Fields of study and occupations of immigrants who were international students in Canada before immigration

Oct 15, 2026

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This study explores the alignment between fields of study and occupations among international students who became permanent residents in Canada. Using 2021 Census of Population data, it analyzes immigrants with postsecondary education who held study permits before becoming permanent residents from 2011 to 2021, and compares them with other immigrant cohorts and Canadian-born postsecondary graduates. Results highlight STEM, health care, and business emphasis, with alignment varying by field and education level.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Research focus and data sources

Comparison groups and population scope

Catalogue no. 36-28-0001 ISSN 2563-8955 Economic and Social Reports Fields of study and occupations of immigrants who were international students in Canada before immigration by Youjin Choi and Li Xu Release date: July 23, 2025 How to obtain more information For information about this product or the wide range of services and data available from Statistics Canada, visit our website, [www.statcan.gc.ca](www.statcan.gc.ca). You can also contact us by Email at infostats@statcan.gc.ca Telephone, from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. , at the following numbers: • Statistical Information Service 1-800-263-1136 • National telecommunications device for the hearing impaired 1-800-363-7629 • Fax line 1-514-283-9350 Standards of service to the public Statistics Canada is committed to serving its clients in a prompt, reliable and courteous manner. To this end, the Agency has developed standards of service which its employees observe in serving its clients. To obtain a copy of these service standards, please contact Statistics Canada toll-free at 1-800-263-1136. The service standards are also published on [www.statcan.gc.ca](www.statcan.gc.ca)[ ](www.statcan.gc.ca)[under](under) “Contact us” > “Standards of service to the public.” Note of appreciation Canada owes the success of its statistical system to along-standing partnership between Statistics Canada, the citizens of Canada, its businesses, governments and other institutions. Accurate and timely statistical information could not be produced without their continued co-operation and goodwill. Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada © His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2025 Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement. An HTML version is also available. Cette publication est aussi disponible en français. Fields of study and occupations of immigrants who were international students in Canada before immigration by Youjin Choi and Li Xu DOI: [https://doi.org/10.25318/36280001202500700001-eng](https://doi.org/10.25318/36280001202500700001-eng) This study was jointly conducted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and Statistics Canada. Abstract This study explores the alignment between fields of study and occupations among international students who have become permanent residents in Canada. Using data from the 2021 Census of Population, the study examines the fields of study and occupations of immigrants with a postsecondary education who held study permits before becoming permanent residents from 2011 to 2021. It compares them with other immigrants who became permanent residents during the same period and Canadian-born postsecondary graduates. The focus is on the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and computer science (STEM); health care; and business and administration. Among immigrants who were formerly international students in Canada, the degree of alignment between field of study and employment varied by field and level of study. It was lowest among those who studied STEM or business and administration in postsecondary programs below the bachelor’s level and highest among those with a bachelor’s degree from health care-related programs. The overall alignment rates between field of study and occupation among former international students were higher than those among immigrants who were not former international students. The role of Canadian education in increasing the degree of alignment between field of study and employment among immigrants was prominent when former international students attained their highest level of education in Canada. Keywords: Immigrants, international students, postsecondary education, fields of study, occupations, alignment of education and occupation Authors Youjin Choi is with the Economic and Social Analysis and Modelling Division at Stat

FAQs

What does the study investigate about former international students?

The study examines how fields of study align with occupations among international students who became permanent residents in Canada.

Which data and time period are used?

It uses data from the 2021 Census of Population and focuses on immigrants with study permits before permanent residency from 2011 to 2021.

How does alignment vary across fields and education levels?

Among former international students, alignment differs by field and level of study, with the lowest alignment for STEM or business programs below the bachelor’s level and the highest alignment for bachelor’s degrees from health care-related programs.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Fahsai