The demand for courses offered by the institutes and colleges of Canada was significantly high in 2021 as 57% of all applications handled by IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) were for colleges which is 5% more as compared to 2020 and 35% for universities which is 6% from 2020. In 2021, the IRCC processed a total of 280,600 college-related applications representing a huge 114% growth over the past 05 years.

Out of the 286,400 study permits approved by IRCC in 2021 for all courses, 52% applicants were for college programmes, demonstrating the progressively significant role of colleges in the growth of the international education sector of Canada.

As per the new analysis by Statistics Canada, this trend really strated around 2017. There are two fundamental factors for this growth.

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  First: spike in enrolments from Indian students which is contributing a notable proportion of overall growth.

  
  


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  Second: substantial representation of Indian students in PG programmes offered by Canadian institutes and colleges.

  
  

Over the past decade, the number of Indian students has expanded in Canada, growing around ten-fold from just more than 27,000 in 2011 to approx. 220,000 by the end of 2021.

In the meantime, the Statistics Canada report informs, "College postgraduate credential programmes —typically requiring a previous postsecondary credential as a prerequisite for entry and aimed at providing career-specific skills — have grown in popularity, accounting for 13% of all college graduations in 2019, more than double the share (6%) recorded five years before in 2014".

The report also termed it as a unique event among all postsecondary programs, as the few of the graduates from other courses were Indian students. That means the next-highest share of Indian graduates i.e. 12% were from non-postgraduate college diplomas and certificates.

Link to PR (Permanent Residency):

The report also clearly indicates that many students who completed a PG qualification also secured permanent residency in Canada. Through 2019, 08 out of 10 international graduates of PG college programmes received PR within 05 years of their graduation as compared to 71% with non-postgraduate college diploma or certificate, 50% with a bachelor's degree and 69% with a master's degree, as per the StatsCan report. However, the PR rates were lower among international students from other countries as compared to Indian international students, and they also varied between credentials.

Source: monitor.icef.com