New Pathway to Permanent Residency for International Graduates in Canada

Encouraging news was just announced for recent overseas students in Canada hoping to apply for permanent residency. Starting on May 6, 2021, those who possess the skills necessary to strengthen the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic will be able to apply for permanent status under a new stream.

The Pros & Cons of Studying Abroad

A recent article on Canada Campus Visits looked at many of the benefits and drawbacks of the study abroad experience. For some, traveling to a new country can be something they have looked forward to for years. Others though might be hesitant to leave their friends and family before going to a part of the world they barely know.

Canada Named Top Study Abroad Destination for Second Year in a Row

A new survey of 2,700 international students names Canada as the best country for studying abroad for the second consecutive year. While other countries like Australia, the United Kingdom, and the USA are typically thought of as leading places to earn an international education, overseas learners chose Canada once again.

International Students Discuss Studying Abroad During the COVID-19 Pandemic

International students in countries around the world are managing as best they can while they pursue their higher education overseas. In the attached video, five overseas students were asked about their university experiences in the age of COVID-19.

Canada Requires Pearson PTE Academic for non-SDS Study Permits

Canada Requires Pearson PTE Academic for non-SDS Study Permits

Source: Pearson PTE

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada accepts Pearson PTE Academic test results from Indian international students applying for study permits through the regular application process – also known as non-SDS (Student Direct Stream).

PTE Academic scores, along with TOEFL iBT and IELTS Academic are the only results that will be considered for applications outside of the Student Direct Stream. While this process is not the fast-tracked SDS that was recently introduced, approximately 46% of Indian students who chose to study in Canada in 2019 applied using this method.

Managing Director for Pearson Canada, Marlene Olsavsky, believes the PTE Academic test will be beneficial for Indian students hoping to further their education in Canada. “Test takers have a choice of more than 30 PTE centers currently open in India, including in Punjab, Gujarat and Hyderabad, all with required health and safety measures in place.”

Through PTE Academic, students receive the benefits of being able to schedule the time of their test online and typically have to wait just two days for their results.

Olsavsky states, “Once they get their PTE score, students are then able to send it to any number of universities they are interested in, unlike other English tests which limit the amount of institutions where a score can be sent.”

“We believe PTE Academic offers a huge advantage to test takers,” explains Olsavsky. “Our use of leading AI technology means colleges can trust that students’ English proficiency levels are scored accurately and with no bias. We also know students like the flexibility of booking and fast results we offer – making PTE Academic the increasingly popular English language test worldwide.”

PTE Academic is accepted by 194 education establishments in Canada and 90% of Canadian public universities. For more information, please visit their website: PearsonPTE.com

Over Half of Canada’s International Students Want to Stay After Graduation

Source: Study International

The results of a recent survey suggest that more than 60% of students who come to Canada to complete their post-secondary education hope to become permanent residents of ‘The Great White North’ after they graduate.

While pathways to citizenship currently exist for international students, both the government and various institutions feel more can be done. In the coming years, an increased number of employment opportunities, international programs and scholarships will be made available to help make these students feel more at home while they study abroad in Canada.

For further details on the study, visit Study International.

Canada Could Overtake UK as Study Abroad Destination

Source: Study International

A recent survey suggests Canada is increasing in popularity as a study abroad destination among students around the world. Scholarship opportunities and the chance to work in the country upon graduating are among the top reasons students are now considering Canada more than the United States or United Kingdom. If this rise in popularity can be sustained, it is believed that Canada will host more international students than the UK in the years ahead.

Early Reports of Increased International Yield for Canadian Universities

Source: ICEF Monitor

Previous reports of significant increases in visa applications and admissions applications to Canadian universities are now being followed by corresponding growth in yield rates for 2017/18 admissions. Growth appears to be particularly notable for students from India.

This report can be read in its entirety via the ICEF Monitor website.

Why Canada Has Become A Destination of Choice for International Graduate Students

Source: University Affairs

Canadian Association for Graduate Studies President Brenda Brouwer explains that Canada’s standing as a safe, welcoming and multicultural country contributes to its desirability among international PhD degree-seeking students.

To read the complete article, please go to the University Affairs website.

More Students Are Looking To Head North

Source: Washington Post

The number of international students coming to Canada doubled in the past decade. But in the last year, a number of events globally have added to its appeal for some students. The Brexit vote for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, and the U.S. election, seem to have been factors.

For the full article, visit the Washington Post.

UAlberta Looks to Diversify International Student Base

Source: Edmonton Journal via Academica

The University of Alberta says that it will look to engage new regions for international student recruitment in an effort to make its international student body more diverse by 2020. The Edmonton Journal reports that achieving this goal will require the university to redirect some of the attention that is currently focused on China. The Journal adds that since student tuition is the second largest contributor to the overall university budget, such a lack of diversity poses a financial risk to the institution.

Montreal Must Build on Success to Recruit Top Talent

Source: Montreal Gazette via Academica

Montreal has much to celebrate in being recently named the top city in the world for students, writes McGill University Principal Suzanne Fortier, but the city and its institutions still have much work to do to make the most of “an unprecedented opportunity to fulfill the potential of Montreal to draw talent from around the world.” Fortier highlights an aging domestic population as one of the most urgent reasons why Montreal needs to attract more immigration. The McGill principal adds that the city will also need to attract the world’s very best talent in order to maintain a vital society and strong workforce. “However, despite our city’s considerable attractions,” Fortier notes, “despite the clear benefits that international talent brings, Montreal and Quebec have room to improve.” The author offers a number of options to help Montreal move forward, which include the creation of a coordinated talent recruitment and retention strategy.

International Students’ Choice of Residence After Graduation Hinges on Concept of Home

Source: UBC via Academica

A new study from the University of British Columbia shows that ideas of home are a major factor in where international university students decide to live after graduation. “A lot of research focuses on where international students go to study, but few focus on where they go after graduation,” says study author Cary Wu, a PhD candidate in UBC’s department of sociology and an international student from China. “Our study shows that migration plans for international students are far more complex than this binary of stay or return.” Wu analyzed data from interviews with more than 200 international students from more than 50 countries who attended UBC from 2006 to 2013, and found that 16% of those surveyed said that they planned to stay in Canada, citing emotional attachments, interpersonal relationships, family, or political unrest.

BC Should Look to India for International Students

Source: The Province via Academica

PSE institutions in British Columbia would be wise to “cultivate new markets” for international student enrolment and avoid becoming overly dependent on China, according to a US-based analyst. Rahul Choudaha tells The Province that despite a recent jump in the number of Chinese international students coming to BC, this growth—and the overall growth in international student numbers—is slowing. However, India stands out as an exception to this slowdown, says Choudaha, who notes that enrolments from India grew 25% last year, outpacing the growth rate of Chinese enrolments. “Given the scale and the growth potential of India as a source of international students, Canadian institutions have an untapped potential in recruiting Indian students at the bachelor’s level,” the analyst concludes.

Many Immigrant Students Lack English skills, but Achieve Comparable GPAs

Source: Seneca College via Academica

What role does an immigrant’s region of origin and English language proficiency have on their academic and employment outcomes? This is the question that researchers at Seneca College’s Centre for Research in Student Mobility explore in a new report. The study followed the pathways of 18,466 students (non-international) who entered Seneca College between 2010 and 2014 within five years of leaving an Ontario high school. The study found that Seneca students who were born outside of Canada were more likely than their Canadian-born peers to have highly educated parents, live in lower-income neighbourhoods, and to aspire to university. Despite having attended an ON high school, many immigrants come to Seneca with weak English-language skills requiring support in language proficiency, with 59% being placed below college level English, compared to 36% of Canadian born students. Despite this, however, these students achieve similar overall GPAs and graduation rates.

Canada: International Student Spending Hit $11.4bn in 2014

Source: The PIE News

Spending by international students and their visiting friends and family amounted to a net CAN$11.4bn in 2014, up from $8bn four years earlier, according to the federal government’s new economic impact study. Canada’s international education services now account for 11% of the country’s service exports.

For the complete article, visit The PIE News.