Canada today is one of the most preferred destinations by the international student fraternity for education and settlement. The United States has always been the primary choice by students worldwide for a wide variety of study options from undergraduate to post graduation and research but since the past few years Canada too has been catching up. Recent surveys by organizations have enough evidence to support this claim. One such organization the AACRAO (American Association of College Registrars and Admission Officers) in it’s latest survey FY 2016-17 reveals that among the 250+ universities and colleges researched, approximately 40 percent schools registered a decline in international applications. However, the rise of admissions in Canadian schools have witnessed a historic change with universities like the University of Toronto, University of Winnipeg, McMaster and the Wilfrid Laurier University registering more than 33 percent increase compared to previous years.
The decline in admissions in the US universities can be attributed to changing visa policies of the country. To do worse, according to latest reports from prominent news dailies in the US, the department of Homeland Security in the US is even considering a new rule that would require students to apply every year for renewing study permits. Already the US has stringent laws against recruitment of international students over its own citizens and green card holders. The other major reason is the cost of study, which in Canada is as low as 50-60 percent than their US counterparts. The average tuition costs of education for an international student in a US university is as much as 24000 USD while in Canada, the average costs would be around 17000 Canadian dollars; considering the currency conversion rates, the US proves to be even higher.
Economists and educational professionals would relate this paradigm shift to the change in policies introduced by the new American president Mr. Trump. The indifference and criticism towards foreign nationals and ill immigrant policies of the nation too have contributed negatively towards the enrollment of international students in the US. However, Canada asserts itself an immigrant-friendly nation welcoming international students and immigrants from all parts of the lobe without differences.
Degrees provided from Canadian universities are equivalent to US, Europe or the Oceanic countries. Higher quality of education at cheaper fee structures and better academic standards and the additional benefits provided by universities and the government of Canada are some of the key factors why Canada sees a surge of international student applicants. The students are ermitted to take up various off-campus and on-campus jobs during their course of study; they may take up part-time jobs in retail establishments, technical support services, hospitality or medical missionaries or volunteering activities that are funded and actively encouraged by the Canadian government. Again, one of the major highlights being the work-visa allotment through education in Canada; students may take up professional work for up to 3 years after education and may choose to stay permanently or return to their home country within the course of time.
Canada warmly receives around 300,000 students and immigrants every year. Many student support programs are run by Canadian government and individual universities to help newcomers settle into Canada into a varied lifestyle from their home country. The Great White North and it’s citizens respect one another’s customs and traditions and ensure a dignified life for students and immigrants alike.
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Canada is one of the top choices of international students for education owing to its multicultural society, high academic standards, affordability, exiting campus lifestyles and world-class education among many other attributes.
