Ottawa—Students are feeling anxious about their finances and rethinking future plans, after a summer of record high student unemployment, according to a survey released today. The survey, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, reports that over one fifth of students plan to accept work outside of their area of study, almost fifteen percent plan to relocate to find a job and over forty percent have cut back their spending.

 “Students are between a rock and a hard place,” said Katherine Giroux-Bougard, National Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students. “With record high tuition fees and mortgage sized debt loads, students are deeply concerned about their future.”

Tuition fees represent the single largest expense for most students, averaging almost $5,000 per year. Over ninety percent of college and university students in Canada faced tuition fee increases when they returned to school this month. “During these hard times, students and their families are looking to the government for leadership,” said Giroux-Bougard. “Canada’s long-term financial health requires a national strategy for post-secondary education.”

Students are calling on the federal government for a Post-Secondary Education Act, mirroring the Canada Health Act, to govern tuition fees and the funding given to the provinces for colleges and universities. This legislation should increase accountability and help establish long-term post-secondary education objectives including reducing tuition fees and increasing accessibility.