Increasingly, Canadian universities are a magnet for international students
Canadian colleges and universities are currently seeing a dramatic increase in the number of enrolment applications from international students. The numbers are telling a new story of the appeal of higher learning in Canada.
According to Universities Canada, the number of international students coming to Canada has more than doubled over the past 10 years, rising from 83,000 in 2005 to more than 175,000 in 2016.
In the weeks following the American election in November 2016, the University of Saskatchewan reported applications from American students had doubled. Across Canadian universities, applications from American students went up from 20 to 70 per cent, according to Dominic Giroux, co-chair of Universities Canada Board.
Denise Amyot, president of Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) has observed a similar dynamic. She says the number of international students applying to Canadian colleges and institutes has almost doubled in the past five to 10 years. Amyot doesn’t necessarily attribute those numbers to the American political situation however.
“There’s a number of reasons for the increase. The first is that our post second- ary institutions in Canada are very well regarded. This is certainly the case for colleges and institutes across the country. Why? Because we really are leaders when it comes to hands-on and career-focused technical and professional education.”
Amyot adds that having 91 per cent of graduates find a job within six months of graduating is a significant signal to international students. “That’s why they are applying. They know that a diploma or a degree from a Canadian college or institute will help them to get a good job in their field and they will have the skills and competencies required to hit the ground running.” The level of satisfaction of employers in these Canadian graduates is high, she adds.
Canada also has a reputation as a welcoming, safe and multi-cultural country. In Canada, significant segments of the population come from somewhere else. The other “good news”, Amyot says, is that if you study in post-secondary education for a year or two, you can also work a year or two in Canada. If you study for two years and three months and up to three years, you can work for three years.
“That becomes very attractive for people. And when we know that 51 per cent of them plan to apply for permanent residency, it becomes a big asset if you have Canadian credentials as well as Canadian experience.” The students represent many nations but the largest influx is from China and India. Numerous “wrap around” services ensure students will be taken care of.
Another trend CICan has identified is that incoming students are no longer heading exclusively to major urban centres like Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver. Parkland College in Yorkton reported attracting about 35 international students this year. “They’ve never seen that in the past,” says Amyot. Saskatchewan Polytechnic has about 700 international students on its various campuses.
“We’re seeing that trend all over country. It’s thanks to recruitment efforts and it’s also linked to word of mouth and reputation.” With this trend, up to a quarter of the population of a small college could be international students. Higher student numbers can allow colleges to offer certain domestic programs that may otherwise not be available.
CICan doesn’t have current statistics on the number of Americans applying to Canadian colleges and institutes. But of course, the U.S. is a major player. “The United States is a big country. They are ten times our size in terms of population. Everybody knows the U.S. and when there are things that happen in other parts of the world – suddenly we begin to look more at the country that maybe was not on our radar before.” The cost of education can also cause students to look further afield. That cost is way lower in Canada than in the U.S., Amyot says. “Depending on which country you are coming from, you also look at that.”
Despite all these positive indicators, Amyot is concerned that, although we have a lot of international students coming here, not enough of our Canadians are going overseas. “The percentage is very, very low: about two per cent at college level and three per cent at university level.
“What is frustrating is that the U.S., Australia and members of the European Union all have programs to encourage their students to go abroad. But Canada hardly has any.” A Report of the Study Group on Global Education found that the opportunity to study or work in another country can be a great social and economic equalizer, with the strongest benefits going to less-advantaged populations. Amyot says Canada used to provide these kinds of programs, and hopes it will do so again.