Supporting Immigrants and International Students is Key to Canada’s Economic Future

Supporting Immigrants and International Students is Key to Canada’s Economic Future

Supporting Immigrants and International Students is Key to Canada’s Economic Future 

Denise Amyot, President and CEO of Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), and Don Bureaux, President of Nova Scotia Community College recently discussed the ever-growing need to support international students, and the impact it will have on the economy of Canada.   After nearly two years of pandemic completely upending the labour market, Canada needs more workers. The best way to fill this gap in Canada’s economy is to rely on international students and immigrants.  Postsecondary institutions play a critical role in supporting future waves of immigrants. Colleges and institutes are ideally positioned to help the integration of newcomers. They are the fastest growing level of study for international students in Canada and account for almost half of study permits at the post-secondary level.   Postsecondary institutions offer support to skilled newcomers looking to quickly integrate into the labour market, including language training, employment services, and connections to community employers. They also offer specialized academic upgrading programs to international and newcomer students, and a variety of reskilling and upskilling options tailored to their local employment market.  One goal is to make it easier for the tens of thousands of international students who are already in the country to access permanent residency. These students are ideal candidates for immigration – with an education grounded in Canada, an understanding of Canadian workplace norms and, in many cases, a strong desire to make Canada their permanent home.  Finally, Mrs. Denise and Mr. Don state that Canada should boost its talent pool by developing and implementing permanent residency streams for international students graduating from colleges and institutes in Canada. Retaining the talent of these students in Canada has been the focus of several pilot projects in recent years. It is vital to support international students in Canada by giving them permanent residency and more accessible pathways to citizenship.   Colleges and institutes are committed to supporting newcomers at this critical time in Canada’s history. All establishments have a role to play, particularly colleges. Click here to learn more about our college partners, Collège Boréal and La Cité