Foreign Student: Canada is presently the third most popular destination for international students globally, with a total of 642,000 students from other countries.
International students in Canada increased by 13% in 2019 over the previous year, according to figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). In total, 404,000 international students had their study licenses activated this year.
Over the past two decades, Canada’s international student population has increased six-fold. It has tripled in the previous decade alone.
As the global middle class develops, so does the number of students looking for educational and, in some cases, immigration options outside of their home countries. According to UNESCO, more than five million international students are currently enrolled around the world, up to about two million in 2000.
To stay afloat financially, Canadian colleges and universities have little choice but to increase their overseas student enrollment. The low birth rate in Canada has caused a slowdown in the number of Canadian-born students enrolling in universities and colleges (those aged 18 to 24).
In the last decade, the population of Canadians aged 18 to 24 has increased by 11%, although the 18-24 age group has only grown by 4%. Canadian colleges and universities rely on international student tuition fees to keep up with the escalating costs of running their institutions.
In Ontario, about half of the population is being studied
The province of Ontario receives the most international students in Canada by a wide margin. In 2019, it welcomed almost 307,000 international students or 48% of the country’s total.
A distant second place goes to the province of British Columbia, which is home to 23% of all overseas students in Canada, or roughly 145,000 people.
With 14% of all international students in Canada, Quebec has 87,000 pupils.
Approximately 19,000 international students reside in Manitoba and Nova Scotia, with significant international student numbers per capita.
Over the past decade, Prince Edward Island has had the most significant development
Foreign Student: Prince Edward Island (PEI) in the Atlantic has had the most rapid expansion in the last decade among all provinces and territories. Since 2010, the number of overseas students studying on Prince Edward Island has doubled.
Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba are among the other provinces with at least a doubling of their international student populations over this period.
India accounts for 34% of all international students in Canada
India and China account for 56% of all overseas students in Canada.
Over 1/3rd of all international students in Canada are from India. Indian educational institutions can admit many international students due to the country’s vast middle-class and high level of English language competency.
More than past five years, the number of Indian students in Canada has nearly quadrupled. Students from India, the Philippines, China, Pakistan, Vietnam, Senegal, and Morocco have also helped from the federal government’s Student Direct Stream, which expedites study visa applications for nationals of these countries.
International students from China make up about 22 percent of Canada’s student population. Students from China have remained flat for the past five years, and India has already surpassed China as the top source country for international students to Canada. Students in China are staying home because of the robust economic growth in the country, one possible explanation for the slowdown.
South Korea, France, Vietnam, the United States of America, Iran, Brazil, and Nigeria round-up Canada’s top 10 international student source countries.
India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Colombia, and Algeria are among the top 20 source countries with the most elevated growth rates over the past five years.
Canada is now ranked third worldwide
Foreign Student: The United States has an estimated 1.1 million students from other countries. US still has many of the world’s most excellent colleges, which serve as a critical magnet for overseas students despite concerns that measures implemented by President Donald Trump may deter them from studying here.
With approximately 700,000 international students, Australia comes in second place worldwide. With 642,000 overseas students, Canada has surpassed China and the United Kingdom, which each has about 500,000.
Why do international students flock to Canada?
As the Canadian Bureau for Overseas Education (CBIE) has found, the country’s reputation as a multicultural, welcoming society is why international students flock to study in Canada.
A whopping 60% of international students have told CBIE that they hope to stay in Canada permanently after graduation.
One of the most attractive packages for international students is Canada’s ability to allow them to work. At the same time, the study, followed by the opportunity to work in Canada after graduation through one of the country’s more than 80 economic class immigration streams.
In addition, although overseas students pay more excellent tuition than Canadians, their overall expenses in Canada are more reasonable than in countries such as the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Another way, Canada’s currency is weaker than other major currencies like the US dollar and British pound (the European Union is another attractive destination for international students).
Twenty-two billion dollars and more than 170,000 jobs were created due to overseas students studying in Canada.
More than 170,000 employment is supported by overseas students who contribute an estimated $22 billion to the Canadian economy
Foreign Student: Other government programs, such as the Atlantic Immigration Pilot and the Provincial Nominee Program, and Express Entry, will help international students have an even more significant impact on Canada’s economy in the years to come (PNP). There are unique streams for international students in these pathways, and they may also grant additional points to students from other countries. Federal government studies have shown that global students who become emigrants in Canada have extremely positive economic outcomes.
It’s because of this that more international students are becoming permanent residents. More than a third of immigrants who entered Canada through Express Entry in 2019 came from the Canadian Experience Class, a category targeted at temporary foreign workers with Canadian work experience and international students.
According to this, Canada may be understating the good economic impact that international students have.
Canada’s economy will benefit for many decades to come from the $22 billion annual impact of international students who choose to stay here permanently.
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Study in Canada: A Complete Guide for International Students
Cost of Studying in Canada for Indian Students
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