Canada is the topmost destination for international students, as stated by the Emerging Future study by IDP education. The primary reason for this is the opportunities students get to gain experience right after graduating.
Over 25% of survey respondents selected Canada as their top choice for international study out of four prominent countries, i.e., Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
In the survey of over 20,000 participants, 63% of the students from different nations stated that post-study work is the primary influencing factor. In addition, 72% of the students asserted that they would apply for a work visa after graduation.
The survey conducted by IDP education showed that outside India and China, the post-study work permit was a significant consideration for over 61% of the students who intended to stay in Canada. Moreover, this number increased to 63% for Nigerian students, 75% for Vietnamese students, and 58% for Ghana students.
The IDP education report quotes the following statement from Christine Wach, the director of Client Partnerships Of North America. She asserts that students witness the country as a welcoming, affordable, intimate and safe place to study. Moreover, one of the top benefits is the amazing work opportunities offered after graduation.
Furthermore, the study found that 53% of the students consider the availability of work opportunities as a top benefit/ consideration when selecting a destination.
Other findings show that over 61% of the students viewed high-quality education as a deciding factor. In contrast, 43% considered part-time work opportunities while deciding the destination.
Foreign students in Canada are allowed to work over 20 hours a week without obtaining a work permit. Moreover, they can even work in full-time occupations during their summer & winter vacations. However, the study also found that almost 81% of students were already working or seeking opportunities to work part-time alongside their study programs.
Post-Graduation Work Permits
Canada offers international graduates the opportunity to apply for PGWP, i.e., post-graduation work permit, to gain experience while residing & working in Canada. This experience is further used towards obtaining permanent resident status, thus becoming a Canadian citizen.
As per IDP education, PGWPs are a one-time permit & are valid for up to three years depending upon the study program length. So, to be eligible, students need to complete their study program as a full-time student at a DLI, i.e., Designated Learning Institution.
The study also found that foreign nationals were not really interested in knowing the number of years they could stay in the country after completing their study program. Instead, they were interested in acquiring experience to ease their entry into the industrial job market.
In addition, 48% of the students said that the length of the stay was the most appealing part of the post-study work rights. However, 44% said they would move their studies to different countries if this time frame was shortened.
Why Does Canada Require International Students?
According to the IDP education report, Canada hosts over 800,000 foreign students. As a result, the country works hard to position itself as the top destination for graduation & post-graduation.
Retaining students in the country after their program has been finished can benefit the labor force & economy. Well, that’s because the country’s population is aging & the job vacancies are highly increasing.
According to Statistics Data of 2022, immigrant students with Canadian study experience were younger, educated, spoke the official language, & are likely to have pre-admission earnings as compared to people who did not study in Canada.
Wach asserts that in order to remain appealing to students, the country must create more diversity in the classes & workforce. She further stated that extra effort is needed to increase awareness among students. In addition, the government also needs to improve access to work opportunities for foreign students. If this is achieved at both national & regional levels, people will witness diversity in terms of students coming to Canada.
IDP education analysis culminates by indicating that the rising cost of living is why foreign students require more guidance & support. It is found that over 51% of the students are reconsidering their choice of studying abroad due to increasing costs. Therefore, they are now seeking institutions to help them find part-time jobs and have guidance about the total education cost.