Canada’s Higher Education Sector as Immigration Actor

The increasing integration of Canadian higher education with immigration has sparked debate and positioned the education sector as a crucial player in the nation’s immigration strategy.

The Canadian immigration system often touts a pathway from study to immigration, attracting thousands of international students each year. But with soaring enrollment numbers, many now face challenges in moving from student to permanent resident status. Dr. Sandra Schinnerl and Dr. Antje Ellermann examine this disconnect, highlighting the increasing competition and uncertainty international graduates face in their journey toward permanent residency.

“We need to recognize that education and immigration are linked, where expectations are made but might not be met today.”

Sandra Schinnerl

CMS Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Senior Economist,
Immigration and Integration Policy, Government of British Columbia

Key Findings

Higher education institutions are key actors in Canada’s immigration system. By driving growth in international student enrolment, universities and colleges shaped both the scale and composition of temporary and permanent immigration.
Rapid growth in international enrolments produced unintended system-wide pressures. Institutional supports and immigration capacity did not keep pace with growth in admissions.
International graduates face uneven labour market outcomes. Many encounter employment barriers, lower earnings, and limited opportunities to use their Canadian education to secure permanent immigration status.

Recommendations

Expand institutional support systems to help international students navigate employment and immigration pathways.
Coordinate international student recruitment with labour market and immigration realities. Higher education institutions should consider housing, services, and workforce realities, while the government should provide clear, stable immigration policies and pathways for qualified graduates.
Ensure transparency in policy objectives. Governments should clearly communicate that international student policies are not designed primarily for permanent settlement.

Implications for Current Events

As of August 2025, the number of new student arrivals to Canada had decreased by 132,505 (59.7%), compared to the same period in 2024. This decline reflects the Canadian government’s 2024 decision to introduce a cap on international student permits for 2025, aimed at addressing unsustainable growth. The federal government also tightened eligibility criteria for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP), further limiting international students’ opportunities to transition into the Canadian workforce and, consequently, their possibility of obtaining permanent residency.

What drove this recent reduction in Canada’s international student population? Dr. Schinnerl and Dr. Ellermann trace the recent changes to a misalignment between government, university, and student goals—exacerbated by the previously uncapped admission system. They argue that while the majority of international students view Canadian education as a pathway to permanent residence, neither immigration policy nor university programs have prioritized this transition. The uncapped admission system allowed the number of graduates seeking permanent residency to far exceed the number of permanent resident annual targets. These changes also underscore the findings of the original 2023 research that highlighted that the education–immigration relationship was becoming precariously unsustainable.

About the Authors

Sandra Schinnerl is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Centre for Migration Studies and a Senior Economist with the Government of British Columbia, focusing on Immigration and Integration Policy. Sandra’s work broadly examines the changing relationship of post-secondary institutions in providing support, skills and preparation for international students interested in migrating to Canada. Sandra earned her PhD at the University of British Columbia.

Antje Ellermann is Professor of Political Science and Co-Director of the Centre for Migration Studies at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on the politics of migration and citizenship in the global North. She is the author of the award-winning The Comparative Politics of Immigration: Policy Choices in Germany, Canada, Switzerland, and the United States (2021) and States Against Migration: Deportation in Germany and the United States (2009), both published by Cambridge University Press.

Document details

This publication is part of the CMS Migration Insights Series. The research briefs synthesize peer-reviewed, published academic research by CMS affiliates.

Italian Dumplings and Chinese Pizzas: Food, Migration, and Identity Between China and Italy

How Chinese and Italian consumers find each other at the dining table.

Chinese food in Italy and Italian food in China are more than meals—they’re cultural exchanges shaped by migration, tourism, and media. Professor Gaoheng Zhang’s research examines how food mobilities between China and Italy have shaped identities, challenged stereotypes, and highlighted both the tensions and possibilities of cross-cultural understanding in today’s globalized world.

Read the Brief

“Food is an essential life experience for migrants and other mobile subjects. The China-Italy case study is compelling because of the global influence of their cuisines and labour migrations.”

Gaoheng Zhang

Professor, UBC French, Hispanic, and Italian Studies

Key Findings

Food is more than nourishment; it is a cultural language. Studying food culture helps us understand how Italian and Chinese migrants understand each other.
Chinese restaurants in Italy and Italian food in China are cultural bridges for immigrants and locals to negotiate their identities in relation to each other.
Migration between Italy and China increased in the 1980s. While Chinese food offered Italians a taste of the exotic, it also became a target for racial stereotypes. Meanwhile, middle-class Chinese tourists embraced Italian cuisine in China as a signal of their global, multi-cultural identity exemplified by a taste on international cuisines.

Recommendations

Food mobilities are central to migration stories. Policymakers should pay more attention to how everyday practices—like dining out or owning a restaurant—shape intercultural understanding.
Media and public discourse should be more aware of how culinary narratives can both foster empathy and reinforce racial boundaries.
Supporting migrant food entrepreneurs and promoting inclusive food cultures like holding food festivals can help combat cultural exclusion and facilitate cross-cultural understanding.

Implications for Current Events

Zhang’s research highlights the significant role food plays in cultural exchanges. As migration continues to reshape societies and anti-Asian racism resurfaces globally—especially in the wake of COVID-19—food stories become stories about who belongs. In Italy, Chinese restaurants were early targets of public fear during the pandemic, revealing how racial anxieties are often projected onto everyday spaces like eateries. Meanwhile, Chinese tourists navigating Italy’s cuisines negotiate both fascination and exclusion, mirroring global struggles over identity and cultural ownership. These dynamics are not unique to China and Italy. Across the world, migrants and tourists use food to claim space, assert their identity, and foster a sense of belonging. Policymakers and social actors should recognize the role of transcultural cuisines in promoting economic inclusion and cultural dialogue. Supporting diverse food cultures can be a powerful tool against xenophobia—turning the dining table into a site of connection rather than division.

About the Authors

Gaoheng Zhang is an Associate Professor of Italian Studies at the University of British Columbia. Zhang’s scholarship analyzes migration and culture from within contemporary Italy’s and Western Europe’s global networks with Asia, America, and Africa. He applies multi-lingual, multi-perspectival, and multi-sited methods to his case studies. His intellectual project is focused on transculturality and dialogism.

Zixi (Peter) Zhang is a PhD student in the Department of History at the University of British Columbia. He studies early modern East Asia with a focus on China. His current research centers on the Chinese intellectual diaspora during the Ming-Qing transition in the 17th century.

Document details

This publication is part of the CMS Migration Insights Series. The research briefs synthesize peer-reviewed, published academic research by CMS affiliates.

Canadian international student policy at a crossroads

Temporary Residence in Canada: A Patchwork of Rules

From Temporary to Permanent Residency: Recent Trends in Canada’s Two-Step Immigration Selection

Staying Behind: Limited Displacement and Inequality After Wildfires in the U.S.

Only the most severe wildfires actually push people to migrate out of their homes after a natural disaster in the U.S. Most people stay behind.

As wildfire seasons become more frequent and severe across North America, the question of how people respond—whether by moving or staying—is an increasingly urgent one. Research by CMS affiliate Professor Kathryn McConnell finds that most people do not migrate after wildfire-related disasters in the U.S., offering insights for climate adaptation and disaster relief planning in Canada and beyond.

Read the Brief

“We have seen across Canada this summer that wildfires are having a major impact on people's communities. What we are trying to understand in this research is the extent to which fires cause long-term population change, which I think is an increasingly important question as fire seasons get worse.”

Kathryn MConnell

Assistant Professor, UBC Sociology

Key Findings

Most U.S. wildfires between 1999-2020 did not cause significant population mobility. People tended to migrate only when fires caused major structural damage.
Wildfires, even destructive fires, do not cause long-term or permanent population shifts. Instead, migration due to wildfires is often short-lived, with residents returning within a year.
Both emotional ties and limited economic options could drive individuals’ decisions to stay put after wildfires. There is some information on the drivers of immobility, but they need to be studied more.

Recommendations

Wildfire recovery planning should account for those who stay. Many residents stay in place after destructive wildfires, and financial support should focus on the needs of those who stay.
Post-disaster response should also provide early support after destructive wildfires. The most needed assistance comes in the months immediately after a wildfire, and governments should deliver housing, financial aid, and other recovery services immediately after fires.
Federal and state agencies should create and share migration data that includes demographic details. More data would help identify which communities are more likely to relocate after wildfires, supporting more targeted disaster and recovery planning.

Implications for Current Events

In early 2025, wildfires in Los Angeles destroyed thousands of homes, raising alarms about possible long-term displacement. Similarly, Canada is facing one of its worst wildfire seasons on record, with widespread evacuations in provinces like Alberta. Yet, despite the scale of these events, we still know very little about how wildfire destruction in fire-prone regions impacts whether individuals stay put or leave.

Professor Kathryn McConnell and her colleagues’ research offers a starting place, finding that across more than two decades of wildfire events in the U.S., large-scale migration occurred only after extreme structure loss, and even then, often only for short stints. In both the U.S. and Canada, there is a need to strengthen support for emergency housing, local recovery planning, and rebuilding efforts, alongside continued attention to displacement risks. Recognizing the diverse ways people respond to environmental hazards is key. Recovery strategies should consider not only those who leave wildfire zones but also the majority who stay behind.

About the Authors

Kathryn McConnell is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of British Columbia. Her work explores how climate change intersects with the built environment and shapes patterns of population movement. With a focus on climate-related hazards and social inequality, she uses sociological tools to support more equitable approaches to climate adaptation and mitigation. Before joining UBC, Dr. McConnell held a postdoctoral position at Brown University’s Population Studies and Training Center. She earned her Ph.D. and Master’s in Environmental Science from Yale University, and her undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University.

Marjorie Rugunda is a PhD student in the department of Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice at the University of British Columbia. She holds a BA degree from Rhodes University, South Africa and a Master’s degree from the University of Calgary. Her current research studies how institutions within Africa represent entrenched colonial legacies that shape contemporary social and political relations in (post)colonial contexts.

Document details

This publication is part of the CMS Migration Insights Series. The research briefs synthesize peer-reviewed, published academic research by CMS affiliates.

Refuge and Rejection: Hong Kong’s Overlooked Holocaust History

The history of Hong Kong reveals the overlooked role of colonialism in shaping global responses to the Holocaust.

British Hong Kong was one of the last ports for the Jewish refugees to visit before finding a semi-permanent settlement in other parts of Asia. However, Hong Kong’s role studying the global Holocaust has largely been overlooked. CMS affiliate and PhD candidate Ryan Cheuk Him Sun examines the conflicting role that Hong Kong played, one that both provided shelter to the refugees but also interned and expelled them.

Read the Brief

“This research invites a broader, more interdisciplinary understanding of antisemitism—one that moves beyond Europe to examine its manifestations across regions, particularly Asia.”

Ryan Cheuk Him Sun

PhD candidate, UBC History

Key Findings

Holocaust studies have long centered on Europe, overlooking the little-known history of Jewish refugees in Hong Kong
Hong Kong played a conflicting role during the Holocaust, first providing shelter to Jewish refugees from Europe, and then later expelling them.
Hong Kong’s status as a former British colony reveals the contradictions of imperial policy during the Holocaust, simultaneously rescuing and rejecting Jewish refugees.

Recommendations

It is important to recognize that antisemitism has never been just a Euro-American idea; antisemitism can be traced around the world, including East and Southeast Asia.
The story of the Holocaust must be told from multiple world regions to provide a global approach to the Jewish experience and to understanding antisemitism.
As countries today face new refugee flows, the experiences of Jewish asylum-seekers in Hong Kong show that offering refuge matters, especially at times of conflicts.

Implications for Current Events

September 2–3 marks Victory over Japan Day in the US and China, commemorating the Pacific theatre’s end in WWII. On this 80th anniversary of the war’s conclusion, it’s a reminder that the fight against fascism, and the suffering it caused, extended far beyond Europe.

By uncovering Hong Kong’s overlooked role in Holocaust-era displacement, the article highlights how colonial policies helped shape both the survival and exclusion of Jewish refugees. The story also offers a hopeful reminder: Hong Kong and other Asian cities did once open their doors to those in need, demonstrating a legacy of humanitarian response. The contradictions of colonial asylum and exclusion help explain why the 1951 UN Refugee Convention was necessary in the first place—codifying the right to refuge after years of failure. As governments revisit migration policy in the face of current crises, these histories remind us of the urgent need to balance security with compassion and justice. At a time when the world is still dealing with refugee crises and rising anti-religious sentiment, these overlooked stories are more important than ever.

About the Authors

Cheuk Him Ryan Sun is a PhD candidate in the Department of History at UBC. His transnational research expands the geography of Jewish exile outside Europe and beyond Shanghai, to consider the British colonies of Hong Kong and Singapore. He adopts a refugee-centered approach that highlights the agency and mobilities of Austrian and German-Jewish refugees in formulating their escape plans, while slowly becoming entangled with the wartime policies of British colonial administrations. His work shows how the distinct experiences of Jewish refugees in Hong Kong and Singapore have been ignored or subsumed within more standard narratives. He is particularly interested in Jewish refugees’ ship-bound experiences, especially how transiting through colonial port-cities and encountering local inhabitants informed Jewish refugees’ understanding of ‘the Orient’.

Document details

This publication is part of the CMS Migration Insights Series. The research briefs synthesize peer-reviewed, published academic research by CMS affiliates.

Media Contact

Are you a member of the media seeking to connect with our experts?

Making Friends, Making Homes: How Cosmopolitan Associations Connect Diverse Immigrants

Participating in cosmopolitan associations helps newcomers expand local networks, build cross-ethnic friendships, and embrace diversity in daily life, contributing to a sense of belonging and membership in Canada’s multicultural society.

Joining groups is a way for people to meet other members and build connections in their local community. CMS affiliate Dr. Sean Lauer’s research shows how participation in different types of associations shapes Canadian newcomers’ everyday experiences of diversity, impacts the ethnic makeup of their friendship circles, and contributes to newcomers’ settlement and integration in the new country.

Read the Brief

“An overlooked part of newcomer experiences includes their involvement with local organizations in Canada. The variety of organizations available, including those that cater to a diversity of backgrounds, interests, and activities, is a key component of the integration experience.”

Sean Lauer

Professor, UBC Sociology

Key Findings

Newcomers who join cosmopolitan associations—groups that bring together people from different cultural or ethnic backgrounds—are more likely to make friends with people who do not share their own ethnic background. In fact, 57% of newcomers in these groups had friends from different ethnic backgrounds, compared to only 38% of those who did not join any group.
Newcomers who join sorting associations—groups made up mostly of people from the same ethnic or cultural background—are the least likely to make friends from other backgrounds. Only 15% of newcomers in these groups formed cross-ethnic friendships.
The type of association a newcomer joins can affect their friendships and how well they adapt to living in a diverse society. People in cosmopolitan associations are more likely to develop a diverse friendship circle (48%) than those in sorting associations (20%).

Recommendations

Governments should invest in cosmopolitan organizations by funding social and cultural programs and spaces that bring together people from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Cosmopolitan organizations should promote routine, collaborative activities. These activities create a common space to make relationships more personal, allowing for more cross-ethnic friendships.

Implications for Current Events

On July 23, 2025, the Canadian government announced a $3.2 billion investment in local organizations aimed at supporting newcomers’ economic integration. This investment recognizes the vital role of local organizations in equipping newcomers with the skills, training, and opportunities necessary to build their lives here. While this focus on economic integration is essential, it is equally important to support the organizations that foster immigrant social integration—building the community connections that make a new country feel like home.

Dr. Lauer’s research suggests cosmopolitan associations are key to immigrant social integration. Compared to sorting associations that are primarily made up of people from the same ethnic background, cosmopolitan associations bring together people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. His findings show that newcomers who join cosmopolitan associations are more likely to have cross-ethnic friendships than those who participate in sorting associations or do not join any group at all. These cross-ethnic friendships are crucial for immigrants to embrace diversity and integrate socially in Canada. Governments should invest in cosmopolitan programs and spaces that facilitate cross-ethnic connections and thereby support newcomers’ social integration.

About the Authors

Sean Lauer is a Professor of Sociology at the University of British Columbia. His research uses institutional and network approaches to study immigration, friendship, marriage, and community organizations. He has published widely, including the books Getting Married: The Public Nature of Private Relationships with Carrie Yodanis and Neighbourhood Houses: Building Community in Vancouver with Miu Chung Yan. His current research explores how community spaces and programs help people build social connections. He is studying how friendships, particularly between people of different ethnic backgrounds, develop through involvement in local organizations. He earned his PhD at the University of New Hampshire.

Capri Kong is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology at the University of British Columbia. She holds a BA degree and a Master’s degree from the University of British Columbia. Her current research studies the characteristics and dynamics of friendship networks among first- and second-generation immigrants and their influence on immigrants’ sense of belonging and integration into Canadian society.

Document details

This publication is part of the CMS Migration Insights Series. The research briefs synthesize peer-reviewed, published academic research by CMS affiliates.

Love and Belonging: How Immigrants Find Romantic Partners in Canada

For immigrants, online dating is more than just a way to find love; it is a channel through which they can build a sense of home and belonging.

A sense of belonging is often tied to settling down, forming relationships, and building a family. Dr. Yue Qian’s research highlights how online dating platforms promote inter-nativity partnerships, fostering connections between immigrants and Canadian-born individuals. These platforms can create opportunities for immigrants to integrate and cultivate a sense of belonging in their new homes.

Note: In this brief, “nativity” refers to whether a person was born in Canada (“Canadian-born”) or born outside of Canada (“foreign-born” or “immigrant”).

Read the Brief

“Calling Canada home isn’t just about work, but also about love and connection. Helping immigrants build meaningful relationships is key to supporting their well-being, belonging, and ability to thrive.”

Yue Qian

Professor, UBC Sociology

Key Findings

Immigrants are 56% more likely than Canadian-born individuals to use online dating. Moving to a new country often starts with limited access to local networks, so immigrants seek other ways to meet potential partners.
Online dating helps connect immigrants and Canadian-born individuals. Immigrants who use online dating report a higher rate of partnering with people born in Canada compared to those using offline channels.
Immigrant men are more successful in partnering with Canadian-born women through online dating than through offline channels. Online platforms allow users to meet more people, which can facilitate interactions across ethnic and language groups and mitigate barriers that limit offline connections.

Recommendations

Immigrant-serving organisations should promote digital integration to help immigrants build connections with Canadian communities. Online dating can encourage cross-cultural exchanges, reduce social distance, and foster a sense of belonging.
Current integration policies and services primarily focus on economic incorporation. This overlooks how relationships help with integration. Government integration policies should also fund programs to help immigrants build new social relationships.

Implications for Current Events

Summer is the wedding season, a time when love and commitment are celebrated across the country. But for many, the idea of a traditional marriage doesn’t hold the same appeal. A national survey by Statistics Canada found that among adults born in Canada, barely half (51%) were married, while 18% lived in a common-law relationship. In comparison, over two-thirds of adult immigrants (69%) in Canada were legally married, and only 7% lived in a common-law relationship. These differences highlight how migration and cultural backgrounds influence relationship choices. They also raise broader questions about how immigrants find love in their new homes.

Online dating can be one pathway to love, marriage and integration. Dr. Yue Qian’s research reveals the potential of online dating platforms to facilitate interactions and cultural exchanges between immigrants and Canadian-born individuals. Her findings on inter-nativity partnerships—romantic relationships between Canadian-born individuals and immigrants—provide insights into how romantic relationships help immigrants integrate into Canadian society. Dating interactions can bridge cultural understandings and reduce the social distances between groups, helping immigrants to feel at home and thrive in Canada. Despite these opportunities, immigrant men often face barriers due to gender and nativity stereotypes and have the lowest success rate in forming a long-term relationship through online dating.

About the Authors

Yue Qian is a Professor of Sociology at the University of British Columbia. Her research examines gender, family and work, and inequality in global contexts, with a focus on North America and East Asia. She has published over 60 articles in leading journals, including Nature Human Behaviour, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), American Sociological Review, Social Forces, and Journal of Marriage and Family. She earned her BA at Renmin University of China and her MA and PhD at The Ohio State University.

Capri Kong is a master’s student in Sociology at the University of British Columbia. She holds a BA degree from the University of British Columbia. Her current research studies the characteristics and dynamics of friendship networks among first- and second-generation immigrants and their influence on immigrants’ sense of belonging and integration into Canadian society.

Document details

This publication is part of the CMS Migration Insights Series. The research briefs synthesize peer-reviewed, published academic research by CMS affiliates.

Media Contact

Are you a member of the media seeking to connect with our experts?

From Classroom to Citizenship: Higher Education’s Role in Migration Policy

Post-secondary institutions around the world have become key migration players through the recruitment, selection, surveillance, and integration of international students.

As countries face labour shortages and their immigration policies shift, international students are increasingly seen as ideal future workers. Research conducted by CMS Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr. Lisa Ruth Brunner and her colleagues examine how Canada, Australia, and Germany have integrated higher education into migration policy, reshaping universities and colleges as key players in immigration through a process known as edugration.

Read the Brief

“The idea of international students as ‘ideal immigrants’ may seem like a perfect policy solution. In practice, however, it changes the role and purpose of higher education institutions and can quickly get distorted by marketization pressures.”

Lisa Ruth Brunner

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, UBC Centre for Migration Studies

Key Findings

Many countries increasingly merge education and migration policies, viewing international students as ideal immigrants—a policy trend called ‘edugration.’
Higher education institutions around the world are now major migration actors. Universities and colleges not only attract potential immigrants through international student recruitment. They also control access to immigration pathways through admission, graduation, and tuition policies. Governments also rely on schools to collect immigration data and promote integration. These new roles are shifting higher education’s societal role.
Edugration approaches differ. Some countries, like Canada and Australia, use high international student tuition fees to subsidize public higher education. This can distort education and labour markets. Other countries, like Germany, do not charge high tuition. Instead, they focus on selective recruitment to fill workforce demands.

Recommendations

Governments should ensure that public colleges and universities have enough funding and freedom to focus on their main job — teaching and research — without being expected to do the work of immigration offices.
Governments should either take away immigration responsibilities from higher education institutions, or provide schools with enough support and funding to offer reliable, high-quality services.

Implications for Current Events

Between 2014 and 2024, the number of study permit holders in Canada grew by over 200%, surpassing one million in 2023. Initially seen as a triple win for students, provinces, and the federal government, concerns about housing, affordability, and labour outcomes shifted the conversation. In 2024, the government capped study permits, reducing them to 437,000 in 2025—a 10% drop. This has led to frustration and a sense of “broken promises” as students face uncertain immigration pathways, with some turning to asylum.

In 2024, Australia hosted 853,000 international students—3% of its population. Rising housing and migration concerns prompted a 2025 enrollment cap of 270,000 and pushed visa fees to AUD 2,500—the highest globally. In Germany, immigration policy changes aimed at attracting skilled workers also raise concerns about integration and job access. These shifts show how student visa policies are now reshaping both immigration systems and the purpose of higher education globally. Dr Lisa Ruth Brunner and colleagues warn against relying on higher education institutions as immigrant ‘integration’ actors as well as immigration decision-makers and call for clearer, more coordinated and transparent residency pathways for students.

About the Authors

Lisa Ruth Brunner is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Centre for Migration Studies at the University of British Columbia. She is also a Public Policy Consultant with the Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC (AMSSA). She conducts critical, interdisciplinary research on international migration, citizenship, and education in Global North settler-colonial contexts. She has over a decade of professional experience as an international student advisor and has been a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant since 2014.

Document details

This publication is part of the CMS Migration Insights Series. The research briefs synthesize peer-reviewed, published academic research by CMS affiliates.

Media Contact

Are you a member of the media seeking to connect with our experts?