How career services can support international students amid a shifting immigration landscape
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
In 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) began to introduce a series of changes to Canada’s International Student Program. First, the government implemented a cap on international student intake, then field-of-study requirements were added to the eligibility criteria for the post-graduation work permit (PGWP). The changes have been fast and furious. The most recent change to PGWP eligibility in June 2025 was rescinded a couple weeks later. The IRCC website states that the field of study list will again be updated in early 2026.
These unexpected, constant changes have led to confusion, uncertainty and stress among international students. Those who no longer met the PGWP eligibility requirement had to quickly switch to a program that was PGWP-eligible. As a result, students sought advice about program changes and career direction. While considering different career paths is a normal process in career development, the circumstances around the decisions international students are now faced with is more of a necessity than a choice.
At the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), career and academic advisors worked closely with international student advisors to address the difficult conversations stemming from these policy changes. As career professionals, we grappled with questions including:
- How do we best support international students who find themselves in this challenging situation?
- How do we create a space for meaningful career exploration within time-sensitive constraints?
- In what ways can we guide students as they transition into new fields?
We look to two career development theories to help us answer these questions.
This article is part of a CareerWise series on “Supporting Newcomer Success.” Sign up for our CareerWise Weekly newsletter to receive next week’s special themed issue, exploring newcomer hiring and retention, employment readiness, credential recognition and more.
Planned Happenstance Theory
The first theory is Planned Happenstance by Mitchell, Levin and Krumboltz (1999). This theory resonates as it encourages individuals to embrace uncertainty and unexpected events as opportunities for growth, learning and career advancement.
A fixed plan is not always necessary. Career professionals can empathize with students experiencing this unexpected change and bring a positive spin that change can be viewed as an opportunity rather than a setback. They can set students on a path of proactive preparation to embrace this new opportunity.
Chaos Theory of Careers
The second theory is the Chaos Theory of Careers by Bright and Pryor (2005). This theory is also applicable as it considers that systems affect the course of our careers.
“Both theories reinforce the notion that career paths are not always linear, measurable or predictable.”
For international students, unpredictable changes in immigration policy are a systemic source of career chaos. This theory reminds career professionals that sometimes there is not a “right plan,” and obstacles can be seen as an inevitable part of a career journey. We can lean into this reality when advising students, helping them leverage this “chaos” to move forward in the face of uncertainty.
Both theories reinforce the notion that career paths are not always linear, measurable or predictable. We can adopt the principles and attitudes of these theories in our practice to support international students to navigate their career paths amid changing immigration policies.
1. Address students’ “chaos” and support them in embracing uncertainty
Students who elect to switch to a new program of study are often uncertain about their options. They may have received contradicting suggestions from friends, family members or education agents as to which programs are most likely to allow them to stay in Canada post-graduation.
As career professionals, we can alleviate students’ stress by:
- Validating the confusion they are experiencing
- Helping them embrace this unexpected opportunity
- Guiding them to envision the change as part of their career development journey
2. Help students make informed decisions about their career path
Students may have to quickly decide whether to switch to an academic program that is PGWP-eligible. Finances and program completion timeline may limit the number of programs students may consider. This makes the decision more complex. It is important to help students understand that they still need to allocate time to reflect, assess, research and learn from people in the field. This will help students choose the best path forward from the limited available options.
To help students make quick but informed decisions, career professionals should provide space for them to:
- Self-reflect on their interests, passion, strengths, values, abilities and/or goal aspirations
- Narrow down potential programs of interest
- Explore details on potential careers (e.g. exploring labour market information, holding informational interviews with professionals in the field)
- Decide on a program that they are more likely to succeed in
3. Support students as they transition to new career paths
Switching career trajectories can be a daunting undertaking. While students should be encouraged to explore their chosen career path, they should also be committed to exploring opportunities seemingly outside of their new field of study. Diverse learning brings opportunity for creative transformation, which will prepare students to make smoother pivots in their career whenever future uncertainty arises.
Career professionals can support students in their transition by emphasizing the importance of:
- Committing to ongoing learning and skill development: Encourage students to take small steps to avoid being overwhelmed when trying to learn about their new field of study. They should take advantage of opportunities for learning e.g. career panels and industry-related events whether related or seemingly unrelated to their new path.
- Cultivating supportive networks: As students participate in new learning opportunities, they should aim to build strong relationships, as these connections can provide valuable resources and support in navigating their careers.
- Creating an action plan: Recognizing that plans could change over time based on circumstances, it is still valuable to create an action plan that focuses on acquiring skills and experiences that prepare students to take advantage of unexpected opportunities.
4. Instil key attitudes students should embody to explore career paths now and beyond
Now that change is here and there is no guarantee that the current realities will last, this is the perfect opportunity for students to pursue new experiences and connections to leverage opportunities from future unexpected events.
Career professionals could advise students on key attitudes they need to embrace current and future uncertainty:
- Curiosity: Advise students to be open and actively engaged in new opportunities and experiences that could spark new ideas and interests and build new connections.
- Persistence: Remind students that obstacles will always arise. Celebrate successes and embrace failure to build resilience.
- Optimism: Restore their hope that undertaking new opportunities is valuable to refining their career path. Engage students in storytelling that brings value and meaning to each experience.
- Flexibility: Help students understand that the ability to adapt to new circumstances will allow them to take advantage of unexpected situations that can help them change or create new plans as they continue exploring their career path.
Moving forward with intention
Reflecting on our practice as career and student services professionals over the past couple of years, we notice that Canada’s immigration policy changes led to increased intentionality in our conversations with international students around being prepared for career shifts during unexpected times. As we continue to see shifts in immigration policies, career professionals can continue to apply the principles from Planned Happenstance and Chaos theories to support students in embracing uncertainty, making quick pivots on their career trajectory, transitioning to new fields of study and instilling key attitudes that they need to explore new career paths.
It is also important to recognize that the complexities of international students’ intertwining career and immigration goals calls for a collaborative approach in helping students navigate their career paths. We need to continue working alongside other professionals in our institutions to provide holistic support to international students amid changing immigration policies.
