Welcome to the first edition of Student Direct‘s Data Dive: The International Ed Brief—your weekly pulse on Canadian and global trends in international education. Each week, we break down the developments influencing student choices, shaping institutional strategy, and transforming global mobility.
Updates from Canada
Languages Canada–BorderPass Partnership:
Languages Canada has teamed up with BorderPass to give language-school applicants access to reduced-cost legal support for study-permit and temporary-resident-visa applications, plus post-refusal appeals and judicial reviews. This aims to counter record-high visa refusal rates (over 50% in 2024). https://www.languagescanada.ca/en/blog/blog/languages-canada-partners-with-borderpass-to-streamline-visa-applications-and-support-international-students-education-agencies-and-canadian-institutions)
Hospitality & Tourism Program Suspensions:
A 45 % drop in new study permits forced Ontario colleges to suspend hundreds of full-time programs in hospitality, tourism and food tourism for summer/fall 2025 and winter 2026 intakes. This is having a real impact on the sector https://www.hoteliermagazine.com/decline-of-study-permits-affects-ontario-colleges/
All Canadian College Degrees Now PGWP-Eligible:
Some good news has been coming in the last few weeks. In March 2025, IRCC removed the “field-of-study” restriction for degree programs at colleges, restoring full PGWP eligibility for college graduates. https://monitor.icef.com/2025/03/international-degree-graduates-of-canadian-colleges-no-longer-have-to-meet-field-of-study-requirements-for-post-study-work-permits/
CAUT U.S. Travel Advisory:
The Canadian Association of University Teachers advises members to avoid all non-essential travel to the U.S. over concerns about device searches, data privacy breaches, and political targeting under the current U.S. administration. https://www.caut.ca/latest/2025/04/caut-advises-academics-against-non-essential-travel-us
Election Platforms on International Students:
With the federal election on April 28, CIC News compares Liberal and Conservative proposals: both maintain caps on international students until housing shortages ease. However, they differ on post-grad work access and tie-ins to home-building targets. https://www.cicnews.com/2025/04/liberals-vs-conservatives-comparing-proposed-immigration-policies-ahead-of-the-2025-election-0454370.html
Canada Sees U.S. Applicant Surge:
As U.S. federal funding cuts loom, UBC reported a 27 % jump in U.S. graduate applications by March 1. Toronto and Waterloo have noted similar spikes in interest since September 2024. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canadian-universities-report-jump-us-applicants-trump-cuts-funding-2025-04-15/
From Around The Globe
UK Graduate Visa Debate Heats Up:
A clash in the UK government surfaced over proposed rules tightening graduate-visa conditions: requiring two-year post-study work rights to be tied to graduate-level employment, which is pitting the Home Office against the Education Department. https://www.ft.com/content/8cb378c0-a303-47b2-ba52-b29e9eb8a1a5
Australia’s Post-Study Work Stream Update:
Australia’s Department of Home Affairs refreshed its 485 visa guidance in April, clarifying the Post-Higher Education Work stream requirements for recent graduates, and noting that extended two-year extensions ended mid-2024. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/temporary-graduate-485/post-higher-education-work
Digital Marketing Insight of the Week
User-Generated Content (UGC) Builds Trust:
Authentic content from current students and alumni is becoming the most effective form of social proof. Institutions should actively curate and amplify student voices to influence peers. https://www.mayple.com/resources/digital-marketing/top-2025-digital-marketing-trends
Stay tuned for next week’s edition as we unpack more changes and exciting updates from across the world.
