Canada is located in the northern part of North America consisting of 10 provinces & 3 territories. Spanning a massive 9,984,671 square kilometres, it is the 2nd largest country worldwide boasting more lakes than the rest of the world combined. Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state and Queen of Canada under the current constitution.
Canada is known to provide high quality education at an affordable cost. As one of the international leaders in computer & information technologies, Canada has a reputation for excellence in areas such as telecommunications, animation, transportation and engineering.
Great importance is placed by the government on education and standards are uniformly high. 18 of the 98 Universities are ranked in the top 500 in the world (QS Rankings 2019).
There are more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate courses available to choose from across more than 250 public & private institutions.
Everyone can speak english. As a bilingual nation, both English & French are official national languages.
Because Canada is such an immense country with immigrants making up 20% of the population, there is an extreme variety when it comes to people, climate, landscape & cultures. Canadians generally are warm & friendly whilst sharing values such as a belief in equality and respect for all ethnic groups. As a result, Canada has an international reputation for a tolerant & non-discriminatory society.
You’ll also be immersing yourself in a diverse student community with more than 186 different nationalities. China, India, South Korea, France & Vietnam comprise of almost two-thirds of international students in Canada.
Canada has ranked among the top 10 places to live in the world for more than 20 years. Canada ranks no.1 when it comes to quality of life & is regarded as one of the safest places in the world (ranked 6th by Institute for Economics & Peace 2018).
Quebec, Toronto, Ottawa & Vancouver are the best student cities as ranked by QS 2016 with 93% of international students satisfied or very satisfied with their educational experience. (Canadian Bureau for International Education)
International students are eligible to work up to 20 hours per week and full-time (30 hours/week) during term breaks/holidays. Your study permit will indicate whether you may work on-campus or off-campus.
There are also abundant immigration options and Canada has a few routes designed to offer international students opportunities to obtain a PR after graduation. The post-graduation work permit (PGWPP) allows graduates to stay on for a limited time to look for potential employment. Additionally, most provinces have provincial nominee streams & there is also Canada’s federal economic immigration streams. As Canada possesses one of the largest economies in the world, there are many job opportunities for graduates.
With the numerous perks as mentioned, it is no surprise that Canada is amongst the top destinations worldwide for international students.
Do keep in mind it is important to apply for Canadian Universities at least 1 year in advance. Application deadlines for mainstream September intakes are typically between December – January, and international application processes may take up to 6 months.