International students put Canada back near the top in rankings

Canada is once again near the top of the list for international students choosing where to study abroad, according to a new survey by ApplyBoard.

The fall 2025 survey ranked Canada second among six leading destinations, behind the United Kingdom but ahead of the United States, Australia, Germany and Ireland.

A rebound after earlier decline

For much of the past two years, Canada had been viewed as the number one study-abroad destination in ApplyBoard’s global surveys. That changed in spring 2025, after Ottawa introduced caps on new study permits and tightened access to postgraduation work permits. The policy shift, aimed at addressing pressures on housing, health care and cost of living, is projected to cut new study permit approvals by 50 per cent compared with last year.

Despite the caps, Canada’s reputation appears to be recovering. In the latest survey, 84.3 per cent of the 400 student recruitment professionals polled rated Canada as “open, safe and welcoming.” That’s up from 79.1 per cent in the spring, though still below the high of 93.7 per cent recorded in 2023.

Key findings from the ApplyBoard survey

Openness and safety: The U.K. led with 86.9 per cent, followed by Canada (84.3 per cent), Australia (81.8 per cent), Germany (80 per cent), Ireland (74.4 per cent) and the U.S. (50 per cent).
Overall attractiveness: The U.K. topped the list at 82 per cent, with Canada at 74 per cent, the U.S. at 67 per cent, Australia at 66 per cent, Germany at 60 per cent and Ireland at 50 per cent.
Affordability: Canada saw its score improve to 67.3 per cent from 63.6 per cent a year earlier. Only Germany (76.8 per cent) and Ireland (68.7 per cent) ranked higher on affordability.

What students value most

When weighing where to study abroad, the top considerations included:

Cost of studying (91.4 per cent)
Postgraduation work opportunities (87.8 per cent)
Cost of living (76.7 per cent)
Job opportunities while studying (74.6 per cent)
Welcoming environment (48.6 per cent)

The survey noted that rising living costs may push many students to look at smaller, more affordable communities within popular countries, or toward shorter programs such as graduate diplomas, certificates or accelerated degrees.

Almost half of respondents — 47 per cent — said they are seeing stronger student interest in international education this year compared with last.

While Canada’s position slipped earlier in 2025 due to federal restrictions, the country continues to be seen as one of the most appealing destinations, signalling that its reputation as a welcoming and affordable study option still holds weight in the global competition for students.

Explainer: What changed with Canada’s study permit cap in 2025?

In early 2025, the federal government overhauled Canada’s international education program, introducing strict new limits on the number of study permits issued each year.

Why the cap was introduced:

Concerns had been growing over the impact of high immigration and international student numbers on housing affordability, a strained health-care system, and the rising cost of living.
Ottawa said the changes were needed to make the system more sustainable and to better protect students from exploitation by unregulated institutions.

Key changes:

A cap on the number of new study permits, projected to reduce approvals by 50 per cent compared with 2024.
Restrictions on postgraduation work permits, limiting eligibility for students graduating from certain programs and private institutions.

Impact so far:

Canada, once ranked the top choice for international students in ApplyBoard surveys for two years running, dropped in the spring 2025 ranking before rebounding in the fall.
Student recruiters say Canada is still viewed positively, but its reputation has not returned to 2023 levels.