International Enrolment Drop in Canada & USA New Destinations Rise

International student enrolments in Canada and the United States have dropped sharply, while Asia, Europe, and the UK are seeing growth. This shift is happening mainly because of visa difficulties, government restrictions, and rising costs in North America.

1. North America Facing Big Drops

• Canada is affected the most.
• US is also seeing a big decline.
• Universities report that:
  • Visa processing delays
  • Stricter immigration rules
  • Travel bans
    are scaring students away.

In the US, 85% of universities said visa restrictions are a major problem (up from 58% last year).

In Canada:

• 82% universities saw fewer undergraduate students.
• 71% saw fewer postgraduate students.

Because of declining numbers, half of Canadian institutions may cut staff, and 60% may cut budgets.

2. What Caused This?

• US: Policies from the second Trump administration made visas, CPT/OPT, and H-1B harder.
• Canada: Introduced stricter rules and a cap on study visas due to an unexpected surge in past years.

These restrictions made students choose other countries.

3. Asia and Europe Are Growing

As North America becomes harder to enter, Asia, Europe, and the UK are benefiting.

Growth reported:

• 36% of Asian universities
• 43% of European universities
• 42% of UK universities (undergraduate)

All three regions saw an increase in postgraduate enrolments.

Asian universities said that restrictions in the “big four” countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia) opened opportunities for them to attract more students.

4. UK Also Facing Challenges

Although the UK is growing, it still has issues:

• High tuition and living costs (72% of universities say this is a barrier)
• New policy: A levy on income earned from international students.

This may cause universities to increase fees by 6%, which could reduce student demand by 15% because international students are price-sensitive.

However, the UK still attracts students because:

• The Graduate Route (post-study work visa) is highly valued.

5. What Experts Are Saying

• The global education market is shifting fast.
• International education is becoming more balanced, with new countries emerging as strong destinations.
• Institutions must:
  • Be adaptable
  • Listen to students’ needs
  • Push governments for stable and clear visa policies

What This Means Overall

• Canada and the US are losing students due to strict visa rules and political factors.
• Asian and European countries are taking advantage and becoming popular choices.
• The UK remains strong but needs to manage rising costs.
• Global competition for international students is increasing, and students are choosing destinations with easier visas, affordability, and stability.

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