Despite the outbreak, Canada’s international student population has quickly recovered.
In Canada, over 450,000 new study permits were given last year, a phenomenal amount that well outstripped the previous all-time high set in 2019.
Little over 400,000 new study permits were given in Canada prior to the pandemic, with that figure reducing to just over 255,000 in 2020. Last year’s amount was more than doubled when compared to 2015.
IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) offers information on new study permits that become effective on a monthly basis. This includes both new students who have just arrived in Canada and foreign residents who have already established residence in Canada and have secured a study permit.
Unsurprisingly, the most new study permits, totaling over 200,000, were awarded in July and August, shortly before the start of the 2021/22 academic year.
IRCC also publishes year-end data in the first quarter of each new calendar year. The data represents a snapshot of all students with a valid study permit on December 31st. With the influx of new study permits, Canada’s foreign student population has nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels. As of December 31st, Canada had over 622,000 international students. Due to the pandemic, its foreign student population peaked at around 640,000 in 2019, before decreasing to 530,000 in 2020.
At the start of the outbreak in March 2020, Canada established travel restrictions, hurting many potential students who had yet to arrive in the nation. In October 2020, Canada will lift these restrictions, allowing the country’s foreign student population to recover. This helps to explain why Canada attracted a record number of new overseas students last year.The high number of study permits issued last year was mostly due to a double cohort of students: those who wanted to come to Canada in 2020 but couldn’t because of the pandemic, and those who wanted to come in 2019 but couldn’t because of the epidemic, and those who planned to start their studies in Canada in 2021.
The reduction of Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) regulations was unquestionably a key component in the recovery. Prior to the pandemic, IRCC did not allow remote learning to count toward PGWP eligibility, but this limitation has been temporarily lifted until August 31, 2022 to help students who want to continue their studies in Canada despite the outbreak.
International students who complete their studies at a suitable time may be eligible for a PGWP. Canadian designated learning institution (DLI). The PGWP is in great demand because it allows international graduates to gain the Canadian work experience that they need to apply for permanent residency in Canada. Universities, colleges, and other post-secondary institutions that have been recognized by the government to accept overseas students are known as DLIs.
International students cite a range of reasons for their decision to study in Canada, including the high quality of education, multiculturalism, and safety, among others. Studying in Canada can be less expensive than in other countries with large international student populations, such as the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Another big benefit of studying in Canada is the ability for overseas students to work throughout their studies, allowing them to support themselves financially while simultaneously acquiring excellent work experience.
India continues to be the most major source country for foreign students in Canada, accounting for almost a third of all international students. China is still a distant second., with France in third. The fact that India has the world’s second biggest English-speaking population and a significant middle class helps to explain its huge share.
The top ten international student source countries (as judged by the number of study permit holders as of December 31, 2021) were as follows:
1) India: 217,410
2) China: 105,265
3) France: 26,630
4) Iran: 16,900
5) Vietnam: 16,285
6) South Korea: 15,805
7) The Philippines: 15,545
8) The United States: 14,325
9) Nigeria: 13,745
10) Mexico: 11,550
Conducting research on educational programmes and DLIs is the first step in studying in Canada. You next submit your applications to DLIs and receive a Letter of Acceptance if they are accepted (LOA). With the LOA, you may now submit an application for a study permission to IRCC. IRCC will consider evidence of your genuine desire to study in Canada, as well as your financial ability to pay your education and living expenses, among other factors. The Student Direct Stream (SDS), an accelerated study visa procedure, is available to residents of 14 countries, the largest of which are India, China, the Philippines, Pakistan, Vietnam, Morocco, Senegal, Brazil, Columbia, and Peru.
Many immigration programmes in Canada reward students who have completed their studies in the nation. Through Express Entry, extra points can be obtained for Canadian study experience, and a number of other streams offered by IRCC, provinces, and territories either provide the same or are only open to international graduates. This is because, according to Canadian government studies, overseas graduates who gain permanent residency tend to have great labour market results.
(Source CIC News)
