When a student makes the personal and financial commitment to study overseas, improving employability prospects is often a top priority. International students may choose degrees, institutions and even countries based on expected career outcomes; yet only about half engage with employability and career services during their studies, and there are persistent post-graduation employment and earnings gaps between international students and their domestic peers.
So what’s going on? This key question was explored at a recent IEAA Student Life Forum, which brought together international education colleagues to consider who these programs are reaching, who’s missing out and how to engage a wider audience. This blog shares highlights from the keynote presentation by Dr Alan McAlpine, Deputy Director, Student Success at Curtin University and President of the National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (NAGCAS). In his presentation, Alan shared perspectives and research that invited the audience to reframe international student employability, not as a ‘deficit’ issue, but through the lens of sustainable development and social justice.
Reframing the ’employment gap’
Historically, international full-time employment rates have always trailed domestic full-time employment rates, across all levels of study.
2023 Graduate Outcomes Survey
When it comes to graduate employability in Australia, the data tells a divided story. Full-time employment rates are almost 20% lower for international graduates compared to domestic graduates (60% vs. 79%). In postgraduate coursework the gap is bigger still: 61% of international vs. 90% of domestic students were employed full-time within 4-6 months of finishing their course (QILT Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2023). Longitudinal data shows that the gap narrows to a 6-8% difference over time, but this ongoing disparity is concerning for anyone who cares about student outcomes, equity and access.
Whilst there are challenges in the employment landscape for international graduates, there are also practical barriers to engaging in employability and careers support programs at university. Alan reminded us that international students are disproportionately affected by concerns around paid work, financial circumstances and living arrangements that add pressure and reduce the opportunities available during their studies. Communication and cultural adjustments can undermine student confidence to engage with employability initiatives and build networks, whilst conscious or unconscious bias from peers and student support systems can all contribute to an unhelpful framing of international students as ‘problems to solve‘, rather than valued community members.
Reframing ‘just a job’ to social justice priority
When you start to look into this topic a bit further, the work of career development – and in particular, vocational psychology – is really rooted in social justice.
Dr Alan McAlpine
This is about more than just finding jobs for students. Alan drew direct connections between career development work and broader social justice issues, illustrated by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in particular, Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and Goal 4 (Quality Education for All). He noted that effective career development support can also advance Goal 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) and Goal 1 (No Poverty). When international students can successfully navigate career pathways and secure meaningful employment, they experience improved wellbeing and economic security.
We know that career development can support wellbeing, and we know that career counselling supports optimism and a positive outlook for individuals. So how do we think about these things together?
Dr Alan McAlpine
We might not usually think of wellbeing and careers support in the same space, but Alan pointed out that there are important connections here. Career development that helps students identify their vocational direction based on personal values and interests (again – not ‘just a job’) contributes significantly to psychological wellbeing. Drawing on early 20th century career development pioneer Frank Parsons and contemporary positive psychology from Martin Seligman, Alan highlighted how career guidance can promote optimism and support positive transitions. For international students experiencing multiple transition challenges, this holistic approach can be particularly valuable.
From ‘challenge’ to reciprocal development opportunity
Let’s try and shift the way we think about things, rather than talking about the barriers, issues, or challenges we have with international students. How do we build bridges that work with them, bring things together and ultimately support them to engage and find that right direction for them?
Dr Alan McAlpine
Alan concluded by advocating for a fundamental shift in language and approach, with a focus on reciprocal learning and mutual benefit. He suggested that closer collaboration between student wellbeing services and career development teams could create more holistic support systems that help international students navigate their unique challenges.
With a constantly-shifting employment landscape, institutions are perfectly placed to recognise and champion the contributions of our global graduate cohorts, to seek out and embed diverse perspectives in career development and support through the university experience and beyond. This isn’t just an institutional careers guidance tick box. It’s part of a broader commitment to global equity and sustainable development.