“While the government has opened several pathways to permanent residence for international students, there are substantial cracks in the system, and many students are falling through,” writes Rupa Banerjee.
“While the government has opened several pathways to permanent residence for international students, there are substantial cracks in the system, and many students are falling through,” writes Rupa Banerjee.
Canada gets an A-plus for attracting and benefitting from foreign students, but currently we deserve a failing grade for how we serve those students once they choose Canada.
Since the mid-2000s, Canadian post-secondary institutions have put considerable energy and resources into attracting international students. Universities and colleges increasingly rely on these students to offset government funding shortfalls, given their substantially higher tuition fees relative to domestic students.
International students not only help to sustain and expand Canada’s post-secondary education system, but they also provide labour to fill critical shortages, particularly in the service sector. Universities and colleges are now gatekeepers within the immigration system; they have an opportunity to play a positive role in preparing future Canadians for success.
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Recently, the federal government lifted the limit on off-campus work hours for international students and extended postgraduate work permits for former students with permits expiring this year. While these are welcome changes for many, the focus of these policy reforms has been squarely on helping employers address labour shortages. In many ways, the current system has created a new temporary foreign worker stream administered by higher education institutions.
But what do the students get out of it? Lifting limits on work hours will not help international students find high-quality jobs related to their fields of study; it may instead simply encourage longer hours of low-wage, low-skill work that does not facilitate career progression or transition to permanent status.
International students’ and graduates’ vulnerability within this system remains largely unaddressed. In stark contrast to the principles of equity and inclusion that we advocate for as a society, the limited support available to these students pre- and post-graduation raises concerns about whether international students are simply a commodity being used to supplement Canada’s economic indicators.
The abuse of foreign students has recently been in the media spotlight, with stories of egregious conduct by some recruiters and private colleges. But focusing on those incidents of malign practices obscures the broader exploitation within the system.
Publicly funded post-secondary institutions recruit international students with the promise of pathways to permanent residence. For most students, the possibility of transitioning to permanent resident status is the driving force behind choosing to study in Canada. But once they arrive, there are few systems and processes to support their integration and subsequent transition to employment.
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While the government has opened several pathways to permanent residence for international students, there are substantial cracks in the system, and many students are falling through. Only about 3-in-10 international students transition to permanent residency within 10 years of arriving in Canada. International students do not receive publicly funded settlement services and are often left to navigate academic and immigration requirements and adjust to life in Canada without support networks. Difficulties finding appropriate employment after graduation prevent many international graduates from obtaining permanent status.
Post-secondary institutions must put more effort into the integration of international students. For example, work integrated learning opportunities are vital to gain professionally relevant Canadian experience. Internships and co-ops can help international students learn about Canadian work culture, improve professional communication skills, and land a high skill job after graduation.
If international students are to be the “ideal immigrants” that they are touted to be, and that Canada needs right now, then we must do better. We must invest in these students to give them the opportunity to stay and contribute to Canada’s economic prosperity.
Rupa Banerjee is the Canada Research Chair in Economic Inclusion, Employment and Entrepreneurship of Canada’s Immigrants and associate professor at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Ted Rogers School of Management.
