Top Jobs International Students In Canada Pursue After Graduation

 Foreign bachelor’s degree holders in Canada primarily work in sales and service industries, while postgraduate students tend to pursue careers in science, engineering, and information technology.

Last week, Statistics Canada released a survey on the employment trends of international students. Although the number of respondents was not disclosed, the study focused on students who graduated in 2020 across all education levels, from college to PhD, and have remained in Canada for at least three years to work.

Overall, the largest proportion (28.3%) of international graduates work in sales and service, followed by business, finance, and administration (24%), and science, engineering, and IT (20.7%). The percentage of international graduates working in other fields is below 10%, with the lowest being natural resources, agriculture, and forestry—only 0.2%.

Job choices also vary by education level. College and undergraduate graduates predominantly work in sales and service, whereas postgraduate students (master’s and PhD) are more likely to be employed in science, engineering, and IT-related fields.

These trends reflect the career choices of international students in Canada. According to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), between 2018 and 2023, the highest number of study permits were issued for students in business, economics, and IT programs, ranging from 316,000 to 428,000, whereas fields like agriculture, forestry, and fisheries had fewer than 10,000 permits issued.

The survey also revealed that international graduates earn lower salaries than domestic students. For instance, international bachelor’s degree holders earn an average of CAD 52,000 per year, which is about 20% lower than their Canadian counterparts (CAD 65,200). At the master’s level, the gap is 16.6%, with international graduates earning CAD 70,000 annually.

Researchers explain that this wage gap is partly due to the high percentage of international students working in sales and service, an industry known for lower-than-average wages.

According to the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), by the end of 2023, Canada had over one million international students, with nearly 400,000 holding a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)—a 35% increase from previous years. The Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs reported that in 2022, international students contributed CAD 30.9 billion to the economy, accounting for 1.2% of the country’s GDP.

Over the past year, IRCC has implemented multiple policy changes to control immigration numbers. In September 2024, Canada announced it would issue 437,000 study permits in 2025, a 10% reduction compared to the previous year. Additionally, the financial proof requirement was increased to over CAD 20,600 (USD 15,300), double the long-standing CAD 10,000 requirement.

In November 2024, the Student Direct Stream (SDS) program was discontinued, which previously allowed students from 14 countries and regions to fast-track their visa applications without financial proof. Furthermore, PGWP applicants must now submit an English or French language certificate according to the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) system. University graduates must achieve at least CLB 7, while college graduates need a minimum of CLB 5, equivalent to B2 and B1 levels under the European framework.

Canada remains one of the most popular study destinations worldwide. The average annual cost for an international bachelor’s student in Canada, including tuition and living expenses, is approximately CAD 36,000 (USD 26,800).