0 international students in Canada at all levels of study at the end of 20231

Where do inbound students come from?

29% increase in international students in Canada from 2022 to 2023.

At the end of 2023, Canada saw 63% growth over the previous five years and more than 200% growth over the last decade.

Notable Growth Markets

+167% Ghana (9,235)

+166% Nepal (20,465)

+113% Nigeria (45,965)

+78% Algeria (13,335)

Note: These figures represent year over year growth from 2022 to 2023.

Where do international students go?

Note: 2% of students did not identify an intended destination

Top three reasons international students choose Canada2

1
Canada’s reputation as a safe and stable country
2
The reputation and quality of the education system in Canada
3
Canada offers a society that (generally) is tolerant and not discriminatory

72.5% of international students plan to apply for a post-graduate work permit3

60% of international students plan to apply for permanent residence in Canada4

1 Unless otherwise specified, CBIE uses Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data.

2, 3, 4 CBIE International Student Survey, 2021