A new report by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada demonstrates that international students contribute substantially to the Canadian economy. Launched by the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, the report places the total value of international students’ presence in Canada in 2010 at nearly $8 billion, up from $6.5 billion in 2008.

Statistics in the report, prepared by Roslyn Kunin & Associates, include: 

• International student spending in 2010 totaled in excess of $7.7 billion, generated $445 million in government revenue, and created 81,000 jobs
• Short-term study at language schools accounted for $788 million of the total
• An additional $336 million can be attributed to tourism in Canada by international students, their friends and family
• International student expenditures represent 43.7 percent of the value of Canadian exports to Saudi Arabia, with substantial percentages for other key sending countries such as India (27.9 percent).

The report recommends recognizing international education as a major export sector and initiating a more robust, coordinated approach to data collection and reporting.

To read the full report, please visit: www.international.gc.ca/education/report-rapport/economic-impact-economique/index.aspx?lang=eng&view=d.