Statistics Canada: STEM Graduates Find Employment and Earn More

New data illustrates that students graduating from Technology, Science, Mathematics, and Engineering, earn more than the Humanities, Health, Business, Social Science, Education and Arts graduates. Furthermore, STEM students are more likely to get employment as compared to the BHASE students.

The report from a 2016 census done by statistics Canada gives new insights on employment earnings of Canadian born and immigrant graduates who are aged 25 and 34, having Bachelor’s degree in any STEM course.

For Canada international students, STEM-related degrees and work experience increase their chances of getting a Canadian citizen status. This is because more and more provinces in Canada are utilizing Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to keep international students with professional skills and specialized trade in STEM fields from going back to their countries.

STEM field get higher earnings

According to statistics, male graduated aged 25 to 34 and having a bachelor’s degree of any course in a STEM field, have higher earnings than their counterparts do in the BHASE fields.

In 2015, 375,443 were the average annual earnings for a STEM graduate. While 58,448 was the average, annual earnings for a BHASE graduate.

For female graduates, the percentage difference was smaller, as female STEM graduates earned only 11.5% more than their counterparts in BHASE did.

Among all STEM graduates, those having an Engineering bachelor’s degree earned the most. The average annual earnings for these students were 76,500 for both female and male graduates.

Geography Matters

A closer look at the data reveals that earnings for STEM graduates also varied with regard to the geographical location. In particular, graduate (STEM) in resource-rich provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador plus Alberta and Saskatchewan demonstrated higher earnings as compared to BHASE graduates in the same provinces.

For instance, male BHASE graduates earned 47% less than their STEM counterparts earned in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada’s most easternmost provinces. Moreover, Newfoundland and Labrador plus Alberta and Saskatchewan were the provinces where STEM graduates earned the highest pay.

Alberta, Newfoundland, and Labrador, plus Quebec are the three provinces having the highest percentage of engineering students who have secured jobs. The fact that Alberta and Newfoundland have a high demand for graduates in the natural resource sectors is the main reason for this percentage. The same goes for Quebec, which has a high demand for graduates in the tech sector.

Alignments of immigration programs with the needs of the labor market

Of all immigration university graduates in 2011, 37% with a STEM degree have continued and finished their studies in Canada. These shows that STEM field international students have settled in Canada after graduation. STEM occupations highly valued by the provincial and federal immigration programs in Canada.

Interestingly, software developers are one of the most invited candidates for the Express Entry System. Additionally, provincial immigration programs mostly focus on occupations meeting their labor market needs. Majority of PNPs highly prioritize STEM occupants.

For instance, the province of Manitoba recently created a new STEM-focused list, which is in line with the province’s in-demand occupation. This list prioritizes STEM field graduates.

Furthermore, most Canadian provinces have a PNP focusing on Computer Science, Engineering, or Technology courses. In fact, British Columbia currently has a weekly tech pilot where international students in the technology sector are invited.

Therefore, if you choose a course in the STEM field, you can settle down in your student residence knowing that your future in Canada is bright.