Why is it better to study in Canada than in the United States?

Many people want to get an education abroad, and there are reasons for that. For example, higher quality of education, education will be valued around the world, and some else see it as a way to stay in the country in the future. One popular option is to enroll in the United States. No doubt the U.S. have an excellent education and many career prospects. But I will give you a few reasons why it is better to choose Canada.

Level of education

I'll start with the quality of education. I won't lie and say it's better in Canada. But in the world education rankings, according to the popular U.S. News portal, the U.S. occupies first place, while Canada is in the fourth. The gap is not significant at all. Canada is regularly ranked among the top 10 countries in terms of education in various rankings.

Three Canadian universities — McGill University, the University of Toronto, and the University of British Columbia — are on the list of the world's top 50 universities in 2023. And cities such as Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal are considered one of the best for students.

Tuition fees

What the States are really inferior to Canada in is the cost of education. If a year of college education in the United States will cost you on average about US$ 22,000, in Canada it will cost from US$ 5,000 to US$ 16,500. The difference is very tangible. And I'm talking about one-year or two-year programs. A bachelor's degree, as a rule, is more expensive in both countries.

Let's compare university studies as well. Let's take two prestigious educational institutions — Northwestern University in the United States and the University of Toronto in Canada. The cost of education in the U.S. university is more than US$ 64,000 while in the University of Toronto price for most programs is US$ 46,000 per year. The difference is very significant, and the University of Toronto is ranked 18th in the world ranking of universities, while Northwestern University is 24th.

Cost of living

Don't forget that you still have to pay for housing, food, clothing, transport, and other things to live on. Here again, Canada has an advantage over the U.S. For comparison, in the US, a room is likely to cost over US$ 1,000, and for a one-bedroom apartment, you will pay about US$ 1,700. These are national averages. In Canada, you can rent a room for US$ 800 and a one-bedroom apartment for US$ 1,250. Of course, a lot depends on the city, but again, this is the national average.

I think that every dollar saved is important for a student. I won't go into detail about every item of expenditure, but in Canada, utilities, cell phones, internet, and some entertainment are also cheaper. The only thing is that food and clothes may be a bit more expensive.

And note that although Canada is cheaper, the standard of living is no worse. For example, on the happiest countries ranking, Canada ranks 14th and the States are 16th. And in the country ranking for quality of life, Canada ranks third, while the U.S. ranks 21st. That's clearly something to think about.

Attitude towards international students

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I also can't help but touch on the topic of attitudes towards international students. Of course, people also come to the United States in huge numbers, and the United States can also be called a land of immigrants, just like Canada. You will be treated well and with understanding, no one will look at you strangely or humiliate you for coming to study or live, because many people in these countries once traveled the same path. In terms of international students, the numbers in both countries are impressive. For example, the U.S. now has over a million students from abroad, and Canada has about 800,000.

However, there is still a slight difference in the way the country's government approaches the issue of immigration. If you want to immigrate to the United States through study, it will be difficult. There are no clear and transparent immigration programs in the States, while Canada welcomes you.

First, Canada wants to give out 500,000 permanent residence permits each year by 2025, and second, Canadian-educated candidates are top immigration candidates who have one of the highest chances of getting permanent residency. But you shouldn't expect that studying will be easy. Of course, you will have to work hard to graduate, you may have to work part-time, and then apply for permanent residence.

Work while studying

Before moving on to the topic of permanent residency, let me tell you about work. Working while studying is a great way to compensate for at least part of your tuition and living expenses. You can work in both the U.S. and Canada, but there are nuances.

In the U.S., an international student can work 20 hours a week while studying and a 40-hour work week during vacations, but there are restrictions. You won't be able to work wherever you want or like to. You can only work on the campus of the university where you are studying or at some place that is related to the university. After the first year, you can get the right to work off-campus, but not everywhere either. And students can only get the opportunity to work for any company in special cases, for example, if they have serious financial difficulties.

In Canada, things are much simpler. You can also work 20 hours a week during your studies and up to 40 hours during holidays, but you are not tied to a place. You can go to any job you want.

Work after graduation

Now I will tell you about working after studying. In theory, in both the U.S. and Canada you can stay and start working after your studies, but what happens in fact? After studying in the States, a graduate needs to obtain a post-study work permit, which is called OPT. This document is issued for up to one year, but it's not that simple. In order to get OPT, your institution must give you a recommendation. According to statistics, from 2004 to 2016, less than 20% of all graduates in the U.S. who graduated during that period received OPT.

In Canada, the situation is quite different. After graduation from public universities and colleges, graduates are issued a PGWP, Post-Graduation Work Permit. The period is one year if you studied a one-year program, and three years if you studied in a program of two years or more. You don't need any recommendations, all you need is a diploma. According to official data, between 2008 and 2018, between 40% and 60% of graduates received work permits in Canada. That is twice as many as in the United States.

From this, we can draw a simple conclusion that it is easier for a foreign student to stay in Canada after studying than in the United States. Another advantage is that the permit can be valid for up to three years, not one year, as in the States.

Immigration after graduation

Let's say you stayed on to work. Then you need to get a residence permit. What is the way in the U.S.? You graduate from a university or college, take an internship on OTP, during the year of the internship you have to find an employer through whom you can apply for a work visa. And here there are important nuances. Firstly, the employer will have to pay well for the processing of your documents, because you will be hired as a foreigner. Second, of the many types of U.S. work visas, the most popular is the H-1B, and the government starts accepting documents for it on March 1 of each year and it lasts until the quota is filled. For example, this year the limit was reached on March 27. And visas are issued in October.

In general, even if you get OTP, at the stage of obtaining a work visa there is a high risk that you won't be granted one and you will return to your home country. If you are more fortunate, you will be able to apply for a Green Card, i.e. a residence permit, immediately after obtaining a work visa.

In Canada, the path is many times easier and less risky. You graduate from university or college and immediately get an open work permit, PGWP. This means that employers have absolutely no need to bother to hire you. You already have the right to work for any company without any additional documents needed to hire a foreigner. There are no special deadlines or application limits. Graduate, apply for a PGWP, get it and you can work.

Moreover, Canada has a huge number of immigration programs. In theory, you don't even have to get a PGWP to apply for permanent residence, because there are graduate programs that don't require you to work in Canada. But the most reliable option is to get a work permit, find a job, and then either apply for a permanent residence permit right away or apply after a year of working in Canada. It depends on the immigration program, but you will have a wide range of them to choose from.

From what I have told you, you can conclude that the level of education in Canada is about the same as in the States. But in Canada, it is cheaper to study, cheaper to live, easier to get a job, and easier to stay in the country after studying.

Another advantage of Canada is that we can help you get into universities and colleges without exams and even without taking a language test, as well as with obtaining a study visa. We will choose an institution, study program, enroll you in English courses if you don't know it well, and apply for a visa. Our company has experienced consultants who have already sent many people to Canada. Contact us for help.

Ivanna Pavlenko, regulated Canadian immigration consultant