“Keep or Push?” The Retention of Canadian Postsecondary Graduates in Their Study Cities

Abstract

As smaller Canadian regions continue to face retention challenges, there is a question as to how postsecondary graduates can contribute to the alleviation of this issue by remaining in their study locations postgraduation. While most previous studies have focused on regional internal mobility trends and rarely engaged causality, this study delves into the potential causal factors that influence retention of postsecondary graduates at the city level, comparing retention patterns between international and domestic graduates. Using the Post Secondary Information System, the study analyses the probability of graduates remaining in their study city within 5 years of graduation using the Cox Proportional Hazard Model. The study reveals that immigration status, study location, study level, and study field are predictors of graduate retention. The findings suggest that facilitating transitioning to permanent residency, focusing on graduates from non‐degree programs, and supporting early‐career individuals could improve retention rates.