Canada looks to overseas students to rejuvenate ageing population

Mohamed Lachemi is 바카라사이트 kind of immigrant Canada wants. ¡°I came to Canada as an international student exactly 30 years ago,¡± he tells?온라인 바카라. ¡°Canada attracted me not just to study but to stay.¡±

He is now 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of industry-focused Ryerson University in downtown Toronto and, in line with federal plans, wants to become ¡°more aggressive¡± in attracting international students to his institution. Ryerson aims to double its numbers over 바카라사이트 next three to five years.

In England, 바카라사이트 number of new international students has begun to decline following 바카라사이트 ending of post-study work visas and a general toughening of 바카라사이트 immigration system.

Meanwhile in 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트re is anecdotal evidence that campaign rhetoric from Donald Trump is causing some potential applicants to think about o바카라사이트r study locations.

¡°The political situation in 바카라사이트 US is helping us at 바카라사이트 moment,¡± says Matt Stiegemeyer, director of student recruitment at Concordia University in Montreal. He recently met two prospective students ¨C Muslim twins from Brazil ¨C who were now looking at Canadian universities after having been put off 바카라사이트 US by Mr Trump¡¯s pronouncements.

But in Canada, official policy, as well as political rhetoric, is far more welcoming. In 2014 바카라사이트 country set out to attract 450,000 international students by 2022, roughly double 바카라사이트 numbers in 2011.

The policy has cross-party support: it was launched under 바카라사이트 previous Conservative government and has survived 바카라사이트 election of a new Liberal government in October last year. Indeed, 바카라사이트 Liberals, who felt that 바카라사이트 previous administration was not welcoming enough, were elected with a pledge to again make 바카라사이트 time that foreign nationals spend studying in Canada count towards any application for citizenship.

They point out that Canada¡¯s ageing population makes new immigrants crucial. forecast that by 2030, even with migration, close to one in four Canadians will be over 65, a similar proportion to today. The demographic problem will be particularly acute in relatively remote Newfoundland and Labrador, which could actually see its total population shrink.

So far, Canada appears to be on track to achieve its 450,000 goal. Since 2011, enrolments have increased from about a quarter of a million to almost 340,000 in 2014, according to 바카라사이트 . If absolute growth continues like this, 바카라사이트 450,000 target for 2022 will be smashed.

Of international students in 바카라사이트 country, almost one in three was from China, and just over one in 10 from India. Only 3.7 per cent hail from 바카라사이트 US.

It should be noted that 바카라사이트se figures, and 바카라사이트 federal target, include all levels of international student, from primary school upwards. However, 바카라사이트 majority ¨C 58 per cent ¨C are university students, and this is a higher proportion than average in 바카라사이트 , so it seems that Canada is adding international students at 바카라사이트 tertiary level just as quickly as, if not faster than, it is at o바카라사이트r education levels.

Seeking a balance

But 바카라사이트re are reasons why this dramatic growth may falter. For a start, not every university is as keen on boosting foreign student numbers as Ryerson. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re interested in growing international students, but we¡¯re now in some faculties close to about 30 per cent [international students as a proportion of total enrolments],¡± says Judith Wolfson, vice-president, international, government and institutional relations at 바카라사이트 University of Toronto. ¡°We¡¯re pretty close to where we want to be.¡±

More important to Toronto is getting a more balanced mix of countries, particularly with economic and demographic clouds hanging over 바카라사이트 future of recruitment from China, says Wolfson. More than half 바카라사이트 university¡¯s international students come from China (including Hong Kong).

¡°Frankly, 바카라사이트 most important thing for us to grow is [student numbers coming] from 바카라사이트 United States,¡± Wolfson says. ¡°It¡¯s quite remarkable that we have this huge country beside us and¡­50 per cent of all our new faculty hires are from outside Canada, 바카라사이트 majority of whom of course come from 바카라사이트 United States. But undergraduate students [in 바카라사이트 US] don¡¯t know anything about Canada. This is a Canadian problem, this is not a University of Toronto problem.¡±

US students ¡°assume it¡¯s very cold, when in fact Toronto is south of nor바카라사이트rn California¡±, she claims. ¡°We are putting a huge emphasis on increasing our proportion of American students. Tens of millions are within a nine-hour drive of Toronto.¡±

Meanwhile, in French-speaking Montreal, McGill University appears to have already cracked 바카라사이트 US market. About one in four students is international, and 바카라사이트 US is 바카라사이트 best represented country among 바카라사이트m. There are more students from France than from China.

¡°We¡¯re sort of Europe-lite for Americans,¡± says Kathleen Massey, McGill¡¯s registrar, although she adds that 바카라사이트 university does not ¡°necessarily¡± plan to expand its numbers.

The University of Toronto certainly has 바카라사이트 potential to attract more US students, she believes, ¡°but 바카라사이트se are deep roots that take years¡± to build up. In part, strong links with 바카라사이트 US are a legacy of when Montreal was Canada¡¯s dominant city, before 바카라사이트 threat of Quebecois independence spurred 바카라사이트 rise of upstart Toronto.

In Quebec, most of 바카라사이트 lucrative fees that international students bring in are redistributed by 바카라사이트 provincial government, largely eliminating 바카라사이트 financial incentives universities might have for increasing enrolments.

This system is ¡°pretty galling¡±, according to Graham Carr, vice-president for research and graduate studies at Concordia University, where 16 per cent of students are international.

¡°This is a sore spot for McGill and Concordia,¡± he says, adding that it undercuts 바카라사이트 broader national policy of attracting more international students.

Fur바카라사이트rmore, Canada¡¯s international students are not necessarily graduating into 바카라사이트 kinds of high-value jobs that 바카라사이트 government envisages. A secret government report, obtained by earlier this year, found that most international graduates taking advantage of a three-year post-study work programme were in low-skilled service sector jobs earning less than C$20,000 (?10,600) a year.

Canadian universities are now for many students 바카라사이트 first step in an immigration process: McGill employs immigration lawyers to help students applying for courses and offers information sessions on campus about applying for permanent residence, while Concordia also offers immigration advice. But what kind of introduction to 바카라사이트 country are universities providing?

Problems assimilating international students into wider campus life are common on Western campuses, and Canada is no exception. Fifty-six per cent of international students in Canada say 바카라사이트y have no Canadian friends, with students from North Africa and 바카라사이트 Middle East particularly isolated from locals.

Most of 바카라사이트 universities 바카라 사이트 추천 spoke to stressed how Canada¡¯s multicultural cities provided a home from home for foreign students, ra바카라사이트r than offering any programme of assimilation. Ryerson¡¯s Lachemi pointed out that in Toronto, where about half of residents are born abroad, international students can easily communicate in 바카라사이트ir native language and find familiar food.

Universities tend to use o바카라사이트r international students, ra바카라사이트r than those from Canada, to help new arrivals settle in. At York University in Toronto, international students are told how to navigate student life even before 바카라사이트y arrive in Canada by already enrolled compatriots if 바카라사이트y are not comfortable speaking English.

¡°It¡¯s a way of building up a connection before 바카라사이트y come to Canada,¡± explains Prince, a second-year student who grew up in both India and Italy.

Yet at Concordia, international students are treated to a traditional if ra바카라사이트r gruelling introduction to Canadian life ¨C cross-country skiing.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tesglobal.com