Abstract
In this chapter, the authors provide an overview of internationalization efforts and the impact of substantial immigration policy shifts to support, recruit, and retain international students in Canada. Consideration is given to how higher educational institutions, and other key stakeholders play a role in supporting career exploration as well as the factors that influence international students' ability to stay in Canada post-graduation. Future directions and research are explored to further highlight the importance of understanding the international student lifecycle in the Canadian context.
TopBackground
Over the past 40 years, forces of globalization have intensified in all aspects of the human experience. International trade, the movement of people, technology, environmental catastrophes, and conflicts have become increasingly intertwined. This interconnectedness has increased in many spheres, not least in higher education. During the past 20 years and particularly in the past decade, the number of international students has risen dramatically around the world as many students are making the choice to study outside the country of their citizenship. Henceforth, international students in the context of this paper refers to individuals not holding Canadian or permanent resident status and select Canada as their destination of multiple levels of study. In 2016, over five million students attended Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) internationally. That number is expected to continue increasing for many of the top receiving countries of international students (OECD, 2018).
Internationalization activities, faculty and student exchanges, research agreements, international student enrolments, and international rankings have become increasingly important for many HEIs across Canada and in many western countries. A number of factors have influenced the amplified importance of internationalization, including an increased focus on international rankings (international student enrollments, research, and collaboration influence rankings systems), the financial benefits of growing international enrollments, declining domestic enrolments, and the goal of preparing students for the globalized economy (often referred to as creating “Global Citizens”) (Altbach & Knight, 2007; AUCC, 2014; CBIE, 2016a; Hudzik, 2014). All of these factors have and continue to influence internationalization efforts at HEIs across Canada.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Express Entry (EE): Refers to the application management system used to assess applicants applying to select federal programs for permanent residence.
Canadian Experience Class (CEC): A federal immigration stream program that individuals with Canadian work experience can qualify for permanent residence.
Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP): An open work permit that is available post-graduation to international students who complete eligible Canadian higher education programs.
Permanent Resident (PR): An individual who has been given permanent resident status by immigrating to Canada, but is not a Canadian citizen. Permanent residents are citizens of other countries.
Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE): The national non-profit organization in Canada dedicated to leadership and education service in international education.
Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs): Educational institutions at the post-secondary level; that is, college and university.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC): The federal government department that oversees Canadian immigration, citizenship and refugee policies in Canada; now referred to as Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).