fbpx
Market intelligence for international student recruitment from ICEF

Recruiting in the Philippines

The Philippines has been poised for outbound growth for some time now, and especially so over the last couple of years as the country has transitioned to a full K-12 curriculum and as number of host countries have stepped up their recruiting efforts to attract Filipino students. Canada is a notable example in this regard. In 2018, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) moved to introduce a streamlined student visa process in four Asian markets, including Philippines. The Student Direct Stream, or SDS, allows qualified students to obtain a Canadian study permit more quickly and the speed and relative certainty of the process has led to a marked increase in Filipino enrolments in Canada. There were slightly more than 5,000 Filipino students in Canada last year, an increase of 29% over the year before and enough to position Philippines as the 14th-largest sending market for Canadian institutions and schools. This compares to 7.3% growth in the US (3,225 students in 2018 as reported by the Institute of International Education), and 18% growth in Australia (nearly 13,000 students as reported by the Department of Education and Training). A discussion with Ben Ryan Ybanez, the president and chairman of the Philippines-based agency Wise Immigration, gave us a chance to learn more about outbound mobility from the important emerging market. In our first interview segment below, Mr Ybanez begins by highlighting the impact of the Canadian SDS programme. In our second interview segment, Mr Ybanez points out that demand is shifting in the Philippines. In large part because of the adoption of a complete K-12 curriculum, the market is now becoming more of a source for higher education students. “Normally, the Philippines is an important sending market for health care programmes,” he adds. “But we are seeing are interest in other sectors, like hospitality, business, and trades.” Our final segment explores market entry strategies for educators who are new to the Philippines, or planning to expand their recruitment efforts there. Looking ahead, Mr Ybanez anticipates a lot of growth in outbound.

“I’m seeing that Philippines is the next Vietnam in Southeast Asia. People are becoming more global. After graduating from secondary [school], they are thinking of countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand.”

For additional background, please see:

Most Recent

  • United States: Government enforcement action on schools, universities, and international students intensifies Read More
  • UK commission calls for a more strategic and sustainable approach to international student recruitment Read More
  • Study shows that international educators and students want to lessen carbon footprint but that barriers remain Read More

Most Popular

  • Which countries will contribute the most to global student mobility in 2030? Read More
  • Research shows link between study abroad and poverty alleviation  Read More
  • Beyond the Big Four: How demand for study abroad is shifting to destinations in Asia and Europe Read More

Because you found this article interesting

United States: Government enforcement action on schools, universities, and international students intensifies The Trump administration is intensifying its scrutiny of US higher education institutions and international students. As of April...
Read more
UK commission calls for a more strategic and sustainable approach to international student recruitment The United Kingdom’s most recent international education strategy was released in 2019. It set a target of attracting...
Read more
Ireland: Non-EU international students will be most affected by a new, increased threshold for available funds The Irish government has announced increases in the minimum funds requirements for foreign students. The changes will come...
Read more
SEVIS data reveals decline in international enrolments in the US in 2024/25 The Institute of International Education’s (IIE) Fall 2024 Snapshot reported a 3% increase in foreign enrolments in US...
Read more
International student policy in the spotlight during Australian election Australia will hold its next federal election on 3 May 2025. The vote looks to be hotly contested,...
Read more
US tariffs trigger global economic disruption and new concerns for international educators If in 2024, we looked back over the past 25 years, most of us would have identified three...
Read more
US signals new scrutiny of student visas amid reports of softening demand from foreign students Student surveys conducted earlier this quarter highlight an overall positive disposition among international students towards studying in the...
Read more
Taiwan is close to reaching its pre-pandemic benchmark for international enrolment Taiwan is steadily increasing the number of international students it hosts in its colleges and universities. In 2024,...
Read more
What are you looking for?
Quick Links