ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND WORKFORCE INTEGRATION: A PHENOMENOGRAPHIC STUDY OF INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENTS’ INTERPRETATION OF THEIR JOB MARKET PREPAREDNESS

International graduate students (IGS) contribute substantially to Canadian higher education and the labour market, yet their transitions from advanced academic programs into meaningful employment are shaped by complex, context-dependent factors. Existing research often focuses on employability metrics like job attainment or salaries, neglecting the perspectives of international graduates on their readiness for the workforce. This study examines the diverse ways in which IGS in Canada navigate and understand workforce integration. Intersectionality was employed as a sensitizing lens, highlighting how social identity factors—including race, gender, and nationality—inform participants’ interpretations of opportunity and participation, without determining the analytic categories themselves. Data were gathered from five IGS enrolled in programs related to social sciences, health sciences, and environmental sciences. Participants took part in a mapping exercise and unstructured interviews, sharing detailed stories of their journeys from graduate studies to workforce engagement. The analysis identified six main categories: work experience and learning, mentorship and hidden curriculum access, communication skills and cultural understanding, adapting personal identity, immigration and status factors, and recognition of credentials and labour market value. These categories interacted in complex and sometimes contradictory ways, reflecting the tensions between systemic barriers and adaptive strategies. The outcome space illustrates these relationships, highlighting that workforce integration is relational and influenced by institutional and policy contexts rather than following a linear path. By centering IGS’ perspectives, this study contributes to higher education research, policy, and practice by reframing career transitions beyond deficit models and offering insights for supporting diverse graduates as they navigate post-study work and settlement in Canada.