Market intelligence for international student recruitment from ICEF

North America Page 2 of 93

Canada approves expanded set of English tests for expedited visa processing

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced an expanded set of approved English proficiency tests for students applying for expedited study permit processing via the Student Direct...

Nearly two-thirds of US colleges now working with agents

A 2016 survey of US colleges and universities found that about four in ten (37%) were working with commission-based education agencies at the time. A similar survey from...

ICEF Podcast: Quality assurance in student recruitment from India

This special episode was recorded live at ICEF Vancouver, and features a special panel discussion with Keith Monrose, Executive Director at Seneca College; Sandeep Singh, Marketing Director of...

US announces end to “COVID-19 flexibilities” for online or hybrid study

On 12 May 2023, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the end of temporary rules that have allowed foreign students enrolled with US institutions to pursue...

New forecast warns that US is falling behind in the global race for talent

A new HolonIQ analysis focused on the US and its competitive position relative to other leading study abroad destinations finds that: These conclusions arise from preliminary findings from...

Full-year US visa numbers show solid gains for 2022

For the calendar year 2022, there were a total of 1,362,157 international students with active F-1 or M-1 visas for study in the United States. This represents a...

US clarifies that new oversight rules will not apply to study abroad or international student recruitment contracts

In a February 2023 “Dear Colleague” letter (DCL), the US Department of Education moved to substantially increase its regulatory oversight of third-party service providers. Essentially, the Department announced...

Outbound mobility trends for key Latin markets: Brazil, Colombia, Mexico

We recently looked at outbound mobility trends in five top student markets in Asia: Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, and Thailand. We found that there are now many more...

Canada: Ontario colleges adopt new standards for programmes and supports for international students

Canada has been the fastest-growing study destination for much of the last decade, and, in 2022 alone, recorded 30% year-over-year growth and a record high enrolment of more...

Canada extends expiring post-graduate work permits for thousands of international students

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced on 17 March 2023 that international students with post-graduation work permits (PGWPs) expiring in 2023 will be eligible for an additional...

New US Department of Education guidance alarming for ed-tech and recruitment providers

The US Department of Education has moved to substantially increase its regulatory oversight of third-party service providers. While its surprising announcement appears to be primarily targeted at contracts...

US now allows student visa applications up to one year in advance

On 21 February 2023, the US State Department announced an expansion of the time period during which international students may apply for an F or M-class visa to...

Canada’s foreign enrolment grew by more than 30% in 2022

Newly released data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) tells the story of a record year of growth for Canadian institutions and schools. IRCC reports that, as...

US foreign enrolment once again exceeds one million students

During the pandemic, international students numbers in the US dipped below the one-million student mark (as of fall 2020) for the first time since 2014. However, new data...

AIRC releases best practices guidance for US institutions

The American International Recruitment Council (AIRC) has issued new guidelines to help colleges and universities to manage their international enrolments: “AIRC International Enrollment Management (IEM) Standards for U.S....