Canadian universities are increasingly reliant on their recruitment agency partners (Agents) to achieve their international recruitment targets, and improve efficiency, flexibility, and ensure a sustainable market presence. It is unclear if the relationship between Post-Secondary Institutions (PSI) and Agents is mutually sustainable, or what factors promote a successful Agent-PSI relationship. This study explores the Agent-PSI relationship from Agents’ perspectives through the use of an analytical lens informed by supply chain theories. I aim to understand relational factors that drive satisfaction from agents’ perspectives. This study uses a theoretically driven model to analyze the survey data of 91 respondents to determine positive relational factors. Initial surveys were followed by semi-structured interviews of randomly selected respondents to provide additional analysis into data anomalies. The findings show that Relationship Trust led to improved Agent-PSI satisfaction, which leads to a mutually sustainable partnership.
