International Students:
Recruitment, Retention and
Employment Integration
Metropolis 16th National Conference
Gatineau Quebec
March 2014
Workshop Presenters
Dr. Nancy Arthur,
Professor and
Canada Research
Chair, Werklund
School of Education,
University of Calgary
Melissa Fama,
Assistant Director,
NhQ, Immigration,
Citizenship and
immigration Canada
Miranda Cheng,
Director, Centre for
International
Experience,
University of
Toronto
Dr. Dan Cui, PostDoctoral Scholar,
Werklund School of
Education,
University of Calgary
Topics
 International students who are pursuing employment
and permanent immigration
 Update on recent immigration policies regarding
international students,
 Strategies in higher education to support
international students,
 Views of international students and their
accompanying partners regarding employment and
social integration.
Views of International Students
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Temporary sojourners
Institutional revenue
Problematic learners
Problematic workers
Problematic immigrants
Homogeneous group
Human capital
Preferred immigrants
International Students: Did you know?
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.8 million in 1975; 3.7 million in 2009; 8 million by 2025
USA, UK, Germany, France, Australia are top destinations
China and India are top source countries
Malaysia, Singapore, China are emerging destinations
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Recruitment targets 5-25%
>100,000 accepted in Canada in 2012
> 60% since 2004
Future increase of 2X
International Education: A Key Driver of Canada’s Future Prosperity
 $8 billion to the Canadian economy, increased from
$6.5 billion in 2008
 2011 - $10 million investment in international
education strategy over 2 years
 Increase recruitment 2X < 10 years
International Students in Canada
 7% undergraduates; 20% graduates
 1 in 5 IS in college or university previously attended a
private or public secondary school
 iStudentCanada new website for educational
programs
Research Questions
 What helps or hinders international students to be
successful in navigating the post-graduation
transition to employment and permanent
immigration?
 How does international student experience translate
to a career (dis)advantage?
Education to Employment
 Research from Australia, Canada, United States, New
Zealand
 Motivating factors to stay in destination countries
 Barriers within educational institutions
 Barriers in immigration policies
 Barriers in employer practices
 Barriers created by international students
Motivating Factors
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Employment opportunities
Perceived market conditions
Employment culture
Gender norms in the workplace
Work role opportunities
Comparisons between home and host cultures
What they want...
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Services specific to international student needs
Services specific to needs at graduation
Information on immigration process
Help with job search process
Concrete help to access local labour market
Better understanding of cultural nuances
Immigration Policies
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Doors open, doors shut
Access to current information
Help to know options
Employers often not informed or misinformed
Employment Practices
 Lack of knowledge about international students as a
highly educated source of employees
 Ethnocentrism in hiring policies and practices
 Bias regarding linguistic diversity and accents
 Investment in employment integration
 Assimilation versus integration of talent
 Need to document success stories
What International Students Can Do
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School then work
Networking skills
Learn about local cultural practices
Build resources while a student
Engage in work/volunteer experience programs
Begin job search in advance of last semester
Access available formal and informal support systems
Educational Institutions
 Increase discourse about career
development/employability
 Work experience while in academic program
 Systematic efforts to engage international students by
academic staff, advisors, mentors
 Connection with experienced students
 Job search skills and workplace norms
 Policies focused on recruitment versus employment
 Adequate staffing of support services
Recruitment, Retention,
Employment and Social Integration
 Increase competition for international students
 International students have increasing choices about
where to live and learn and where to pursue
permanent immigration
 Our capacity to support social integration is critical for
academic and employment success.