Why study in Canada is beneficial in 2020

In the last one-decade, Canada has really evolved as a perfect study destination for international students. Quality education and research opportunities have been the cornerstone of the Canadian education system, and the favorable immigration policy has turned out well among the students who not only want to learn from the best but also want to explore their chances for work and permanent residency. The year 2020 promises a lot for international students. Here is why...

Why study in Canada is beneficial in 2020

Completing higher education in Canada offers a unique advantage to international students as it can be their path towards a great job as well as permanent residency. This is due to the fact that Canada’s population is getting old, and It is expected that the country will join the league of superaged countries like Japan and Italy by 2026. Moreover, it has been projected that by 2030, the working-age of Canadians will fall to 1.7 for every senior and youth. This has raised many concerns for the Canadian government; the biggest ones are keeping up the economic growth through sustaining employment and providing healthcare facilities to Canadians. The emerging scenario has proved to be a boon for international students as the Canadian government admits that they are the ideal candidates for permanent residency. 

As most international students are young, have Canadian educational qualifications and in-demand labor skills, and are proficient in one of our official languages, they are often ideal candidates for permanent residency. In fact, nearly 54,000 former students became permanent residents in Canada in 2018. - Ahmed Hussen, former Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

In fact, the vision statement of international education strategy (2019-2024) strengthens our argument.

“Over the next five years, the new International Education Strategy (the Strategy) aims to diversify the education sector… The Strategy aims to draw students from around the world to communities across Canada where they can enrol in a wide variety of schools and programs at all educational levels “.

Excerpt of Vision statement, International Education Strategy (2019-2024) - Canada

The data shared by Statistics Canada depicts the increasing trend of issuing study permits to foreigners by IRCC. The figures in the chart are only showing the major countries of which students have been issued study permits from January 2015 to November 2019. Over the years, the number of students who received a study permit has increased from 219065 to 355245. And it is forecasted that this trend will increase in the coming years. Although the diversification of students will happen, India and China will remain an essential source of international students. 

Increasing job opportunities in Canada

One of the main reasons international students get attracted to Canada is job opportunities. According to Cicnews, around 433,000 jobs remained unfilled in Canada in the third quarter of 2019. Quebec is worse hit by labor market shortage followed by British Columbia and Ontario, where a number of unfilled jobs remain 119800, 71,400, and 168000. The vacancy rates are increasing in agriculture, hospitality, and information. International students have a great chance to tap on these job opportunities. 

PR Opportunities

One of the significant benefits of studying in Canada is that it gives you extra points when you apply for Permanent residency through an express entry system. In fact, as stated above, the Canadian government is offering PR opportunities to students as well as to immigrants. In 2019, around 3.41 lakhs individuals were given PR in 2019. In fact, the year 2019 was the second consecutive year in which Canada has granted PR to over 3 lakh foreigners.

Apart from the benefits mentioned earlier, several other factors make Canada an ideal place to study for international students. International students can work during their courses as well as after completing them on a work permit which may extend up to 3 years. In addition to this, Canada as a country is a beautiful place to live, and it has achieved the number one position for quality of life by USnews.