Secondary Focus: Canada schools survey

The percentage of Asian international students coming to study at a Canadian secondary school was down last year compared with five years ago, and this is a trend that has been seen in other secondary destinations. Bethan Norris finds out more.

Key points

43 schools took part in our survey of Canadian secondary schools
The total number of international students at all the schools was 10,575
International student numbers increased by 11 per cent between 2022/23 and 2023/24
International student numbers ranged from one to 1,481 at individual schools
Average commission rates for tuition only was 16 per cent

“Over the last few years the number of students coming to Canada from Hong Kong and Japan has surpassed pre-pandemic enrolment. However, enrolment from China was on the decline as far back as 2018-2019. While we’re seeing some recovery in China we’re still far from the enrolment peak and also still not fully recovered in enrolments from South Korea and Vietnam. Canadian public schools have also experienced a significant increase from European markets. From Spring 2021 through 2022, more international students enrolled from Germany, Italy and Spain than ever before.”

Bonnie McKie, CAPS-I, https://caps-i.ca/

“International students coming to Canada for secondary school in large numbers is a relatively new phenomenon – around 19,000 in 1994 vs 112,000 in 2024. Traditionally within Canada, the public system has been strong so a large number of boarding schools did not exist. Although we are primarily a boarding school, we have given students an option to move to homestay once graduating from our boarding program. Since Covid, the demand for homestay has gone down from both sides of the equation. Fewer families offering up rooms and less demand from students. We are seeing more students opting to stay in boarding.”

Terry Engel, Bodwell High School, www.bodwell.edu

“Prior to Covid we had very few requests for students aged 14 and now about six per cent of our students are aged 14. This year, 45 per cent of our students are 15 whereas in 2017 about 35 per cent were 15 so we are seeing younger students choosing to study abroad. Students who choose to come on a graduation pathway recognize that they need three years at a minimum to work on their English language skills and be properly prepared for university. Students who come for a one year experience choose to do so at a younger age to lessen the impact on their graduation pathways at home.”

Mercedes Hayduk, Campbell River School District, www.studyincampbellriver.ca