Welcome to this week’s edition of Student Direct‘s The International Ed Brief – your weekly pulse on Canadian and global trends in international education. Each week, we break down the developments that influence student choices, shape institutional strategy, and transform global mobility.
This week’s Data Dive zeroes in on how policy shifts and sector initiatives are reshaping Canada’s international-education landscape—from the ripple effects of study-permit caps on campus staffing to the end of transfer-relief measures and WES’s new scholarships for underserved learners. Then we cross borders to spot emerging destination trends, celebrate NAFSA’s resilient turnout, and close with a reminder that the right CRM can be a game-changer in recruiting tomorrow’s global talent.
Updates from Canada
- Over 5,000 higher-ed job cuts since study-permit caps: Post-secondary institutions reported eliminating over 5,000 teaching and admin positions since January 2024’s study-permit cap, a stark signal of the sector’s financial strain and a warning for enrolment planners to factor in program cuts and staffing impacts. Read more about it here
- Temporary relief for student transfers ends May 1: The interim measures that let students begin at a new DLI while awaiting permit extensions expired on May 1, 2025 – meaning most transfers now demand a fresh study permit before enrolment, so institutions must alert prospects to plan well in advance. Read more
- WES marks 25 years with targeted scholarships: World Education Services launched two new scholarship streams – one for immigrant youth, another for Rohingya refugee women – totalling over CAD 150,000 to promote equity in credential evaluation and support underserved student populations. Read more
From Around the Globe
- Demand shift from big-four to big-ten markets: Emerging destinations like Germany, Ireland, and Malaysia are closing the gap on traditional top four study countries as students seek affordability and post-study pathways. Read more
- NAFSA 2025 draws 8k attendees despite travel boycotts: Even amid budget cuts and political tensions, the annual conference attracted roughly 8,000 professionals – highlighting sector resilience and the value of in-person networking: Read more
Digital Marketing Insight
- CRM can be the difference: Adopting a customer-relationship management (CRM) system centralises prospect and student interactions, enabling personalised outreach, automated workflows, and real-time analytics that boost enrollment conversions. Leading institutions to do faster follow-up, better data-driven decision making, and improved cross-department collaboration. Read more
