Researchers with R-B-C are calling for an urgent reset of Canada's immigration process to keep talented international students in the country to fill key labour shortages.
R-B-C researchers say the path from becoming an international student to a permanent resident in Canada is not a straight line, and the daunting task of navigating the complicated system may be turning qualified and much-needed workers away.
In their report for R-B-C Thought Leadership, lead researcher Ben Richardson and editor Yadullah Hussain say one of the issues is that study permit holders are limited to only 20 hours of off-campus work per week to protect the immigration system from potential abuse.
Given the tight labour markets, the researchers argue there is a case to allow international students to accumulate more Canadian work experience in their field of study.
They say a lack of work experience is a key barrier to students finding a job after they graduate, which also puts them at a disadvantage when it comes to getting permanent residency.
They also suggest the government should provide guidance on targeted work-study programs that more closely align with the skills needed by provincial governments and employers.