The Most Popular Canadian Colleges and Universities for International Students

Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada remains a popular destination for international students in Canadian Colleges and Universities. In 2020, we examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadian postsecondary education. Now, with full-year data for 2021, we’ll look at how Canada’s post-secondary institutions have recovered post-pandemic. We’ll look at which Canadian colleges and universities attracted the most international students in 2021, and how that compares to 2020.

Canadian Post-Secondary Study Permit Trends 2019 to 2021

The total number of new study permits issued to post-secondary students increased from just over 64,000 in 2020, to more than 300,000 in 2021. This means that there was an increase of nearly 375% in 2021, showing a strong recovery after the drop in the total number of study permits issued in 2020. In comparison, there were around 211,000 study permits issued in 2019.

Most Popular Canadian Colleges for International Students in 2021

In 2021, the total number of new study permits issued for the ten most popular Canadian Colleges and Universities increased by nearly 62,000 over 2020 and by more than 29,000 over 2019. This amounted to nearly 400% more research permits in 2021 than in 2020, and 60% more than in 2019. Here’s a closer look at the top five colleges:

Conestoga College

This Kitchener, Ontario-based college, which was previously ranked third on the 2020 version of this list, has seen incredible growth in its international student population. Conestoga College students received 72% more study permits from 2019 to 2021, and nearly 350% more from 2017 to 2021.

Seneca College

Seneca College, which has campuses throughout the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), has attracted over 29,000 students since 2016. Seneca, which was ranked fourth on this list in 2020, saw nearly 590% growth from 2020 to 2021, making it Canada’s number two college in terms of new study permits issued.

Lambton College

Lambton College, located in Sarnia, Ontario, has consistently ranked among the top ten colleges for international students over the last five years. The number of new study permits issued to Lambton students decreased by only 55% between 2019 and 2020, but increased by 59% between 2017 and 2021.

Centennial College

Centennial College, located in Toronto, jumped into the top five colleges with an incredible post-pandemic recovery. Centennial issued nearly 6,400 new study permits in 2019, which fell to just under 1,400 in 2020. More than 7,200 new study permits will be issued to Centennial College students in 2021.

St. Clair College College

St. Clair College, like Centennial, has experienced rapid growth in enrollment. In 2021, St. Clair saw a nearly 5,900 new study permit increase, resulting in a 40% increase in numbers and a total of more than 7,100 new study permits issued. From 2017 to 2021, this represented a 170% increase.

Loyalist College

Loyalist College in Toronto is another top-ten post-secondary institution worth mentioning. Students at Loyalist College in Toronto received 3,914 study permits in 2021, up from 42 in 2020. This amounted to a 125-fold increase in study permits issued in 2021 compared to 2020. In its second year, Loyalist ranked tenth among all Ontario colleges in international enrollment in 2021.

Most Popular Canadian Universities for International Students in 2021

University of Toronto

The University of Toronto (U of T), located in downtown Toronto, is the most popular Canadian university for international students. In 2020, the University of Toronto saw a 74% decrease in new study permits issued compared to 2019. When compared to 2020, the number of new study permits issued to U of T students in 2021 increased by nearly 800%, with just over 9,500 more study permits issued in 2021 than in 2020.

University of British Columbia

The University of Toronto (U of T), located in downtown Toronto, is the most popular Canadian university for international students. In 2020, the University of Toronto saw a 74% decrease in new study permits issued compared to 2019. When compared to 2020, the number of new study permits issued to U of T students in 2021 increased by nearly 800%, with just over 9,500 more study permits issued in 2021 than in 2020.

University Canada West

University Canada West (UCW) remained in the top five and is Canada’s most popular university for international students. In 2021, the number of new study permits issued to UCW students was more than four times that of 2019. This was a strong rebound following a 52% drop from 2019 to 2020.

Concordia University

Concordia University, previously ranked as the tenth most popular Canadian university for international students, has risen to the top five this year. From 2019 to 2021, Concordia saw a 62% increase in new study permits issued, and a 650% increase from 2020 to 2021.

McGill University

McGill University, like UBC, was a model of student stability prior to the pandemic. After a 78% drop in new study permits in 2020, McGill saw a strong rebound in 2021. Since 2020, McGill has seen an impressive increase of nearly five times more study permits than in 2019, amounting to a nearly 450% growth rate.