International Student Programs as Pathways to Permanent Residency?

International Student Programs as Pathways to Permanent Residency?

Project: International Student Programs as Pathways to Permanent Residency? Examining International Students’ Experiences with Two-Step Immigration to Canada

Principal Investigator: Ethel Tungohan

Research Assistants: Negin Hamesh, Edith Pan

Two-step immigration—which signifies prospective immigrants entering Canada through a 'temporary' immigration category before attempting to transition into permanent residency by applying for another immigration program—is becoming more commonplace in Canada. Research reveals, for instance, that international students in Canada increasingly intend to make Canada their permanent base. Many students, in fact, are already degree holders in other countries, and come to Canada as international student visa holders with the intention to apply for permanent residency. The goal of this project is to examine international students' experiences to Canada, focusing specifically on the following: how they first heard about immigration opportunities to Canada, their experiences with stakeholders (e.g., recruiters, immigration consultants), their attempts to meet requirements for permanent residency through language testing, and their overall goals. With a specific focus on the experiences of international students in private and public post-secondary institutions in Ontario, this project ascertains whether and how international students from different institutions have different integration experiences. Through literature reviews, documentary analysis, and one-on-one interviews, this project will begin to examine the landscape of international students' experiences with two-step immigration in Canada.