Immigrant Youth in Canadian Postsecondary Education: Pathway Morphologies in the Province of Quebec

Abstract

This article aims to describe and understand the postsecondary pathway morphologies of immigrant youth in Quebec, as well as the factors contributing to structuring them. The results obtained from the analysis of the Ministry of Education data (N = 20,387) show that these young people pursue postsecondary education through linear pathways in larger proportions than their peers whose parents are born in Canada. However, the differences are much higher at university level than at that of general and vocational colleges (known by their French acronym CÉGEP: Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel). In addition, there are significant differences among immigrant youth according to the geographical region of origin of their parents. In contrast, there is almost no difference in nonlinear pathways. This article suggests some possible interpretations.