Background of Canada’s International Education Program
Background of Canada’s International Education Program
If the international students program is seen as a pathway for immigration to Canada, a route to achieving Canadian education and Canadian experience in the labour market – since students are allowed to work – what is it to Canada that it has seriously established a long-term program called Building on Success: Canada’s International Education Strategy (2019-2024)? And why are there no less than three federal ministries involved in the development and implementation of the program?
On August 23, 2019, The Minister of International Trade Diversification, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, and the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship launched a new International Education Strategy designed to maintain and enhance Canada’s standing as a high-calibre place to study, do research and work.
Canada’s new Strategy, as stipulated in its official website, has three key objectives:
• Encourage Canadian students to gain new skills through study and work abroad opportunities in key global markets, especially Asia;
• Diversify the countries from which international students come to Canada, as well as their fields, levels of study, and location of study within Canada; and
• Increase support for Canadian education sector institutions to help grow their export services and explore new opportunities abroad.
As designed, this strategy is both for outbound Canadian students seeking to study abroad, and for in-bound non-Canadian students from foreign countries studying in Canada.
Its Vision statement says
“Over the next five years, the new International Education Strategy (the Strategy) aims to diversify the education sector, boost Canada’s innovation capacity, promote global ties and foster a vibrant Canadian economy. The Strategy will also help to ensure that Canada’s labour force has the needed skills and talent to ensure Canada can compete successfully in global markets, creating middle-class jobs and fostering prosperity in communities across the country. The Strategy is designed to support and complement efforts by provinces, territories and stakeholders toward a collective goal of a sustainable and successful international education sector,”
“The Strategy aims to draw students from around the world to communities across Canada where they can enrol in a wide variety of schools and programs at all educational levels (Figure 1 in Annexes). At the same time, it will help a growing number of Canadian students return from studies and work abroad with the global competencies, skills and networks needed to drive Canada’s success as an innovative, trading nation. Lastly, it will assist more Canadian schools and businesses design and export cutting-edge educational services and products to an increasing number and diversity of international markets,”
“The Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada will lead the new Strategy, with other major components managed by Employment and Social Development Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.”
One reason students study in Canada is to acquire education that is recognized not only in Canada, but worldwide, the program states. A common problem for foreign educated trained professionals coming to study to work in Canada is the non-recognition of their credentials, whether they are here as immigrants or Canadian citizens. This results in lower-paying jobs, according to many studies, among them, the 1990 research Explaining the Deprofessionalized Filipino: Why Filipino immigrants get low-paying jobs in Toronto, by Philip F. Kelly, Mila Astorga-Garcia, Enrico F. Esguerra, and the Community Alliance for Social Justice, Toronto.
Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship aptly articulates the advantages of the program to both Canada and to students seeking Canadian education not only for achieving an internationally-recognized education and Canadian work experience, but ultimately, as a pathway to permanent residency.
In his statement introducing the strategy, he states, articulating what he sees are the advantages both to Canada and the foreign international student choosing to study here:
“In 2018, more than 721,000 international students studied in Canada, sparking new ideas, strengthening innovation and building people-to-people ties that are crucial to international trade and the global economy. As most international students are young, have Canadian educational qualifications and in-demand labour skills, and are proficient in one of our official languages, they are often ideal candidates for permanent residency. In fact, nearly 54,000 former students became permanent residents in Canada in 2018.”
He adds: “The strategy builds on the attributes that have made Canada a destination of choice for international students: strong schools and programs of study in both English and French; welcoming and diverse communities with an enviable quality of life; and opportunities to start careers and pursue permanent residency.”
Two of the several advantages of the program to Canada, as announced in the official website:
1. “International education makes a large and growing contribution to Canada’s prosperity. International students in Canada spent an estimated $21.6 billion on tuition, accommodation and other expenses in 2018[1] and sustained close to 170,000 jobs for Canadians in 2016. Educational expenditures by international students have a greater impact on Canada’s economy than exports of auto parts, lumber or aircraft. Between 2014 and 2018, the number of international students in Canada increased by 68%. In 2018, a total of 721,205 international students at all levels studied in Canada—the largest number ever.[2] Opportunities in the sector are growing.”
2. “Due in part to the aging of Canada’s population, immigration will increasingly drive net workforce growth. Within the next decade, for instance, immigration is projected to account for 100% of net growth in the workforce, up from 75% today. International students make excellent candidates for permanent residency: they are relatively young, proficient in at least one official language, have Canadian educational qualifications, and can help address this country’s current and pending labour market needs, particularly for highly skilled workers. Given these advantages, it is not surprising that 53,700 international students became permanent residents of Canada in 2018, contributing as productive and valued members of Canadian society.”
(With files from and backgroundresearch by Mila Astorga-Garcia)
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(In a forthcoming issue, we will publish, “What do the international students say?” and other related stories about the international students program and strategy. – Ed.)
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