Canada maintains edge as ‘most welcoming’ destination despite global policy pressures

Canada has maintained its position as ‘the most welcoming’ destination for international students in 2025, despite policy uncertainties creating turbulence. 

Keystone Education Group data, which has tracked student perceptions from October 2024 to April 2025, shows Canada consistently ranking first out of the ‘big four’ with approval ratings between 36-39%.  

The survey results reveal how rapidly changing immigration and education policies are directly influencing where students choose to study.  

Dr Mark Bennett, VP of Research and Insight at Keystone Education Group, said: “Our data indicates that, although immigration changes such as the caps that have been introduced in Canada (and are being considered elsewhere) do have an impact on students, financial barriers are much more fundamental.  

“Affordability of study is consistently the most significant concern for prospective students and changes to the availability of funding for study or for programs themselves have a significant impact. 

“For example, the Trump administration's announcement of policies to reduce departmental and institutional funding has led 66% of students to reconsider their US study plans. This is much more significant than the introduction of caps for Canada."  

The US, which was perceived as being welcoming by 35% of students surveyed in October, saw its attractiveness decline to just 29% by April 2025 - coinciding with the Trump administration's announcement of policies targeting international students. 

Additional survey data from 2025 reveals the stark impact of specific policy measures on student decision-making. 

66% of student respondents indicated that US funding cuts would affect their decision to study there. The Trump election result itself negatively impacted 33% of prospective students' choice. 

The UK, which had been benefiting from relative stability compared to the other big four destinations, experienced a decline on how welcoming it was perceived from 39% in February to 35% by April 2025. 

This downturn corresponded with leaked reports about the now-published immigration white paper, which reduced the length of post-study work visas from 24 months to 18.  

While both Canada and Australia have implemented caps on international student numbers, student reactions vary significantly. Canada's caps negatively impacted 23% of surveyed students' decisions. Australia's caps, by contrast, influenced 25% of students surveyed.  

Mark added: "Issues in the US are much more impactful than in Canada or Australia. Despite implementing its own changes to international student policies, Canada's reputation has remained largely insulated from negative perception shifts.  

“This is potentially due to being historically consistent with international student recruitment and its reputation for post-graduation pathways to permanent residence, which continues to attract students even amid policy adjustments. 

“Our data underscores the critical importance of policy stability and clear communication in maintaining a country's attractiveness to international students.” 

About Keystone Education Group 

More than 100 million students trust Keystone to help them pursue higher education every year. In turn, Keystone helps over 5,500 education institutions reach, recruit, and enrol prospective students in more than 190 countries. Keystone also operates a range of global student recruitment services including UniQuest, Asia Exchange, Blueberry, SONOR, Edunation, and Keystone Sports. 

Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, Keystone is backed by Viking Venture and Verdane, two leading Nordic venture firms. Keystone has more than 850+ employees worldwide, with offices across the Nordics, Germany, Spain, and the UK.