Why is Canada still the best destination for international students in 2022?

Time and again the question, “Is it worth considering Canada as an option for immigration?” continues to being discussed amongst student groups, family members of students and as well as those thinking of taking a career break and going back to school. This is more than a decade old topic, but it continues to be relevant and more significantly it will continue to be relevant. The country has a provincially managed strong well-funded public education system, some aspects may differ from province to province however the core value stays the same. Traditionally the interest of international students has majorly been in the post-secondary education level.

When it comes to studying abroad, often students are not often fully informed or does not have enough awareness about the “value” their decision making of study destination could have on their future; both personally and professionally. Excessive information and peer trend often clouds their decision making, specially during the pandemic when they are having high screen-times. US, UK, Australia and Canada have been the top priority for students as study-abroad destinations, however countries like Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Singapore and Netherlands have witnessed increased preference. However according to a survey conducted by Study International, Canada continues to be the top study abroad destination. (The survey was conducted in 2021).

Students do not simply pick an institution and course; they choose the country. Unlike other countries Canada makes effort to attract international students as a potential pool of candidates for permanent immigration and the Canadian labor force

There are numerous reasons for students making this decision, but let’s discuss the factors that impacts almost all student’s life:

·        Lower Tuition Fee – If compared, in most cases it could be concluded that tuition fees are generally less expensive than in other major Anglophone study destinations like US, UK and Australia. According to a latest report released by Statistics Canada, tuition fees in Canada have decreased remarkably by an average of 5.3 percent for undergraduate domestic students and rose by 7.6 percent for international undergraduates in 2019/2020. Though tuition cost varies depending upon course and institute, however it can be said that the fee for post-graduate level of studies is comparatively lower ranging between $13-19k per year.

·        Pathway towards immigration – This is the most interesting point and the deal-breaker in decision making for study destinations for international students. When students are planning for their future, their future does not end at pursuing education and gaining work experience – that’s just the beginning. The “future” starts right after that. Canada provides one of the easiest routes for international students who want to stay in the country after they graduate or immigrate permanently. Most of the international students qualify for an open work permit also known as Post Graduate Open Work Permit. This allows them to work for any employer and in any province for up to 3 years

·        Pathway for entrepreneurship – If you have an entrepreneurial outlook and in your stages of planning then don’t look beyond some of the fantastic course Canadian colleges and universities have to offer. The government supports such initiative and offers residency programs for such students:

·        Alberta – International Graduate Entrepreneur Immigration Stream

·        Nova Scotia – International Graduate Entrepreneur

·        Newfound land Labrador – International Graduate Entrepreneur category

·        Saskatchewan – International Graduate Entrepreneur Category

·        Travelers’s paradises – This is the most obvious point in this blog. One of the major reasons would be its extreme offerings. Canada is considered to have one of the most cosmopolitan cities that are clean, secure, friendly, affordable, and multicultural. Some examples of larger urban centers would be Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton and more. The country is often considered as one of the world’s most livable countries despite have some extreme temperatures. While on the other hand it lets you get lost in complete wilderness and the pristine nature which the country has still able to preserve. For wonder lusters Sky is the limit in Canada.

According to Statistic Canada’s Economic report the govt of Canada has taken steps “to strengthen the integrity of Canada’s immigration program by explicitly requiring study permit holders to actively pursue their studies, reducing the number of non-genuine and poor-quality educational institutions hosting study permit holders, and facilitating the entry into Canada of those foreign nationals that sincerely wish to obtain a Canadian education”

The Government of Canada has launched the International Education Strategy with the goal of doubling the number of international students in Canada by 2022 (Government of Canada 2014b). The strategy argued that “a robust and forward-looking strategy to attract a significant proportion of these students to Canada will create new jobs and sources of prosperity, address key labour-force challenges and create new opportunities for Canadians in every region of the country”

As discussed already Canada has already set high immigration targets of 400,000, and international graduates will play a crucial role in this number. (This is the overall target comprising of Economic Class, Family Class and Refugee class)     They tend to succeed in life and immerse well within the Canadian society.