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.

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.

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