Snapshot: International students in Canada

Is it your new year’s resolution to study in Canada? Will you study in a university, college or secondary school? Where will you study? Where do international students in Canada come from? To answer these questions, we have developed a snapshot of international students in Canada.

  • Canada is the world’s 7th most popular destination for international students.
  • International student enrollment grew from 159,426 in 2003 to over 290,000 in 2013 – an 84% increase.
  • International students comprise 8% of the post-secondary student population in Canada.

Where do international students study in Canada?

  • Of the 293,505 international students in Canada, 83% are in Ontario, British Columbia or Québec.
international students in Canada, by region  

Number and percent of international students in Canada, by region (2013)

What do international students study?

International students in Canada study in a variety of levels and institution-types, from university to college, trade schools, and primary/secondary school.

  • Engineering, business and the social sciences are the top fields of study of international students in Canada.

Where are international students from?

Canada boasts one of the most diverse student populations in the world.

  • The top 5 countries of origin of international students in Canada are China, India, Korea, Saudi Arabia and France.

Do you have questions about studying in Canada?  Comment below or contact our team at istudentcanada@cbie.ca Find scholarships and programs Learn more about the Canadian Bureau for International Education All information above was obtained from Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the Canadian Bureau for International Education and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development