Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada remains a top destination for international students. In 2020, we looked at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on post-secondary education in Canada. Now, with full-year data for 2021, we’ll take a look at how Canada’s post-secondary institutions have made a comeback post-pandemic. Specifically, we’ll look at which Canadian colleges and universities attracted the most international students in 2021, and how this compared to 2020.
Key Insights at a Glance
- The total number of study permits issued to post-secondary students in Canada increased by nearly 375% in 2021 compared to 2020.
- The most popular Canadian college, Conestoga College, had more than 13,500 new study permits issued in 2021.
- The most popular Canadian university, the University of Toronto, had a total of just over 10,700 new study permits issued in 2021.
As we move into post-pandemic recovery, schools are working hard to support students. Congratulations to all the schools that appear in the list below, including the many ApplyBoard partner schools working with us on our mission to educate the world!
Canadian Post-Secondary Study Permit Trends 2019 to 2021
In our ApplyInsights spotlight on the impact of COVID-19 on Canadian schools, we observed a 75% decline in study permits issued for post-secondary students in 2020. Let’s take a look at how 2021 compares to 2020.
The chart below shows the number of new study permits issued for post-secondary students from 2016 to 2021:
The total number of new study permits issued to post-secondary students increased from just over 64,000 in 2020, to more than 300,000 in 2021. This means that there was an increase of nearly 375% in 2021, showing a strong recovery after the drop in the total number of study permits issued in 2020. In comparison, there were around 211,000 study permits issued in 2019.
Let’s take a look at the 10 most popular Canadian colleges for international students in 2021 and see how their rankings compare to 2020.
Most Popular Canadian Colleges for International Students in 2021
In 2021, the total number of new study permits issued for the 10 most popular colleges increased by almost 62,000 compared to 2020 and by over 29,000 compared to 2019. This amounted to nearly 400% more study permits in 2021 than 2020 and 60% more compared to 2019. Here’s a closer look at the five most popular colleges:
- Conestoga College: Previously ranked third in the 2020 version of this list, this Kitchener, Ontario-based college has seen incredible growth in its international student population. The number of new study permits issued to Conestoga College students increased by 72% from 2019 to 2021 and nearly 350% from 2017 to 2021.
- Seneca College: With several campuses across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Seneca College has attracted over 29,000 students since 2016. Moving from being ranked fourth in this list in 2020, Seneca saw nearly 590% growth from 2020 to 2021, making it Canada’s number two college for new study permits issued.
- Lambton College: Based in Sarnia, Ontario, Lambton College has been in the top 10 colleges for international students in each of the past five years. The number of new study permits issued to Lambton students decreased by only 55% from 2019 to 2020 and grew by 59% from 2017 to 2021.
- Centennial College: Based in Toronto, Centennial College jumped into the top 5 colleges with an incredible post-pandemic rebound. Centennial had nearly 6,400 new study permits issued in 2019 which declined in 2020 to just under 1,400. In 2021, more than 7,200 new study permits were issued to Centennial College students.
- St. Clair College: Like Centennial, St. Clair College has seen impressive growth in numbers. In 2021, St. Clair saw an increase of nearly 5,900 new study permits, amounting to a 40% jump in numbers and a total of more than 7,100 new study permits issued. This was a 170% increase from 2017 to 2021.
One other post-secondary school in the top 10 that deserves a special mention is Loyalist College in Toronto. Students attending Loyalist College in Toronto were issued 3,914 study permits in 2021 compared to just 42 in 2020. This amounted to a growth rate of over 125 times more study permits issued in 2021 compared to 2020. Loyalist ranked tenth among all Ontario colleges in international enrollment in 2021 in the institution’s second year.
Here’s the full list of the 10 most popular colleges for international students in Canada in 2021. It’s worth noting that all 10 schools are located in Ontario.
Most Popular Canadian Universities for International Students in 2021
Here’s a closer look at the five most popular Canadian universities:
- University of Toronto: Located in downtown Toronto, the University of Toronto (U of T) held its place as the most popular Canadian university for international students. In 2020, U of T saw a decline of 74% in new study permits issued compared to 2019. The number of new study permits issued to U of T students in 2021 increased by nearly 800% compared to 2020, with just over 9,500 more study permits issued in 2021 than in 2020.
- University of British Columbia: Making a strong comeback from 2020, UBC has moved up to the second most popular Canadian university for international students. From 2020 to 2021, UBC had an increase of 730% more study permits issued amounting to 7,760 more international students.
- University Canada West: University Canada West (UCW) also remained in the top five universities and is the most popular university for international students in Canada. The number of new study permits issued for UCW students in 2021 was more than four times higher than 2019. This was a strong comeback after a 52% decline from 2019 to 2020.
- Concordia University: Previously ranking as the 10th most popular Canadian university for international students, Concordia University jumped into the spotlight of the top five this year. Concordia saw a 62% increase in new study permits issued from 2019 to 2021 and a 650% increase from 2020 to 2021.
- McGill University: Much like UBC, McGill University was a strong example of student stability pre-pandemic. McGill saw a strong rebound in 2021 after a 78% new study permit drop in 2020. Since 2020, McGill has shown an impressive increase of almost five times more study permits than in 2019, amounting to a growth rate of nearly 450%.
Here’s the full list of the 10 most popular Canadian universities for international students in 2021:
20 Most Popular Canadian Post-Secondary Schools for International Students in 2021
Let’s take a look at the complete top 20 list of Canadian post-secondary institutions by new study permits issued in 2021:
Looking Forward
2019 and 2020 were challenging years for every sector, especially education. Post-secondary institutions were affected by travel restrictions, forcing students to make changes to their plans to study abroad. Canadian colleges and universities have proven to be resilient during the pandemic and have made a strong comeback in 2021. With travel restrictions being lifted across the globe and schools returning to in-person study, the promise of recovery is attracting international students to study in Canada.
In the coming weeks, we’ll look at the most popular Canadian colleges and universities for international students from India. Stay tuned!
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FOOTNOTES:
1. All data courtesy of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
