International postsecondary students at school and at work

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Release date: September 20, 2019

Infographic: International postsecondary students at school and at work
Description: International postsecondary students at school and at work

International postsecondary students at school and at work

International student enrolment in postsecondary programs almost doubled between 2009 and 2015.

Postsecondary enrolments
Year International students Canadian citizens Permanent residentsFootnote 1
2009 84,582 1,119,679 84,544
2015 166,242 1,202,765 95,900

International postsecondary students are less likely to combine work and studies than domestic students.

Percentage of postsecondary students filing T4 wages and salaries
Year Canadian citizens Permanent residents International students
2015 86% 74% 49%

International students are somewhat more likely to graduate within five years of first registration compared to domestic students.

Percentage of postsecondary students who graduated within five years of first registering in 2010
Year Canadian citizens Permanent residents International students
2015 59% 57% 64%

International students are far less likely to report earnings in Canada than domestic students six years after graduation.

Percentage of postsecondary students who filed T4 wages and salaries six years after graduation in 2010
Year Canadian citizens Permanent residents International students
2016 79% 65% 36%

On average, international students earn slightly less than domestic students with similar characteristics six years after graduation.

Adjusted mean annual T4 wages and salaries of international students six years after graduating from a bachelor's degree program in 2010Footnote 2
Year Sex Canadian citizens Permanent residents International students
2016 Men $70,117 $69,288 $67,934
2016 Women $54,708 $58,368 $49,150

Note: Postsecondary programs include college certificate and diploma programs, as well as university degree programs.

Sources: Study: Postsecondary Experience and Early Labour Market Outcomes of International Study Permit Holders and Statistics Canada, Postsecondary Student Information System, Longitudinal Immigration Database, and T1 Family file.

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