Top 10 Source Countries of International Students to Canada
New data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) showed that Canada broke a record by welcoming over 550,000 new international students in 2022. Moreover, as of December 31st, 2022, there were 807,750 international students holding valid study permits. However, where do all these international students come from?
Parsai Immigration compiled the data of the top source countries of international students entering, living and studying in Canada.
Table of contents
- Source countries of new international students entering Canada: 2022
- Source countries of international students already living and studying in Canada: December 31st, 2022
- International students (within Canada) attending Designated Learning Institutions in 2022
- Recent measures for International Students
- Help for International graduates!
- Read this in Spanish
Source countries of new international students entering Canada: 2022
India, China, and the Philippines were the top three sources of international students coming to Canada in 2022. Indian students now account for slightly more than half of the total number of international students who entered Canada last year.
| Country | Number of Students Coming in 2022 |
|---|---|
| India | 226,450 |
| People’s Republic of China | 52,165 |
| Philippines | 23,380 |
| France | 16,725 |
| Nigeria | 16,195 |
| Iran | 13,525 |
| Republic of Korea | 11,535 |
| Japan | 10,955 |
| Mexico | 10,405 |
| Brazil | 10,405 |
<<These international students can get a study permit within 20 calendar days>>
Source countries of international students already living and studying in Canada: December 31st, 2022
There were 319,130 international students from India already living and studying in Canada as of December 2022. This number is three times larger than the second leading source nation, China.
| Country | Number of students already living and studying in Canada |
|---|---|
| India | 319,130 |
| People’s Republic of China | 100,075 |
| Philippines | 32,455 |
| France | 27,135 |
| Nigeria | 21,660 |
| Iran | 21,115 |
| Republic of Korea | 16,505 |
| Vietnam | 16,140 |
| Mexico | 14,930 |
| United States of America | 14,485 |
<<Know the Best Cities For International Students in Canada>>
International students (within Canada) attending Designated Learning Institutions in 2022
Ontario is the province that accommodates the largest number of international students in Canada. In the context of the other provinces, its number surpasses even second-place British Columbia by nearly 250,000.
In total, 377,785 international students were attending DLIs in the rest of the Canadian provinces.
| Province | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Ontario | 411,000 |
| British Columbia | 164,000 |
| Quebec | 93,000 |
| Alberta | 43,000 |
| Manitoba | 22,000 |
| Nova Scotia | 20,850 |
| Saskatchewan | 13,135 |
| New Brunswick | 11,140 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 6,175 |
| Prince Edward Island | 4,485 |
<<International students with a job offer: Apply to work and live in Ontario>>
Recent measures for International Students
- International students will be allowed work off-Campus over 20 hours
From November 15, 2022, until December 31, 2023, international students who are in Canada and have off-campus work authorization on their study permit will be allowed to work over 20 hours per week off-campus while class is in session. There is no limit on the maximum number of hours that a student can work. However, the Minister emphasized that study permit holders are still expected to balance their study and work commitments. More Info.
- IRCC creates a transition period for distance learning
After consultation with provinces/territories and education stakeholders, IRCC decided to extend its distance learning measures. International students can now pursue their studies online from outside Canada while remaining eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP), until August 31, 2023. “But they are being reduced in scope,” said the institution. More Info.
- Former international students can now apply for a new open work permit
International students with expiring post-graduation work permits (PGWPs) between September 20th, 2021 and December 31, 2022, can now apply for an additional open work permit of 18 months. Also, those currently in Canada will have the ability to work in the interim period while they wait for their permits. More info.
- International Students in private Quebec colleges won’t be eligible for PGWP
Graduates of unsubsidized private learning institutions in Quebec won’t be able to access the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) starting September 1, 2023. According to the federal government, the measure is intended to protect the integrity of the international student program in Quebec. Moreover, the measure aligns the PGWP eligibility rules for Quebec with those in effect in other provinces. More Info.
Help for International graduates!
For Post Graduate Work Permits or other international student or graduate options, fill out the following form. Alternatively, please book a consultation session. If you are not an international student or graduate in Canada, you could fill out our assessment form for other immigration options in Canada.
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