Category(s):
Population Dynamics and Immigration
Status: Active
Principal: Ted McDonald
Project Number: P0129
Year Approved: 2024
International students and temporary workers play an important role in economic growth, meeting labour shortages and helping to address the challenges arising from an ageing population. As well, they form an importance source of permanent residents in NB. Retaining international students after they complete their studies will contribute to the population, labor force and economic development of the province. International student graduates will usually transition to a temporary work permit as a perquisite for meeting the requirements of permanent residency, so there is interest in understanding the pathways into permanent residency and how retention changes through these pathways.
This project will consider the characteristics of international students and temporary workers and their transitions to permanent residence in NB, characterizing them by gender, age group, country of origin, family status and time in New Brunswick. For international students, field of study, level of education, and post-secondary institution will also be examined.
The analysis will consider three groups of temporary residents - i) International graduates who entered NB on a study visa, and who subsequently obtain temporary work permits followed by permanent residence, ii) graduates who directly obtain permanent residency (e.g., Federal Skilled Workers) at the conclusion of their studies, and ii) Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) who come to NB on a work permit. The characteristics and retention decisions of these groups of temporary residents will be contrasted with those of individuals whose first arrival in NB is as permanent residents. Outcomes of interest include transition rates and retention, with the main policy implication of the project being insights into which group of immigrants to NB are most likely to stay.
