International students are increasingly drawn to Canada for the opportunity to work while studying and the potential paths to residency through Post-Graduate Work Permits and Express Entry system programs.
International students are increasingly drawn to Canada for the opportunity to work while studying and the potential paths to residency through Post-Graduate Work Permits and Express Entry system programs.
A survey by a global student recruitment firm found Canada to be the most popular study abroad destination, attracting over 21,000 students from 100 countries.
The IDP Connect Emerging Futures 3 research report revealed that Canada surpassed both Australia and the United States as the most attractive destination for international students.
Among the international students surveyed, 27 percent opted for Canada as their top choice, followed by Australia at 23 percent, United States at 21 percent, and United Kingdom at 18 percent. New Zealand and Ireland lagged behind with only 3 and 2 percent, respectively.
International students are increasingly drawn to Canada for the opportunity to work while studying and the potential paths to residency through Post-Graduate Work Permits and Express Entry system programs.
“We need to use every tool in our toolbox to support employers who continue to face challenges in hiring the workers they need to grow,” said Immigration Minister Sean Fraser. He encourages the recruitment of foreign students as a potential source of immigrants for Canada and a skilled workforce to help address labor shortages. Fraser recently extended Post-Graduate Work Permits for expiring or expired applicants by 18 months.
Annually, tens of thousands of international students transition to permanent residence, with 2021 seeing a record high of 157,000 and 2022 coming in close at 95,000.
By the end of last year, 286,000 international graduates had received PGWPs in Canada, according to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Canada has allowed international students to renew their PGWPs for a third consecutive time, alleviating concerns about remaining in the country.
In Canada’s Express Entry program, the IRCC evaluates the pool of applicants based on their Comprehensive Ranking System scores to determine who receives an Invitation to Apply. Those with higher scores are more likely to be chosen, and work experience in Canada can contribute additional points.
