On December 10, 2024, ApplyBoard team members connected with 500+ attendees for our 2025 Trends Report webinar, Navigating the Future of Global Student Mobility.
During the webinar, we highlighted patterns to watch and steps organizations can take to prepare for—and adapt to—shifts in student mobility and technology implementation. As artificial intelligence continues to change classroom and operational approaches, we also polled attendees to gauge how their organizations plan to implement AI tools:
Only 4% of respondents’ organizations were not planning to increase their investment in AI within the next two years. Just over two in five were unsure of their organization’s approach, where half of respondents said greater investment in AI was likely.
Attendees also asked thoughtful questions, from how student loans work to asking for resources to learn about the education system and culture of different study destinations (check out our free ApplyBoard Counsellor Courses)!
We didn’t have time to get to everyone, so we’re answering some of the most popular questions below. Read on to see what’s on the minds of international education professionals.
How do we navigate the process of study abroad, especially with countries tightening their borders?
For international recruitment professionals, information is power. Staying up-to-date with policy changes helps you to offer timely and accurate advice. It’s also important to know which careers students are chasing and which fields need lots of new grads.
Technology can match students to programs that suit their goals, too. For example, ApplyBoard’s Canadian Visa Calculator uses historical data and machine learning to weigh the likelihood that a student will receive a Canadian study permit. The calculator considers each student based on their desired level of study, destination province, and some demographic questions. While the results are an estimate and don’t replace official immigration advice, they could help you assess how viable different program options are.
From a practical angle, encourage students to start their applications early. Schedule buffer time for gathering application documents and having transcripts translated. Being rushed can lead to errors, which could put their applications at risk. Meanwhile, service interruptions like postal strikes in study destinations can cause mailed applications to be late. So, when possible, apply for student visas and study programs online.
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What are the new emerging countries for Canada-bound international students?
In the first six months (H1) of 2024, international student populations from China, Ghana, and Guinea grew year-over-year compared to H1 2023. They were the only ones in Canada’s top 10 post-secondary student populations (by study permit approval) to grow, proving resilient in the wake of policy change.
When we look at Immigrations, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data for study permits processed between January to October of 2024, African countries are ones to watch. While it’s true that Nigerian study permit applications are down from the heights of 2023, they remain nearly double their 2022 numbers. Ghanaian applications surged from 4,500 in Jan–Oct 2022 to nearly 25,000 over the same period this year. Similar patterns emerged for applications from Algeria, Senegal, Benin, and Cameroon.
Curious about changing student populations elsewhere? Check out our updates on the US, the UK, and Ireland.
What should we expect as Canada and Australia promote caps on international student numbers?
The Australian cap on international students scheduled for 2025 was blocked in Australia’s parliament, meaning it’s unlikely to move forward. That said, earlier this fall our team wrote about what Australia could learn from Canada’s experience with student caps.
We found student caps affected every study level, and that the resulting reduction in applications can be severe. In Canada, new post-secondary study permit applications fell by an average of 50% year-over-year in the first two months after the cap.
This September, we predicted that the number of Canadian study permits processed would decrease by almost 40% year-over-year compared to 2023. In the end, student interest was higher than we were projecting for Q3 2024—we predicted 120,000 study permits would be processed, but, per IRCC public data, it was closer to 174,000. However, that’s still considerably less than the 225,000 permits processed in Q3 2023. While there are many variables to consider, we project that student demand for Canadian programs will remain significantly lower than 2023 levels through next year.
How are things looking for post-grad studies [in Canada], in light of the last year with no PALs and into next year with PALs?
Earlier this fall, we predicted graduate-level study permit applications would drop by 24% for full-year 2024 versus 2023. After the caps and PALs (provincial attestation letters) were implemented, fewer applications were submitted and approved across Canada in the first half of the year. In fact, Manitoba was the only province where more postgraduate study permits were approved in H1 2024 than in H1 2023. While 12% of the 2025 study permit cap is reserved for postgraduate student applications, cooling student demand and lower study permit approval rates may make 2025 a slower year for post-grad studies.
In what regions of the world are students interested in agriculture programs?
2025 could be a great time for student outreach to Central Asian countries like Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan topped our list of countries with the largest increases in F-1 student visas in the US in 2021/22, followed by Kyrgyzstan in 2022/23. These countries have young populations (in 2023, over half of Kyrgyzstan’s population was under 30) heavily employed in resource industries like agriculture and mining. In fact, in 2022, 25% of Uzbekistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) came from agriculture, forestry, and fishing. As these countries modernize, students may seek international programs that can help them drive innovation.
Our recent Student Pulse Survey also illustrated that students from across Africa were interested in agricultural programs. This answer from a future master’s degree student from Burkina Faso stood out:
“After completing my studies, I plan to pursue a career in agronomy, focusing on rural development and food security. My goal is to contribute to the improvement of agricultural systems in Burkina Faso, particularly through the introduction of sustainable and climate-resilient practices. I aim to work with local or international organizations where I can apply my skills in project management and coordination to support sustainable agriculture programs and efforts to combat malnutrition.”
– Student response to “What career(s) do you plan to pursue after your studies?” ApplyBoard Student Pulse Survey – Fall 2024
What are a couple of program options you recommend for international students for next year?
As many countries support their growing aging populations, health care graduates are going to be in high demand. And, as the sector grows, international students are well-positioned to fill empty roles. Nursing programs are a great option, as students build a fairly universal skill set in two- to four-year programs, often with work opportunities built into their classes.
STEM (science, tech, engineering, and math) programs are top-of-mind for many students. STEM careers offer higher average salaries, and in countries like the US are projected to have a much higher rate of job creation than non-STEM roles. For students considering the US, the renewable energy, information security, and data science fields are expected to grow at much faster rates than the workforce average until 2033.
If you have a question that wasn’t answered in the webinar or in this post, our blog and ApplyInsights archives are great places to look.
Our blog is home to student guides, sector news, and resources, where ApplyInsights is filled with data-driven content on everything from in-house student search trends to assessments of major policy changes.
