Just under half of international students at universities in Canada admit the country wasn’t their first choice among study-abroad options, but nine out of 10 of them give their Canadian experience a thumbs -up, according to survey results released here on Tuesday by the Canadian Bureau for International Education.
“We are seen as a great place to study by those who come to Canada, but they tell us they are attracted to other destinations that also have a lot to offer,” said Karen McBride, the bureau’s president, who discussed a 66-page report on the survey at the organization’s annual conference. “We need to work harder to be visible.”
The report, “Canada First: The National Survey of International Students 2009,” shows that Canada’s position as a “first choice” destination has eroded steadily, from 59 percent in 1988, to 53 percent this year.
The United States was the top choice for a quarter of the students now studying in Canada, while others were attracted to Britain or Australia before ending up in Canada. Many more students also applied to universities and colleges in more than one country than was the case five years ago, when the survey was last conducted, perhaps an indication of increased competitiveness in the marketplace.
However, nine of 10 students surveyed said they would recommend Canada as a place to study. The vast majority reported high satisfaction with their choice of university or college, lauding resources such as libraries and computer facilities along with good class sizes, faculty support, and availabilty of programs. Indeed, 80 percent said their courses were better than expected, and almost half said they maintained an A average.
‘A Big Recruiting Tool’
The survey found a marked improvement in students’ views of the Canadian immigration service. A majority reported no difficulty when they applyied for visas from Canadian officials in their home country. But those who had complaints said the processing of their visas could have been faster.
A particular appeal, the students reported, was the opportunity to work anywhere in Canada for up to three years after graduation. “The survey shows that 54 percent of university students and 71 percent of college students plan to work here once they finish their studies,” said Ms. McBride in an interview. She pointed out that students are now very aware of the open-work program. “What we can offer students in the way of work both while studying and after graduation is a big recruiting tool,” she said.
More than half of the students surveyed said they planned to apply for permanent residency in Canada after they completed their studies. Part of that pattern could result from the work-permit program, but it could also stem from changes in the immigration law to give graduates of Canadian universities and colleges priority status for naturalization.
For all their satisfaction, the students said their Canadian higher education was too expensive, telling surveyors that universities and colleges should consider lowering tuition rates and increasing financial aid for foreign students, who often pay substantially higher fees than do Canadian students. Nevertheless, the number of foreign students reporting their family income as below average has fallen from 12 percent in 1988 to 6 percent this year, suggesting that Canada is attracting wealthier students, not necessarily the best and brightest.
The 76-question survey drew responses from 5,925 students at 26 institutions. Previous surveys were conducted in 1988, 1999, and 2004.