New data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals India, China, and the Philippines are the top three most important sources of international students to Canada.
Last year, India’s importance as a source of international students grew yet again, by 33.6 per cent, as 226,450 Indian students got study permits to come to Canadian colleges and universities, up from 169,460 the previous year.
With that boom in Indian students in Canada, they now comprise more than 41 per cent of the total of 551,405 international students in the country.
1 | India | 226,450 |
2 | China | 52,165 |
3 | Philippines | 25,380 |
4 | France | 16,725 |
5 | Nigeria | 16,195 |
6 | Iran | 13,525 |
7 | South Korea | 11,535 |
8 | Japan | 10,955 |
9 | Mexico | 10,405 |
10 | Colombia | 10,150 |
In second place in the list of the top 10 most important sources of international students to Canada, China provided 52,165 study permit holders in Canada last year, down slightly from the 55,900 the previous year and off 38.6 per cent from the record high of 84,980 Chinese students in Canada in 2018.
In the third spot, the Philippines sent 25,380 students to Canada in 2022, a spike of almost 76.7 per cent over the 14,365 Filipino study permit holders in Canada the previous year.
Together, these three countries provided 303,995 international students to Canada’s post-secondary institutions last year, well over half of the total number of study permit holders, 55.1 per cent, in the country.
Read More Canada Immigration News
Parents And Grandparents Program: Canada More Than Doubles Number Of New Immigrants
Canadians To Be Asked What They Think Of Canada’s Immigration Policies
Canada Stands Up To Iran Regime By Giving Iranians A Break On Temporary Visa Extensions
Despite its long border with Canada, the United States provided only 7,060 international students to Canada last year, less than the much-smaller country of France which provided 16,725 international students in 2022 and came in the fourth spot.
The United Kingdom, which has historically played a very important role in the development of Canada and still has official ties to the country, only provided 2,290 international students to Canada in 2022.
Rounding out the top five most important sources of international students is one of the entrepreneurial hubs of Africa, Nigeria, which sent Canada 16,195 international students last year, up dramatically from 9,530 the previous year.
The Middle Eastern country of Iran provided 13,525 international students to Canada last year, South Korea another 11,535, Japan 10,955, and Mexico 10,405.
The final country to make it in that top 10 list was Colombia in the northern part of South America which contributed 10,150 international students to Canada in 2022.
Colleges and universities in Canada enjoyed a financial lift last year as the number of international students in the country swelled by 24.2 per cent to hit a record-breaking 551,405.
Video
In the seven years since 2015, the number of study permits handed to international students coming to Canadian colleges and universities has grown by 151.7 per cent, from 219,035 such permits.
Increasingly, Canada is seen as a great destination by international students due to Ottawa’s bullish stand on immigration and the country’s open arms to newcomers from throughout the world.
According to its Immigration Levels Plan, Canada is hoping to attract 1.45 million new permanent residents in the coming three years to meet the challenge of its massive labour shortage.
Canada also enjoys an enviable reputation for the quality of its colleges and universities.
The internationally-acclaimed University of Toronto – which consistently ranks near the top of lists of the world’s best universities – is the best university overall in the country as ranked by Maclean’s news magazine.
In second place overall in the latest Maclean’s rankings was the University of Waterloo and in the third spot went the University of British Columbia.
The news magazine also ranked the universities by subcategories, including highest quality of education. In that subcategory, McGill came out at the top of the pack with the University of Toronto in second place, followed by the University of Waterloo.
Maclean’s also ranked the Canadian universities based on degree of innovation. In that subcategory, the University of Waterloo placed first, followed by the University of Toronto, and the University of British Columbia came in third.
The news magazine’s ranking was hardly a surprise.
Last year, McGill University, the University of Toronto, and the University of British Columbia all made the cut of the best 50 universities in the world, according to QS Quacquarelli Symonds, a provider of analytics and insight to the global higher-education sector.
The QS Top Universities ranking also named another 11 other Canadian universities, for a total of 14, in the top 25 per cent of the more than 1,400 universities ranked by Quacquarelli Symonds in its list.
Almost all international students must apply for a study permit which, once issued, allows a foreign national to study in Canada at an approved institute for the duration of the specified course or program.
There are exceptions. Foreign nationals do not require a study permit to go to school in Canada under the following conditions:
To be eligible to study in Canada students must:
A Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) may also be required if the student is a citizen of a country from which such visas are required for entry into Canada. This is not required for citizens of visa-exempt countries.
The IRCC allows students to work while studying in Canada.
A student may be able to work in Canada during his or her studies under the following categories:
Spouses or common-law partners of foreign students are also eligible for work permits for the duration of the study permit.
Upon graduation, a foreign student may apply for a work permit under the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program. Under this program, the work permit may be issued for the length of the study program, up to a maximum of three years.
The valuable work experience gained while an international grad works in Canada under a PGWP can count towards a permanent residence application through Canada Express Entry system.
Under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) used by Express Entry system programs, applicants for immigration are assigned points based on:
Discover the latest trends in Canadian immigration with a notable decline in permanent residency applications.…
Learn about the Parti Québécois' call to halt temporary immigration in Quebec, its impact on…
In a recent panel discussion at the Canada Strong and Free Network conference in Ottawa,…
Discover Saskatchewan's enhanced Immigration Services Act, bolstering protection for foreign workers, combating fraud, and facilitating…
Discover how newcomers to Canada can access a wide range of benefits and tax credits…
Discover how immigrant children in Canada outshine their counterparts, excelling in education and earning higher…
This website uses cookies.