Canada is a popular destination for international students across all levels of its education system, with the country ranking fourth in terms of international student enrollment as of 2019, following the United States, United Kingdom, and China.[1] In as early as 1959, Canada's then-monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, said on Dominion Day (now Canada Day), in reference to cooperation and mutual help, "one instance of this is the number of students from India and Pakistan and the West Indies who found places in Canadian universities. This is and admirable plan and I hope that it spreads [...] If any of these students are listening to me, which perhaps they are, I congratulate them on the hard work and enterprise which has sent them here and send them my very good wishes."[2]
According to the International Education Strategy published by the Government of Canada, international students are present in all levels of education, including primary, secondary, trades, and college and post-secondary education, with the largest number of international students enrolled at the post-secondary level.[3] The number of enrolled students has been increasing steadily in all levels from 2015 to 2018, with the greatest rise in college attendance.[3][4] The International Education Strategy for the period 2019-2024 includes a commitment to diversify inbound student population and distribute them more evenly across the country rather than concentration them in a few cities.[4] To attract more international students, Canadian educational institutes are offering English as a second language programs and reserving specific scholarships for interested international students.[5] In 2016, the International Education Division of Global Affairs Canada launched the EduCanada brand, a collaborative promotional initiative involving the provinces and territories and the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada.[6]
A survey conducted by the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) found that 96% of international students endorsed Canada as a study destination, due to its quality education and its reputation as a safe, tolerant and multicultural country that celebrates diversity.[7] In 2014, Canada aimed to raise the number of international students from around 240,000 to over 450,000 by the year 2022.[8] The Canadian government agency responsible for immigration shared that as of December, there were over 807,000 individuals holding international study permits in the country, accounting for over 2% the population of the country.[9] However, CIBC Capital Markets reported that the official count of temporary residents in Canada might be significantly higher than reality. The report finds that the actual number could be off by up to one million.[10][11]
Some private institutions are revoking their admission offers to international students because they don't have the capacity to accommodate large volumes of international students. They sent out more acceptance letters, thinking that the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) would manage the numbers.[12] In 2022, information obtained through the Access to Information Act showed a significant increase in the influence of Indian students. They were pushing Canada to support their individual, economic, and political goals. Indian international student activism with similar aims were highly active on social media.[13]
Figures for the international student population in Canada vary depending on the reporting agency. The IRCC only reports on the number of students with a valid work or study permit. Students who study for less than six months do not require a permit, which means that short-term students are not counted in IRCC statistics.[17] The International Education Division of Global Affairs Canada (GAC) includes both short- and long-term students in their statistics, basing short-term numbers on data obtained from Languages Canada.[15] By definition, this means that GAC numbers will be higher than those reported by IRCC.
The IRCC reports that as of December 2019[update], there were a total of 642,480 international students in Canada at all levels, representing a 13% increase from the previous year.[16] Most international students are post-secondary students, with over 120,000 of college student permit holders reported in 2018 and the statistic released by GAC for 2018, reported 721,000 students.[4] In 2022, there were 807,260 international students in Canada at year's end.[18]
In addition to post-secondary education, Canadian high schools and primary schools also attract increasing numbers of international students. In 2000, GAC reported that there were 27,997 international students at the primary and secondary level. By 2010, this number had increased to 35,140.[3] In 2017, CIBE, relying on IRCC numbers, reported 71,350 international students in the secondary and primary Canadian school systems.[19]
The provinces with the highest international student populations are Ontario and British Columbia. In 2016, Ontario had the greatest number of international students in Canada, with 233,226 short- and long-term students representing 44.5% of all international students in the country.[15] British Columbia had 145,691 students, representing 27.8% of the international student population.[15]Quebec, Alberta, and Nova Scotia had the next three largest populations of international students.[15]
According to the CBC, in 2023, the post-secondary institutions accounting for the greatest numbers of international study permits were Conestoga College of Ontario (30,395 permits), University Canada West of British Columbia (13,913), and Fanshawe College of Ontario (11,706).[21]
Demographics
International students attending Canadian institutions are primarily coming from Asia. IRCC statistics for 2018 show that over 50% of all international students come from just two countries – India, with 172,625, represents about 30% of enrollments, and China, with 142,895, represents about 25%.[4][7]South Korea (24,195), France (22,745), and Vietnam (20,330), send the next-greatest number of students.[4]
Top 15 countries and regions sending students to Canada in 2019 are listed below.[22]
Students are able to work off-campus 20 hours a week during the regular school year and engage in full-time employment during scheduled breaks on the strength of their study permit, however, there are no monitoring systems that demand or ensure it's been followed.[23] After graduating from any educational program, students can stay in Canada by applying for an open work permit lasting three years without any restrictions, known as the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).[24] Through it, they naturally qualify for permanent residency. Then, if they wish to become permanent residents, they can do so through the available Permanent Residency Pathways. The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship plan for 2019-2020 aimed to primarily export Western values and import new ideas by offering educational opportunities to international students. Additionally, it was to position Canada at a competitive advantage in generating profitable economic returns, and to ensure a significant influx of either permanent or rotating tax-paying bodies. However, primarily it was to enable international students to acquire knowledge and skills to help create jobs and drive social changes in their home countries.[4] In 2022, experts in international education found that Canada's approach to foreign students has shifted. It's no longer solely about uplifting the world's brightest minds or aiding developing nations. Instead, Canadian higher education has transformed into a business-driven endeavor, characterized by competitive marketing strategies. This shift has ignored the necessity of strengthening the Canadian workforce and its global competency. Both public and private educational institutions are pursuing the lucrative venture of providing international education. This pursuit has transformed academic programs into products catering to and exploiting the post-study, open-work permit needs of international students rather than aligning with the job requirements of Canadian residents and addressing the country's labor market needs, especially for high-skilled workers. As part of addressing these unsustainable changes and the lack of capacity to accommodate explosive population growth, IRCC announced in 2024 that it would no longer support the eligibility of a post-graduation work permit upon graduation from an institute operating under a curriculum licensing arrangement, among other strategic decisions.[25][26] A curriculum licensing arrangement involves satellite institutes or private colleges offering educational programs under a licensing agreement with public universities and colleges. The Minister responsible for IRCC stated that they are implementing these changes with the aim of mitigating "short-term gains for a lot of long-term pain," and ensuring overall sustainability.[27]
In the 2010s, there was a shift in immigration policy due to small businesses needing affordable labor, making student visas a step towards permanent residency, currently known as “two-step immigration.”[28][29] This led to a historic population growth in Canada in 2022, affecting housing due to a lack of housing plans. Stats Canada noted that 58% of this increase was due to temporary residents, including students.[30] Moreover, a vast majority of these students are not enrolled or trained in fields where Canada needs to meet its labour demands. Currently, multi-year open work permits are granted to international students upon their graduation, regardless of whether their education matches Canada's labor market demands. In 2024, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reported a pronounced trend in which international students are increasingly and alarmingly finding success in claiming asylum. To illustrate the pattern, they cited two noteworthy examples: between 2022 and 2023, the number of asylum claims submitted by students and graduates from Seneca College surged from 300 to 700, while those from Conestoga College increased from 106 to 450. This data further highlights the challenges in higher education provided to international students and their actual capacity to fulfill legitimate labor shortages.[31] This practice potentially has a more negative impact on their home countries and conflicts with their initial intention of being genuine students seeking quality education in Canada.[32] In recent years, there has been considerable concern about how well international graduates are faring during their post graduation work permit phase.[33] Some investigative journalists reveal that most international graduates working on post-graduate work permits aren't successful in achieving upward socioeconomic mobility with their Canadian education in Canada, and are either commandeering low-qualification jobs that previously sustained middle-class Canadian families or are stuck in low-skilled, low-paying jobs.[34]
Economic impact of students
The large number of international students studying in Canada contributes significantly to the Canadian economy. According to Global Affairs Canada, the economic impact can be felt across the entire country. In 2015, expenditures by international students, including tourism associated with visitors to the students, was worth $12.8 billion; in 2016, that figure had increased by 21.2% to $15.5 billion. Long-term international students spent an estimated yearly average of $33,800 in 2015 and $35,100 in 2016. This figure includes expenses associated with education, as well as unrelated discretionary spending, but excludes money spent by visiting family and friends. In 2015, international education created or supported 140,010 jobs (118,640 full-time equivalent), and in 2016, that increased to approximately 168,860 jobs (143,150 FTE).[15] By 2022, the Canadian government reported that the annual economic contribution of international students had increased to $22.3 billion, greater than exports of auto parts, lumber or aircraft.[35]
International student spending in Ontario contributed $5.04 billion to the provincial gross domestic product in 2015; this figure increased to $6.35 billion in 2016. The expenditures of international students supported 62,737 jobs in 2015, and 79,034 jobs in 2016.[15] British Columbia also experienced an increase in their GDP from $2.39 billion in 2015 up to $2.76 in 2016. Over the same period, jobs supported by foreign enrollment in British Columbia increased from 35,294 to 40,499.[15]
The notable growth in international students from India has led to escalated tensions with Canada's large Indian Canadian community, who claim that students are "stealing their jobs" and "causing violence" within the established Indian enclaves of the country.[36][37]
Ethical concerns and misuse
Ethical concerns about the recruitment and living conditions of international students have arisen. In 2019, the Toronto Star and St. Catharines Standard collaborated to produce an investigative series about international students called "The Price of Admission", which examined industry costs, academic performance, exploitation for profit, and other aspects of the industry.[38][39][40][41] Canadian magazine The Walrus published an investigative piece in 2021 which looked at potential exploitation faced by international students in Canada due to difficulties meeting their financial needs.[42] According to a 2019 report by Statistics Canada, it has been observed that approximately 1 in 3 student permit holders residing in Canada are not currently enrolled in schools.[43] This finding raises concerns about potential instances of misuse of temporary residency privileges, and specific measures to address this issue have been hindered by the lack of comprehensive data of the individuals tied with the temporary social insurance number.[44][45][46]
According to a report by The Globe and Mail, there are several issues with student recruitment in India, imposing multiple challenges on international students in Canada.[47] Lawyer Mario D. Bellissimo provided a legal analysis in an interview with CBC Radio's The Current, highlighting limitations and proposing changes to the international student system.[48] Many businesses in India send a large number of students to Canada each year, promising them a new life, job opportunities, and a chance at Canadian citizenship. They found that some colleges and universities in Canada lack social infrastructure to support these students adequately. The surge in the student population has led to a shortage of purpose-built rentals in cities like Brampton, resulting in students living in overcrowded and unsafe accommodations. The underground rental market poses risks to student safety and well-being.[49]
Additionally, some students struggle to pay their college fees and are pressurized to maintain the illusion of thriving, leading them to borrow money and face financial pressures. The report highlights many other issues with recruitment practices and about the challenges faced by international students in Canada, particularly in terms of housing and assimilation.[50][51] The Vancouver Sun reported open presence of street hawkers in Western Canada offering immigration services to desperate individuals seeking permanent residency. These agents promise visas and Canadian passports for large sums, provide false hopes and misleading information, and misrepresents study visa program as an easy route for chain migration of relatives and permanent residency. This has led to disappointment and wasted resources for clients.[52]
Shady agreements involving spousal jobs as a pathway to permanent residency have also resulted in an unexpected increase in the number of dependents accompanying international students to Canada, as per the immigration statistics. Alongside scams involving visitor's visas, they run illicit schemes that use provincial immigrant entrepreneur programs.[53] Some media have reported an increasing problem with international students committing suicide, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.[54][55][56]
Some immigration specialists raise concerns that the unrestricted granting of student visas in Canada could lead to a difficult situation similar to that faced by Germany and the United States. Germany had to grant amnesty to millions of temporary workers, and the U.S. is grappling with the fate of undocumented "Dreamers."[57] Additionally, the increased admittance of international students has contributed to Canada's housing crisis, impacting the poorest and most marginalized communities. Renters, who typically have lower incomes, struggle to find affordable housing and jobs due to competition with foreign students, leading them to forced relocations from their hometowns. Institutions' unregulated pursuit of profits by admitting more foreign students exacerbates the housing affordability issue.[58][59][60]
Until 2014, international students were able to receive study permits from almost any educational institution, including unaccredited institutions, and only had to show their intention to study while in Canada.[61] Students could remain in Canada by extending their study permit through a series of studies, until they are able to achieve their full legal status.[61] According to a 2006 report by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), study permits had been exploited by parties linked to organized crime to enable them to enter Canada.[61] Regulations were changed in 2014 to limit study permits to "designated learning institutions," and students had to show that they were actively pursuing studies.[62] Incidents of fraudulent student visas still occur, and may be associated with human trafficking.[63][64][65]
Incidents
Incidents involving and/or impacting international students
Incident
Date/Period
Summary
Source
400 students asked to re-take tests
December 2018
Over 400 students in India admitted to Niagara College's 2019 January term were asked by the college to re-take their IELTS tests after a probe claimed to find inconsistencies in language proficiency.
Between 1700 and 2000 international students, mostly from India, were left stranded due to the shutting down of three Quebec-based colleges (CCSQ College, M. College, and CDE College) that collected millions of dollars in fees before declaring bankruptcy. The Indian High Commission in Ottawa issued an advisory for the students impacted.
In May 2022, Alpha College of Business and Technology, based in Scarborough, unilaterally suspended enrolments for its spring term, leaving hundreds of international students who paid thousands of dollars in tuition fees, uncertain. The incident sparked protest following which the college resumed enrolment.
Extortion scams using automated phone messaging targeted Chinese students in Waterloo, with regional police reporting the loss of at least $245,000 in the fraud.
Ukrainian student groups at University of Victoria and Carleton University raised concerns over targeted harassment of Ukrainians by specific groups operating out of their campuses.
Around 700 Punjabi students received deportation letters from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). All 700 students had applied for study visas via a migration agency headed by Brijesh Mishra based from Jalandhar, Punjab. The agent was stripped off his license and reportedly fled after the news concerning the deportation broke out.
International students from Canadore College protested high tuition and housing costs by holding a demonstration outside the college. Some of the students had been sleeping in tents outdoors because student housing was full and local renting opportunities were scarce. The college agreed to arrange affordable rental housing, refund the housing fee, and to provide online classes.
^"Statement of Purpose (SOP) for Canada Study Visa". Arrive, RBC Ventures Inc. 2022-06-16. A visa officer's primary concern is that you intend to return home after your studies and won't stay in Canada illegally after your study permit expires. You may want to focus on how you plan to use your educational credentials after returning to your home country. Examples include bringing a global perspective to your industry or improving your employability in your domestic job market.
India
China
South Korea
France
Vietnam
United States
Iran
Brazil
Nigeria
Mexico
Bangladesh
Japan
Philippines
Colombia
Taiwan