatory Practices Thrive in Information Gaps
The research reveals that many newcomers sign rental agreements without proper understanding of their terms, or worse, without formal agreements at all. Landlords exploiting these gaps often skip in-person viewings entirely, making it easier to misrepresent properties or terms.
For those seeking housing information and community support, platforms like Calgary Forums provide opportunities for residents to share rental experiences and warn others about problematic landlords—though such informal networks are no substitute for formal tenant protections.
A System Stacked Against Newcomers
The timing compounds the problem. Peak rental season—May through September—coincides exactly when international students and immigrants arrive in Canada before the academic year begins. During this competitive period, landlords hold all the leverage.
The researchers emphasize that predatory rental practices are not an inevitable part of newcomer life. Instead, they represent a systemic failure: governments and institutions have not adequately protected vulnerable renters or provided accessible information in multiple languages.
As Alberta continues to attract international talent and students, addressing these exploitative practices becomes increasingly urgent. Without intervention, the pattern will likely continue—driving a wedge between newcomers and their host communities while enriching unscrupulous landlords.
This article is based on research conducted by scholars at universities across Alberta and British Columbia. The findings were originally reported by the Calgary Herald.