BENEFITS OF STUDYING
IN CANADA
Over the past couple
of years, various countries emerged out as popular study abroad destinations
among international students. Two of these acing up in the race are Canada and
the USA. Though both US and Canada are dream destinations for students who
aspire to acquire
higher education abroad, in recent times Canada has overtaken the
US. A few of the major contributing factors for which students should choose
Canada over other study destinations are speedy processing times for study
permits, easy immigration, and lower costs.
The controversies
around US visa freeze amidst of COVID-19 pandemic resulted in
the ultimate hit to the number of students applying to study in the USA.
Canada, on the other hand, did not experience and such a drastic change in the
number of international students opting for higher education with them.
Visa Policy
As already known, the U.S visa application
system is an extremely lengthy and complicated process that requires great
scrutiny and plenty of waiting. In comparison, the Canadian visa application process is relatively simpler and shorter which
encourages international students to study in Canada.
In addition, Canadian
universities allow international students to stay back in
Canada for employment opportunities. The Post-Graduation Work
Permit allows international students to stay up to three years
after graduating from a post-secondary Canadian institution, depending on
their course duration. On the other hand, as an F-1 visa holder,
international students in the US are allowed to stay
back to complete up to one year of temporary employment directly
related to their major field of study.
During Optional Practical Training (OPT),
international students can get a one-year work and stay-back permit after
completion of a degree in the USA.
Eligibility Criteria.
Though the admission
process and the eligibility criteria that international students need to
fulfill for getting an education from the US and Canada are similar, yet there
are certain major differences that make it slightly easier to get into
Canadian universities than US universities.
- Years of Education
Required: To pursue a bachelor's in US and Canada, you must have
completed your high school and 12th with good academic scores. For
masters courses, applicants must have at least 16 years of education,
for studying in Canada as well as USA. This means having a four-year
bachelor's education.
- Entrance Exams
Required to Study Bachelors: For studying bachelors in the USA,
international applicants must appear for SAT or ACT exam. However, for pursuing bachelor's courses in
Canada SAT/ACT scores are
not mandatorily required.
- Entrance Exams
Required to Study Masters: To study for masters in the USA applicants
must mandatorily have appeared for the GRE exam. Though it is not
required for all the universities, most of the US universities ask for GRE
scores to give admissions to international students. On the other
hand, for getting admission to masters
in Canada, GRE scores are
not required. There are very few courses or universities that ask for GRE
scores from international students applying for Canadian
universities.
Costs & Expenses
The cost of pursuing education in Canada is
relatively less when compared to how expensive education in US is. how expensive education in
US is. The two major
expenses incurred by international students while studying abroad are tuition
fees and living expenses.
Employment Opportunities
One of the most
important reasons for studying abroad is a large number of career opportunities
it opens up. In the U.S, the most popular professions with the highest salary
packages are management executives, medicine, dentist, software engineer,
finance, advertising, etc. While, on the other hand, jobs like program analyst,
teacher, financial manager, pharmacist, nurse practitioner, and construction
manager are some of the most
coveted occupations in Canada.
One of the advantages
Canadian international students have over international students studying in
the US is that of Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). The post-graduation work
permit is an integral part of Canada’s immigration system which allows overseas
students to work in Canada for up to 3 years after graduation. It is also a
gateway to permanent residence and eventually citizenship.
Though jobs in USA
offer better salaries, the investment involved in pursuing education is high.
Additionally, the chances of obtaining a PR and getting to stay back in USA are
lower than that in Canada, which make Canada a preferred destination,
irrespective of the wage gap.
Standard of Living.
According to the
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Better Life
Index, Canada performs exceptionally well in various measures of well-being as
compared to other countries.
- The average household net
adjusted disposable income per capita is $30,854 per year, which is lower
than the OECD average of $33,604 a year.
- When we talk about employment,
73% of people between the ages of 15 to 64 have a paid job, above the OECD
employment average of 68%. Around 76% of men are in paid jobs, compared
with 71% of women.
- Quality education and
work-related skills are prerequisites for finding work in Canada. Around
91% of adults aged between 25-64 have completed upper secondary education.
The stats are well above the OECD average of 78%.
- In terms of health, life
expectancy at birth in Canada is 82 years, which is two years higher than
the OECD average of 80 years. Life expectancy for women is 84 years,
whereas, it is 80 for men.
Canadians are way more
satisfied with their lives than the OECD average. On a scale from 0 to 10,
Canadians rate their general satisfaction with life a 7.4 on average, higher
than the OECD average of 6.5.
Healthcare
Some of the provinces
in Canada offer medical coverage for temporary residents like international
students. However, in the case of a province that does not offer medical cover
to international students, you can opt for the school’s insurance plan or other
private insurance. When compared with US, the premium rates for private
healthcare are drastically low in Canada. This makes healthcare not only a
feasible option for international students but also reduces the overall
financial burden.
With the low amount of
tuition fees, high standard of living, and innumerable career opportunities, it
is safe to assume that Canada has proven itself to be one of the most coveted
countries for international students.
Start Your Application
Today!
The application process can be lengthy,
convoluted and confusing. Reach out to us today for a hassle free application
process. We will guide you in selecting the best university that offers the
best ranked courses as well as the university application process. Get
assistance with your VISA booking and application. We offer pre-departure
briefing as well and guidance in to what to expect while pursuing your studies
in Canada. To get started SMS "CANADA" to 40444 or visit any of our
offices here!
