International Graduates at Fleming College: Exploring Career Intentions and Employment Outcomes was written by Alana Button and Alexandra MacFarlane, Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, based on the report submitted to HEQCO by Fleming College
A case study from Fleming College finds that prior to fall 2024, most international students chose their programs with the intention of living and working in Ontario after graduation, with those who graduated from education, law and healthcare programs more likely to find work in their field.
The 2024 changes to the intake cap on international student permit applications and the eligibility criteria for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) have already had a notable impact on the number of international students enrolling in Ontario postsecondary institutions. And because for many international students the PGWP offers a pathway to immigration, it remains a crucial component of their postsecondary enrollment decision making. The ongoing changes to the PGWP program eligibility list, which identifies the fields of study that qualify international graduates for a work permit, make it difficult for those students to plan their future in Ontario and for institutions to manage program offerings and enrollment planning.
A case study of Fleming College’s international students who graduated prior to PGWP eligibility changes offers insights into students’ decision-making processes and raises questions about the impact of the recent policy shift. As part of the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) consortium on international education, Fleming College analyzed international students’ survey responses from across three of Fleming’s campuses, comparing the employment aspirations of 2023-24 students and employment outcomes of recent graduates prior to fall 2024.
Through online student surveys, Fleming College found that most international students chose to study in Ontario because of both job opportunities and family connections to the province. The overwhelming majority of students indicated that they chose their field of study because it would prepare them both for a job in their field and for obtaining a PGWP. The examination of two other datasets — Fleming’s LiveAlumni database and the College Graduate Outcomes Survey — found that most of the graduates in the study were employed in Canada and only 15% were working in their field of study six months after graduation. However, those who graduated from certain fields, like healthcare, education, law and social, community and government services were far more likely to find work in their field.
While international students’ transitions into the labour market after graduation are shaped by a variety of factors, the Fleming College case study offers insight into international students’ expectations and raises questions about how new PGWP eligibility criteria may help those students secure employment in their fields while at the same time filling labour market gaps in Ontario.