Growing number of Latin American students choose Canada for their studies

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Latin American students are more enthusiastic than ever about study abroad – and Canada has become extremely popular in these markets.

07-APR-2023 | Canada recently announced that it hosted over 800,000 international students in 2022, which is an increase of almost a third in one year. One emerging demographic that has crept up in the student population is from the countries of Latin America.

In the past years, Canada has seen explosive growth from countries like India and China, to the point that there has been worry that it might bring the system to its knees. Many colleges and universities are now quite interested in adding the Latin culture to their student mix. Job shortages, which have largely materialized as a result of the pandemic, could also provide an opportunity for the Latin American students.

All but two countries in Latin America have seen over 100% increase in the amount of students being sent to study in Canada, while Mexico has shown an increase of more than 200%. Canadian international student enrolment trends for Fall 2023 indicate an increased interest from some new markets in the region, such as Colombia. Colombia was listed as one of the priority countries in Canada’s updated international education strategy, along with Brazil and Mexico, as part of its aim to diversify the student nationalities coming to Canada to study.

To retain and increase market share in Latin America it is vital that Canadian immigration options remain available and attainable. The huge limiting factor is the visa processing time. Like countries across the world, Canada’s visa processing speeds became extremely slow in the last three years. It was one of the destinations that failed to catch up like others did, and in Latin America, where embassies and consulates are few and far between, the impact was heavily felt.

Academic advisors at PRODIREKT see the huge potential for growth in Latin America’s student population in Canada and benefits for both students and that country: “Latin American students are incredibly sociable, caring and hard working. These students solve problems easily and are able to adapt quickly to new situations. If more students from each country of the entire Latin and South American region choose to study in Canada, it could lead to even more growth in the future. However, this growth will only happen if the current students have a good experience in Canada and tell their friends back home about it.”

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