Slight decrease for CAPS-I members in 2024/25, but short-term student growth

The annual Canadian Association of Public Schools – International (CAPS-I) data report shows that there were 33,199 international students enrolled at member school boards and districts in 2024/25, a decrease of 2.5 per cent compared with 34,070 in the previous academic year.

The 2024/25 total represented around a 72 per cent recovery compared with 2018/19, the last full academic year prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

CAPS-I enrolment trends over the last 10 years. Graphic source – CAPS-I.

Bonnie McKie , Executive Director of CAPS-I, said it was important to note that the composition of the association’s membership changes from year to year, and that member withdrawals accounted for at least one per cent of the 2.5 per cent overall decline in 2024/25.

Long-term students: For long-term enrolments, defined as students staying for one semester or a full academic year, there were 28,554 international students enrolled, a decline of 3.5 per cent compared with the previous year.

China remained the top source market for long-term students with 9,721 students enrolled, a decrease of 3.6 per cent compared with 2023/24, but second-placed Germany increased by 14 per cent to 3,012.

Japan, which had a relatively stable year, was in third place with 2,148 students, while South Korea (2,142) and Brazil (1,695) – which both declined – completed the top five.

Among other top 20 source markets for long-term students, Vietnam, the USA and Colombia were the only other countries that registered year-on-year increases.

Short-term students: In the shorter-stay market, defined as students enrolled for four months or less, there was a 3.4 per cent increase to 4,645 students in 2024/25.

Japan remained the top source country in this segment with 1,025 students, slightly up on the previous year, followed by Colombia with 669.

The top five was completed by Spain (519), Germany (365), which registered similar growth to the long-term segment, and China (312).

Trends in the top 10 long-term markets.

With significant increases over the previous year, Brazil (311 students) and Italy (193) made the top 10 list in short-term students for the first time in 2024/25.

However, these gains were balanced by losses from the Asian markets of China, South Korea, Thailand and Hong Kong, as well as Mexico, which dropped out of the top 10.

Changes to electronic travel authorization (eTA) eligibility for Mexican travellers may have impacted on short-term business from this market.

The Canadian Association of Public Schools – International represents around 130 member school boards and districts.

In the 2025 StudyTravel Secondary School Awards, CAPS-I was one of the first organizations to achieve ‘First Class’ status after winning the Secondary School Association category for a fifth consecutive time.