Amid concerns regarding international tensions and the decrease in the number of Indian students choosing to study in Canada this year, a recent report has unveiled that Canada emerged as the top choice for Indian students as a study abroad destination in 2022.
The MM Advisory Services report titled ‘Indian Students Mobility Report 2023’ analyzed data on student migration to Major English Speaking Destination Countries (MESDC) from various sources such as Project Atlas, OECD, UNESCO, etc., spanning from March 2022 to December 2022 and compiled by the end of 2023. The report highlighted Canada’s remarkable surge as the preferred destination for Indian students seeking international education.
According to the report, in 2022, Canada witnessed an unprecedented surge, breaking previous records with an 86% increase in Indian student enrollment over the past five years, nearly doubling its numbers since 2018. The report notes that Canada’s Year-on-Year growth rate in 2022 stood at an impressive 46.8%, ranking second only to the UK.
Maria Mathai, the founder of MM Advisory Services, attributed this phenomenon to a combination of favorable immigration policies and Canada’s appeal as an alternative when other countries are less enticing. She mentioned that an estimated 70-80% of the student intake is for diploma programs.
While Canada emerged as the top choice for Indian students, traditional destinations like the United Kingdom and the United States continued to attract students. The UK saw a significant growth of 49.6% in 2022, outpacing Australia by a considerable margin. On the other hand, the US recorded a notable 18.9% increase, nearing its 2019 student volumes despite challenges like visa backlogs and campus security issues.
Australia, however, experienced only a modest growth of 0.7% in 2022. The report highlighted Australia’s decline from being the second most popular destination to the fourth over the past five years, indicating a shift in international student preferences.
The report, based on data from international think tanks and government organizations tracking student mobility for various countries, predicts a continued rise in the UK’s popularity among Indian students. While the US remains a dominant player in international student mobility, Canada’s Year-on-Year numbers for the first half of the year surpassed those of 2022. However, diplomatic tensions in the latter part of the year may hinder Canada from setting new records in the current year, as per Mathai.