ABSTRACT
Policies regarding the recruitment of international students and their participation in employment are shifting. Many countries are easing visa restrictions to increase international students’ participation in the workforce while they are studying and post-graduation. Employment experience may increase opportunities in their home countries, but many international students seek to connect study and work experience to their longer-term plans for pursuing permanent residency. As countries embark on economic recovery and develop strategies to replenish their labor force, international students will be sought as highly skilled knowledge workers. In this essay, I review shifting trends that position international students as commodities for economic gain in education, local employment, and the global labor market.
