Strengthening support for international students in Toronto-area colleges: new report reveals urgent need
Over the past decade, the number of international students enrolled in Canadian colleges has steadily risen. In Ontario, the largest destination province for international students, more international students have been enrolling in colleges than universities since the 2018/19 academic year.
As Ontario's colleges increasingly shape educational migration pathways and internationalization policies in Canada, the Intergovernmental Committee for Economic and Labour Force Development (external link) (ICE Committee) recognized their distinct challenges and so commissioned Marshia Akbar, CERC Migration Research Lead, Labour Migration, to conduct a study on the needs and experience of international students based at Toronto-area colleges.
Marshia’s investigation focused on six publicly funded colleges in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and employed a combination of secondary and primary data collection methods, including interviews and an extensive literature review.
“The report sheds light on the challenges faced by international college students as they transition from studying to working and integrating into the social and economic fabric of Toronto,” said Marshia Akbar. “It highlights the critical role that public colleges and various stakeholders, including the government and the settlement sector, have in facilitating the successful integration of students as they transition from studying to working, and from temporary to permanent status.”
The report explains that funding cuts in higher education made colleges increasingly dependent on international tuition fees for revenues. To attract a continuous stream of students, colleges often collaborate with recruitment agencies located outside of Canada. Unfortunately, these agencies often play a key role in providing false information and promises related to employment and immigration, creating misleading expectations for prospective students.
Once these students arrive in Canada, according to the report, their temporary status limits their social and labour rights. Moreover, the support services they receive from both colleges and the federal government are insufficiently funded, limited in scope and challenging to navigate. As a result, many international college students and graduates struggle to thrive in Canada.
To address the current state of isolated and fragmented services, the study proposes a collaborative service delivery model that brings together public colleges, federal and provincial governments and settlement organizations and builds upon best practices and examples of successful collaborations.
The report recommends 34 specific actions that address critical issues, from the structural challenges of the recruitment process to the information, policy and service gaps. Additionally, the report underscores the need for ethical practices and targeted services tailored to the unique needs of international students.
“Overall, this report seeks to provide valuable insights into the experiences of international college students in Toronto and to offer practical recommendations to improve their academic, social and employment outcomes,” said Marshia.