Research summary: Postsecondary enrolments in Canada
Official title: A portrait of postsecondary enrolments in Canada
Authors of the report: Emily Jovic and Jason Gupta
Alternate formats
A portrait of postsecondary enrolments in Canada [PDF - 297 KB]
Large print, braille, MP3 (audio), e-text and DAISY formats are available on demand by ordering online or calling 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232). If you use a teletypewriter (TTY), call 1-800-926-9105.
Why this study
The government runs many programs that deal with education after high school (post-secondary education or PSE). Fairness of these programs is important. This study looks at who is attending PSE (like colleges and universities) in Canada. It focuses on specific groups.
What we did
We used a data linkage environment called the Education and Labour Market Longitudinal Platform (ELMLP). It includes data from the Census and the postsecondary Student Information System (PSIS). We looked at information about programs students were in and their backgrounds.
What we found
In the 2021 to 2022 school year, there were 1.6 million postsecondary students in Canada. Out of these:
- 925,000 (59%) were women
- 325,000 (21%) were immigrants
- 557,000 (35%) were part of visible minority groups, and
- 58,000 (4%) identified as Indigenous
Enrolment in diploma and certificate programs dropped by 8% from 2016 to 2021, but university enrolments (including bachelor's and graduate programs) went up by 5%.
Even though women are still underrepresented in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), they made up a large part of the following fields:
- health care (81%)
- education (77%), and
- social science (73%)
Students from South Asian and Chinese backgrounds, and recent immigrants, were more likely to study STEM fields:
- women, especially Indigenous and Black women, were less likely to choose STEM
- Black students often studied health care and social sciences
- Indigenous students were more likely to be in education and other areas like:
- arts
- humanities
- trades, and
- natural resources
What it means
This study gives helpful information to support ESDC programs about postsecondary education. For example, the Student Work Placements program (SWPP) helps students find paid jobs with:
- employers, and
- postsecondary schools
SWPP can use this study to improve its programs and set goals for how many jobs to offer based on what students are studying. The study also explains how students choose their programs, which can affect their job opportunities later on.
Contact us
For access to the full report, please contact us using the email address below.
Skills and Employment Branch, Labour Market Information Directorate, Policy Research Analysis and Geomatics Division
Email: esdc.nc.sspb.research-recherche.dgpss.cn.edsc@esdc-edsc.gc.ca