People have been keeping an eye for years on what Australia is doing, but now it's Canada!

Canada is looking to capitalize on its growing appeal as a destination for international students, as officials at the annual conference of the Canadian Bureau for International Education, with attendees from more than 40 countries, discuss ways to help academic visitors study, work, and possibly become permanent residents. Participants say Canada is in a strong position to raise its global profile after years of disjointed efforts to attract overseas students.

The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada reported an 11-percent jump in foreign-student enrollments at universities, while community colleges, polytechnic institutes, and other educational institutions said student numbers from India took off after a pilot-immigration program to streamline the processing of visas.

Before the program, only 1,500 Indian students came to Canadian community colleges during 2007-8. In 2010-11, more than 9,000 students arrived from India, with the total expected to rise to more than 12,000 this academic year, 2011-2013.

A recent survey of Indian high-school students shows that business, communication, medicine, and information technology are among the most-popular areas of possible study.

Canada has become one of the most affluent, peaceful and diverse countries in the world. There are many reasons for the good fortune of this country and among them is the sound immigration policy upon which Canada has been built.

Canadians value immigration and immigrants. Vancouver usually ranked as the city with the best quality of life and Toronto as the most multicultural city in the world and absorbs almost 100,000 immigrants every year.

International Student and work rights

there are three occasions where international students are allowed to work.

• On campus without a Work Permit.
• Off campus with a Work Permit, if you are studying in a participating institution.
• In Co-op and Internship Programs, where work experience is part of the curriculum, with a Work Permit. Spouses of international students are eligible to work in Canada while their partners study.

Post-Graduation Work Permit: Upon graduation, international students are encouraged to obtain Canadian work experience. The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program allows international graduates to obtain a three-year open work permit, if the duration of the study programme is of minimum two years.

If the program is less than two years but longer than eight months, the graduate can still obtain a work permit for the same duration as the program of study.