by Candace Stewart-Smith & LeChelle Saunders
There is a significant population of international students (IS) studying at various levels of education in Canada. Different stakeholders benefit from IS studying in Canada. At the core are the IS who wish to gain a Canadian credential, most of which eventually take the path to Canadian Permanent Residence (PR) and citizenship. Canadian work experience is an important criterion for PR eligibility. Even though IS are Canadian educated and have proficiency in at least one of Canada’s official languages, they face a complex web of barriers entering the workforce, such as credential gaps, discrimination, career miseducation, and the ubiquitous requirement for ‘Canadian work experience’.
With employment anxiety being a significant source of stress amongst IS, the ecosystem surrounding and informing the IS experience must work in tandem to support students in finding and retaining meaningful work. In their workplaces, IS should feel comfortable contributing their skills, knowledge, and gifts which would lead to their positive integration into the workforce. When the players within the ecosystem work together to recognize, understand, and address the barriers students face, a model for sustainable attraction and retention of IS talent can be realized.
Comments