According to recent research from Statistics Canada, international students who study healthcare in Canada are significantly more likely to work in fields aligned with their education than those from STEM or business programs. The study highlights a growing distinction between fields of study when it comes to career success after immigration.
As Maple News reports, the study analyzed international students who became permanent residents between 2011 and 2021. The key finding reveals that healthcare graduates — especially those earning a bachelor’s degree or higher in Canada — enjoy superior job alignment compared to their peers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), or business-related programs.
Graduates in healthcare had an average alignment rate of 56.7%, outperforming STEM graduates at 43.0% and business and administration graduates at only 35.2%. These alignment percentages measure how closely a graduate’s job matches their field of study, offering insight into real-world career outcomes for international students.
The study’s authors, Youjin Choi and Li Xu, also noted that educational level plays an important role. Graduates with higher levels of education, especially those earned within Canada, demonstrated stronger alignment to jobs related to their fields of study. This suggests Canadian academic credentials are highly valued by local employers.
Notably, the lowest alignment rates were observed among students in business or STEM who completed studies below the bachelor’s level. This indicates that international students may struggle to break into their target careers without higher qualifications, or if their education is not Canadian-based.
By contrast, healthcare stands out not only for its higher employment alignment but also its growing demand across Canada. With an aging population and chronic staffing shortages in hospitals and care facilities, healthcare professionals are increasingly sought after. This dynamic makes it a strong pathway for international students pursuing permanent residence through study-to-immigration routes.
For prospective international students looking at long-term settlement in Canada, these findings underline the importance of choosing a field of study that offers better integration into the Canadian job market. Healthcare appears to be a particularly strategic choice for those aiming to convert their education into long-term residency and stable employment.
Maple News will continue to track how evolving labor demands affect Canada’s international education and immigration outcomes.