Support migrant centric journalism today and donate
A series of new surveys conducted by educations.com has revealed that Canada and the UK have moved ahead of the US as preferred international destinations for study among foreign students. Meanwhile, international students who had planned to study in Australia, have now switched to British or Canadian universities.
As of January 2018, the US was ranked the top choice for international students but dropped to third by October 2020. In the same period, applications for university enrolment and student visa applications for Canada and the UK increased by 3% among prospective international students.
Applications for US university enrolment and student visas has slumped by 10%, according to research, but America remains ahead of Germany (fourth) and Australia (fifth).
Gradual decrease
Although the coronavirus has played its part in declining interest in US universities among international students, research shows that there has been a gradual decrease in higher education enrolment and student visa applications since 2018.
However, attempts to enforce strict immigration rules on international students under the Trump administration only served to encourage foreign students to look elsewhere to study.
According to the research, one of the key driving factors behind the decision of international students when choosing a country in which to study is how welcome they are.
Immigration and post-study visa policy
This firmly places the spotlight on immigration policy and in particular, post-study visa options. Meanwhile, language, culture and security are other considerations.
According to the research, Canada leads the way in terms of its immigration policy, with its permanent residence policies proving to be particularly attractive. Canada has also acted quickly to protect the rights of its student visa holders and those seeking entry into the country amid the COVID-19 crisis.
For example, most universities across Ontario are now ready to welcome international students, provided that they arrange their own quarantine. Canada has also been named as a ‘safe and stable’ country for international students and received plaudits for its pandemic response alongside New Zealand.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration had sought to reduce immigrant numbers since 2017. America’s Optional Practical Training programme faced abolishment and was beset by delays.
Furthermore, attempts were made to remove international students amid the coronavirus pandemic whose classes had moved purely online. This policy was later withdrawn but left international students feeling uncertain about their US immigration status.
UK attractive to international students
The UK has increased its attractiveness to international students after it opened a new look Tier 4 student visa route early. The new system gives foreign students a far more streamlined visa application process while providing a pathway to apply for a post-study work visa, set to launch in the summer of 2021.
Britain has committed to attracting the ‘brightest and best’ students from around the world to contribute to the growth and development of the new post-study work visa route.
The new visa will allow international students to remain in the UK for two years (three years for PhD graduates) to work at any skill level and switch to a skilled worker visa if they find a suitable job role.
Workpermit.com can help with Sponsor Licences
If you need help with employing Skilled Workers and help to apply for a Sponsor Licence, including complying with your Sponsor Licence obligations, workpermit.com can help.
For more information and advice on Sponsor licences, please contact us on 0344 991 9222 or at london@workpermit.com
