When it comes to recruiting foreign students, Canada earns F for effort

On the lack of an effective international education strategy. Removal of credit for pre-permanent residency time in the new Citizenship Act is another disincentive compared to other countries (believe UK, Australia and other countries provide):

“Canada seems to think of education as a really crude export industry and we look at it in a really mercantilist fashion, where we want more people to come in and we don’t really care if people go out or not,” says Alex Usher, president of Higher Education Strategy Associates based in Toronto.

Jennifer Jeffs, president of the Canadian International Council, says international education should be part of Canada’s foreign policy strategy. As a tool of “soft diplomacy,” encouraging students to go abroad, where they form meaningful relationships, would improve foreign relations and Canada’s reputation.

While Canada may not have the highest standard of education and research or the most competitive fees, it still has an unmatched reputation as a tolerant, multicultural and safe society, which it should capitalize on.

“The overriding concern is that Canada is not getting as much as it deserves from international education,” says Simon. “All the building blocks are there to make Canada a real powerhouse in international education, and yet it hasn’t happened.”

When it comes to recruiting foreign students, Canada earns F for effort.