Best Fields of Study in Canada for International Students

Overview of the Study

A study by Statistics Canada (by Youjin Choi and Li Xu) found that international students who studied healthcare in Canada had better career alignment — meaning they worked in jobs related to their studies, compared to those in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and Business fields.

The study looked at international students who later became permanent residents (PRs) between 2011 and 2021.

Healthcare Tops in Study-to-Job Match

Healthcare graduates had the highest alignment rate (56.7%), while Business students had the lowest (35.2%), and STEM students were in between (43%).

In short, healthcare students were more likely to find jobs related to what they studied.

STEM and Business Students Show Lower Alignment

Those who studied STEM or Business programs below the bachelor’s level had the least alignment with their jobs.
However, for healthcare students, alignment was strongest at the bachelor’s level.

Education in Canada Improves Alignment

Students who completed their highest education in Canada were more likely to find related jobs than those who studied abroad.
This trend was strongest for STEM graduates (+16%) and least for healthcare graduates (+1.5%).

STEM Students Still Have Strong Job Outcomes

Even though their alignment was lower, STEM graduates had the lowest unemployment rate among all groups.
Moreover, even when working outside their field, STEM graduates were more likely to find medium- or high-skilled jobs compared to others.

Business Graduates Often Switch Fields

Many Business and Administration graduates moved into unrelated occupations — about half (49.3%) of them.
They were the most likely group to end up in fields outside their studies, such as general or administrative roles.

Healthcare Graduates Stay Closest to Their Field

In contrast, Healthcare graduates were the most consistent, with most working in health-related roles and only a small portion shifting to other sectors.

Higher Education Levels

Generally, a higher level of education meant better job alignment — especially for STEM and Business students.
However, for Healthcare graduates, the bachelor’s degree level showed the best match (62.1%), while those above bachelor’s level saw slightly less alignment (51.6%).

International Student PRs Do Better Than Other Immigrants

Finally, international students who studied in Canada before becoming PRs had higher alignment rates compared to immigrants who came without any Canadian education.
This shows that Canadian study experience helps students settle into related careers more successfully.

Conclusion

• Healthcare graduates: Best study-to-job match.
• STEM graduates: Strong job outcomes, even if not always in their field.
• Business graduates: Most likely to switch fields.
• Canadian education: Boosts chances of finding a related job.
• Higher education: Improves alignment, but in healthcare, bachelor’s works best.

Get in touch with SPS Global

Receive professional advice on any of your questions regarding Canadian immigration. get in touch with us, experienced immigration consultants from SPS Global. For additional information, contact support@spscanada.com (Canada) or support.amd@spscanada.com (Ahmedabad), or by phone at (1) 905-362-9393 (Canada) or +919586226232 (Ahmedabad).