Why study in Canada: top 10 reasons

In response to COVID-19, Canada has implemented special measures impacting international students. Learn more.

If you are looking for an international destination to continue your education and launch your career, look no further. Here are the top 10 reasons to answer the question: why study in Canada?

1. Why study in Canada? You can work, that’s one.

Other study destinations either don’t let international students work at all, or may only let them work in certain fields or locations. Not Canada. As a student in Canada, you can earn as you learn, allowing you to pay your way through university or college all while obtaining crucial work experience — that’s why this is among the top reasons to study in Canada. Learn more about working while studying in Canada.

2. Lower tuition fees

Yes, as an international student you will still pay more than Canadians for the same course, but that same course in another country, such as the United States, Australia or United Kingdom, would likely cost even more. Also, see point #1 above – not only are you paying less in Canada, you’re also earning.

3. You have half a million others who can help and advise you

You won’t be alone. There are more than half a million international students in Canada. They each have a story. You will come across them everywhere, and they understand your day-to-day concerns — they’ve had those same concerns too.

4. You will receive a quality education

Among all the other reasons why to study in Canada, let’s not lose sight of the basics: Canadian colleges and universities turn out incredibly talented graduates. These well-funded, internationally-renowned institutions attract top professors and offer courses tailored to a changing economy. You will finish your course even smarter than you are right now (difficult to believe, but it’s true) and will be prepared to launch your career in Canada. Speaking of which . . .

5. You can enter the Canadian workforce

Other countries, such as the US and UK, could, rather than turfing out recent international graduates or making it extremely difficult for them to stay, learn a lesson from Canada. How does a post-graduation work permit valid for up to three years sound to you? How about we make it so that this work permit allows you to work for any employer in Canada, and in any location, and allows you the flexibility to change employers and gather even more crucial work experience that you can leverage into your Canadian permanent residence application? Kudos, Canada.

6. You can immigrate to Canada

Speaking of permanent residence, what is that anyway? Well, it’s the right to live and work in Canada, while enjoying public health and social benefits, forever. And as an international student or graduate, Canada wants you. Canada’s Express Entry immigration system offers bonus points to people with Canadian study and work experience (by now you have both), with further emphasis on your language skills (which you have developed over the years), and your age (you probably have a few decades of your career left to go, unless you retire early, which, given you have a Canadian education, is entirely possible). And if Express Entry doesn’t work out, Canada’s provinces also offer routes to permanent residence through their Provincial Nominee Programs.

7. You can bring your family

Let’s take a step back. We’ve gone way ahead, beyond your graduation and all the way to obtaining permanent residence. Here’s a perk and one of the main reasons to study in Canada right now: you can bring your spouse or common-law partner with you on an open work permit, and your kids, if you have them, will be able to go to one of Canada’s public elementary or secondary schools without needing their own study permit.

8. You can travel

We’ve got six time zones, piles of snow, miles of sandy beach, diverse cities and a lot more for you to get through. Take the opportunity to explore Canada while you’re here. It may even tempt you to stay.

9. You can relax

Canadians are known for their laid-back attitude to pretty much everything. This is a place where people meet for coffee spontaneously, where going for a drink or a bite to eat with friends after a day’s work or study is entirely normal, and where marijuana has recently been legalized. You can choose to do whatever you like, and nobody will judge you for it. You can be yourself.

10. You can become a Canadian

Not only has Canada made it easy for students to work after graduation, and made it easier for graduates and workers to transition to permanent residence — now it’s even easier for those with PR to become Canadian citizens. This final step of joining the Canadian family allows you to come and go as you please without renewing your PR, allows you to vote, allows you to obtain a Canadian passport (one of the most valuable in the world), and allows you to retain your original citizenship (if that other country will still have you, please check first!).

Now you have read the top 10 reasons to study in Canada, what are you waiting for?

Let’s get started:

• Canada vs. the World: Choosing the best study destination
• Choosing the right study program in Canada
• How to pick the best bank for your student GIC
• Finding the right university or college in Canada
• How to apply to a Canadian university or college
• The Letter of Acceptance
• Getting a Study Permit
• Preparing for arrival

11. You don’t have to be young

We promised 10 reasons to study in Canada, but here is a bonus reason: you don’t have to be young. You can be 30, 40, 50 . . . Canada will judge your application for a study permit based in part on whether the study program you have been accepted to appears to be a natural progression in your career. Canada welcomes mature international students all the time!

This list goes to 11.