System-Level Realities (Canada + USA) Universities market “employability” without legal responsibility No accountability if students fail to secure jobs or visas.

 System-Level Realities (Canada + USA)

Universities market “employability” — without legal responsibility

• Employability is marketing, not a guarantee
  Phrases like “career-ready,” “industry-aligned,” “high placement rate,” or “pathway to work” are non-binding claims. Universities carefully avoid contractual language that would make them legally responsible for outcomes.

• No liability for job outcomes
  If a graduate fails to secure employment, universities typically face zero legal consequences. Career services are positioned as support, not placement assurance.

• No responsibility for visa or immigration results
  Student visas, OPT, PGWP, H-1B, or PR pathways are explicitly outside university control. Even when programs are promoted as “immigration-friendly,” institutions legally disclaim responsibility for:

  • Visa refusals

  • Policy changes mid-program

  • Work permit or PR denials

• Risk is transferred entirely to students
  Students carry:

  • Tuition debt

  • Living-cost inflation

  • Policy volatility

  • Labour-market saturation

  Universities collect fees upfront, while outcomes remain uncertain.

• International students are treated as consumers, not protégés
  Especially in Canada and the US, international education operates as a revenue model. Once instruction is delivered, institutional obligations largely end.

Bottom line:

“Employability” is a promise of opportunity, not outcome.
When jobs or visas don’t materialize, the system offers sympathy — not accountability.