Why has Canada become a popular destination to study aboard?

Canada has become a popular destination for international students.  According to data released by the federal authorities, the number of student permits in 2017-18 rose to 572,415 which is a 467 percent increase from 122,655 permits given in 2000.

For students wishing to study abroad, there are many factors that influence the choice of the country where they wish to study. Some of the factors that influence their decision are:

• The academic reputation of the country’s institutes
• Duration and flexibility of the programs offered
• Ranking and value of the degrees offered by the country
• Admission policies
• Post-course job opportunities in the country
• Opportunities for permanent migration

Canada seems to meet these requirements of international students.

To encourage more international students the Canadian government, earlier this year announced $148 million in funds for the next five years.

The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) conducted a survey of 14,338 university students in 2018 to find about Canada’s increasing popularity among international students.

Top three reasons why international students choose Canada:

1. Quality of the Canadian education system
2. Tolerant and non-discriminatory nature of Canadian society
3. A safe environment in Canada

The reasons why students opted for Canadian institutions are:

• Quality of education
• Prestige of degree or diploma from that institution
• Availability of the desired program

Some interesting findings from the survey were:

1. 65% of international students come from five countries- India, China, South Korea, France and, Vietnam
2. 84% of international students are concentrated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia
3. In 2017 Canada moved ahead of France and Australia as an international student destination behind the US, UK and, China

Post –study aspirations

According to the survey, 60% of students expressed their intention to apply for a permanent residence status after their studies.

66% of students expressed their intention to continue their study or work in the country

49% of the students expressed their intention to work permanently in Canada

87% of the students felt that their course of study helped them prepare for employment in Canada

The reasons for Canada’s growing popularity as a study abroad destination is not far to seek and the government and universities in Canada are doing their best to maintain this trend.