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Canada also jumped one spot and ranked the second “most attractive” international education destination, just behind the U.K. and ahead of the U.S., which has continued its descent amid the Trump administration’s erratic immigration policies.

ApplyBoard, an online marketplace for learning institutions and international students, has been surveying its network of student recruitment professionals around the world every six months since 2023, to gauge how government changes in destination countries were affecting interest levels, student numbers, sentiments, motivations and destinations of choice.

Canada had been viewed as the top choice in the world in the survey the last two years until spring 2025, after Ottawa’s overhaul of the international education program, capping the number of new study permits and restricting access to postgraduation work permits.

The changes were made in response to worries among some Canadians over high immigration amid the affordable housing crisis, a strained health-care system and rising cost of living. Based on government data, ApplyBoard has projected the number of new study permits approved in 2025 to drop by 50 per cent from last year.

In the latest survey, 84.3 per cent of the 400 participating recruiters viewed Canada as “open, safe and welcoming” to international students, behind the U.K. (86.9 per cent) but ahead of Australia (81.8 per cent), Germany (80 per cent) and Ireland (74.4 per cent), with the U.S. at 50 per cent, rounding up the top six countries.

While the positive view of Canada rose by just over five percentage points from 79.1 per cent six months ago, it was still way below the high of 93.7 per cent in 2023. 

The U.K. was rated by 82 per cent of the survey respondents as a “very attractive” and “attractive” destination, followed by Canada (74 per cent), the U.S. (67 per cent), Australia (66 per cent), Germany (60 per cent) and Ireland (50 per cent).

When considering where to study, the top drivers include cost of studying (91.4 per cent), postgraduation work opportunities (87.8 per cent), cost of living (76.7 per cent), job opportunities while studying (74.6 per cent), and how welcoming the destination is to international students (48.6 per cent).

“As the cost of living in many study destinations continues to rise, budget-conscious students may consider less expensive communities in popular countries, or shorter programs like accelerated degrees or graduate diplomas and certificates,” said .

“Institutions that promote these programs effectively, while illustrating which post-study opportunities students in shorter programs are eligible for, can attract future leaders to their campuses.”

The ratings for perceived affordability dipped over the last six months except for Canada, which saw the favourable view go up to 67.3 per cent from 63.6 per cent over the past year. Only Germany and Ireland, at 76.8 per cent and 68.7 per cent respectively, were considered more affordable for international students.

The survey also identified factors that individual institutions can lean on in attracting prospective students such as making scholarships available to top international students, guaranteed on-campus housing including family-friendly options, access to a public health plan, or financial assistance through cross-government partnerships.

Overall, 47 per cent of student recruiters participating in the fall survey reported there has been increased interest in international education.   

“It’s encouraging that more recruitment professionals are reporting strengthening student demand year-over-year,” the report said.