International students and the journey towards permanent residency

CERC Migration is pleased to contribute a panel to the upcoming conference of the Canadian Bureau for International Education. 

The number of international students in Canada grew by 68% between 2014 and 2018 and represented about 12% of total enrollments in 2016-17. Eventually, between 20 and 27% of international students become permanent residents. In the Canadian labor market, international students face a set of challenges that Canadian-born students do not. Some of these obstacles are related to debt and discrimination, lack of networks and limited co-operative education opportunities.

This session will discuss the key issues that international students face during the initial stages of being a student, subsequent transition into the Canadian labor market, and how international education services at Canadian post-secondary institutions can assist in bridging the gap that international students face in their transition to permanent residency. The major obstacles discussed are food insecurity, a lack of networks, limited co-operative education opportunities, and the emerging issues created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Presenters:

Each presenter will speak for approximatley 15 minutes, leaving time for a Q&A at the end of the presentations.  

Session chair, Stein Monteiro, Research Fellow, CERC Migration will provide welcome remarks and introductions

Section 1: The impact of COVID-19 on international students in Canada  David Firang, Assistant Professor of Social Work, Trent University

Section 2: Food insecurity among international students  Sutama Ghosh, Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies, Ryerson University

Section 3: Pathways to permanency Marshia Akbar, Senior Research Associate, CERC Migration