In August 2012 the Government of Canada published a report: International Education: A Key Driver of Canada’s Future Prosperity.  Education services are now Canada’s 11th largest export and its greatest export to many developing countries, including China. The Canadian Government hopes that beyond generating revenue, international students will provide skilled labour if they choose to stay in Canada or create strong economic ties to Canada if they return to their country of origin.

The report proposes 14 recommendations, key among them are:

    1. Double the number of international students choosing Canada by 2022 from 239,131 in 2011 to more than 450,000 by 2022.
    2. Introduce an International Mobility Program for Canadian Students to offer 50,000 students per year the opportunity to study abroad by 2022. The Government of Canada would invest funds (an amount was not recommended) for this programme that would in turn be matched by education institutions.
    3. Develop comprehensive and multifaceted bilateral agreements with priority countries that focus on all aspects of graduate education and research, supported by appropriate levels of funding.

The full report may be downloaded here: http://www.international.gc.ca/education/report-rapport/strategy-strategie/index.aspx?lang=eng&view=d