Why do Indians prefer Canada over the US? Here's all you need to know

Out of the 405,303 new permanent residents in Canada, which were granted in 2021, at least one-third of the residents were Indians.

Indians continue to be the highest recipient of Canadian visas and permanent residency. According to data released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), out of the 405,303 new permanent residents in 2021, at least one-third were Indians.

The data came when Canada continued to revive from the labour shortage exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. The North American country, since then, has been relying heavily on migrants to fill the gap. In a report published in Economic Times, of the nearly 450,000 international students who moved to Canada in 2021, approximately 50 per cent were Indian citizens.

More Indian students are now choosing campuses in Canada because of programmes like Post Graduation Work Permit, which allow them to stay in the country after graduation. Students who arrive in Canada on Post Graduation Work Permit are allowed to look for jobs, and they can eventually apply for PR. As a result, there has been an unprecedented rise in student visa applications, and the processing time has also increased. In an email to Business Standard, the Consulate General of Canada said that the number of study permit applications rose in 2022. Following this unprecedented spike, Canada's High Commission advised students to discuss options with their colleges if they could not arrive in time for the session. 

Apart from this, the Canadian government's more recent immigration levels plan aims to target more than one mn new permanent residents between 2022 and 2024, with an annual intake of immigrations of nearly 430,000 newcomers.

According to media reports, there were also over 10,000 Indians who moved under the country's Temporary Foreign Worker Program, in addition to the 130,000 who received work permits under the International Mobility Program.

Besides the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, Indians have multiple options to choose from as far as moving to Canada is concerned. Some of these pathways include - Express entry- one of Canada's most popular immigration pathways. Under this scheme, applications are managed for three programmes- experience class, federal skilled worker programme, and skilled federal trades programme.

Apart from Canada, the US, UK, and Australia are also witnessing an increase in the study abroad applications from Indians. In June, the Business Standard reported that, like the US, Australia and the UK have also extended their post-study visas to attract international students, which led to a rise in the number of applications by Indian students. 

But what makes Canada different from the US, and why is it a preferred country?

Canada and the US are among the top choices for study abroad programmes. Students prefer these North-American countries because of multiple factors like multicultural environment, well-known education system, and top-ranked universities. While the US certainly has more top-ranked universities, Canada has few options in that regard.

However, the eligibility criteria in Canada are much more flexible than in the US. While the US allows admission after conducting standardised entrance examinations like GRE and GMAT, entry into Canada is based on the candidate's marks and the standardised English language proficiency test or IELTS score. The minimum IELTS score requirement in Canada and the US is 6.5.

Securing a visa for Canada is much easier compared to the US. Students applying for Canadian universities need a student visa, whereas Indians must use F1, J1, or M1 visa types for the US.