According to recently released data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), there were 642,480 international students in Canada as of December 31, 2019. Counted by IRCC as study permit holders, the number of international students in Canada last year represented a 13 percent increase from the previous year.

Earning the top spot was India with 219,855 study permit holders. Following India was China, which sent 141,400 study permit holders to Canada in 2019. Numbers from China slightly declined over the past two years from 141,995 in 2018 to 141,400 in 2019.

Over the past five years, international student numbers in Canadian institutions and schools have grown by 82 percent.

Top 10 countries for study permit holders in Canada as of December 31, 2019

• India – 219,855 study permit holders
• China – 141,400 study permit holders
• Korea – 24,180 study permit holders
• France – 24,045 study permit holders
• Vietnam – 21,595 study permit holders
• United States – 15,015 study permit holders
• Iran – 14,745 study permit holders
• Brazil – 14,560 study permit holders
• Nigeria – 11,985 study permit holders
• Japan – 8,485 study permit holders