Should I Stay or Should I Go? International Students’ Decision-Making About Staying in Canada

Elena Netierman (), Lauren Harrison, Angela Freeman, Grace Shoyele, Victoria Esses and Christine Covell
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Elena Netierman: University of Waterloo
Lauren Harrison: University of Waterloo
Angela Freeman: University of Waterloo
Grace Shoyele: University of Alberta
Victoria Esses: University of Western Ontario
Christine Covell: University of Alberta

Journal of International Migration and Integration, 2022, vol. 23, issue 1, No 3, 43-60

Abstract: Abstract Recent decades have seen an increase in the popularity of international education. Approximately 500,000 international students were in Canada in 2018 and this number is projected to grow. While we know that many international students decide to stay in Canada, we do not fully understand the decision-making process employed by international students regarding staying in Canada or going back home after completing their education. The purpose of this study was to explore how international students make decisions about their post-graduation destination and what factors they see as pivotal in shaping their decision-making process. We utilized a symbolic interactionist approach to analyze qualitative semi-structured interviews with 60 international students enrolled in post-secondary programs in Canada. Our findings suggest that the meaning students attach to staying in Canada varies from obtaining permanent residency to working for a few months upon graduation. We also demonstrate that for most students, the decision to stay in Canada is formed gradually and is shaped by familial obligations, cultural climate they experience in Canada, employment opportunities available to them upon graduation, and the possibility of obtaining permanent residency.

Keywords: International students; Canada; Migration decision-making; Qualitative (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1007/s12134-021-00825-1

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