In February, Dr. Randall Martin, BCCIE’s Executive Director was interviewed by ApplyBoard for their ApplyInsights blog. The article was the fifth and final installment of ApplyInsights’ Canadian Provincial Study Permit Trends series.

In the article, the ApplyInsights team offers key insights, including how BC compares to the rest of Canada and what the top source countries for international students at BC institutions are. The province has long been a leader in international education in Canada, helped in recruiting by its proximity to Asia and the work of BCCIE.

In considering the question of whether BC or at least the Vancouver metro area has reached its international student capacity, ApplyInsights doesn’t think so:

“Rather, we think the pandemic has underscored how well positioned BC is to withstand industry shifts as Canada’s most mature destination market,” the team says. “BC’s proximity to East Asia and its well-established East Asian communities are permanent pull factors…We expect student inflows from Hong Kong will continue to increase…Look for the South Korean market, which saw upwards of 4,000 study permit approvals for BC institutions as recently as 2017, to begin [rebounding] in 2022…”

When Randall was asked to share his thoughts on what BC institutions can do to continue their recovery from the pandemic and ensure a stable future, he offered the following observations and areas of opportunity:

• Many of the technology-aided shifts we’ve seen during the pandemic, from virtual recruitment fairs and Zoom meetings to digital content delivery, are here to stay in some form and to a high degree. Schools that have been slow to embrace these strategies risk putting themselves at a permanent disadvantage.
• Focus on partnerships and growing student inflows from Latin America and Southeast Asia, where Canada (and BC) has cost and geographical advantages.
• Don’t be afraid to explore innovative solutions in student housing, such as in new off-campus private and public-private partnerships.
• Explore connections with local industry to find co-op and post-graduation career opportunities for international students and highlight these connections in marketing materials.

For additional details, including data graphs and tables, please read the full ApplyInsights article.

About ApplyInsights

Led by ApplyBoard Co-Founder and CMO Meti Basiri, the ApplyInsights Team analyzes the latest government and third-party data, alongside ApplyBoard internal data, to provide a complete picture of trends in the international education industry. They also work with industry experts and ApplyBoard team members to gather local insights across key source and destination countries, where ApplyBoard has helped more than 300,000 students around the world.