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Canada rallies
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On balance, the experience of Canadian language schools appears more positive than negative over the past year. However, the national visa approval process continues to be a source of frustration, and the high value of the Canadian dollar is also placing a restraint on enrolments, as Jane Vernon Smith finds out.
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Among those canvassed for this article, none reported major change in the level of overall business. According to President, Jonathan Kolber, International Language Academy of Canada (Ilac) in Toronto, ON, experienced “normal growth” year-on-year. Meanwhile, at Heartland International English School in Winnipeg, MN, Marketing Manager, Andrew Wilkinson, notes a “slight” increase, commenting that this is “what we expected, after the major external environmental issues we faced in 2009”. On the other side of the coin, Tanya de Frias, Head Administrator at Four Corners Language Institute in Victoria, BC, admits to a “slight decline”, which she attributes to the adverse economic climate.
For de Frias, visa issues have also put a dampener on enrolments, as she records “a notable decrease” in Mexican students, due to the visa regulation changes between Canada and Mexico. “We have had several students register, only to be denied their visa for various reasons,” she explains. At Heartland, Wilkinson also highlights a drop in the number of Mexican students as a result of the visa process. Meanwhile, noting an otherwise unexplained drop in the number of Japanese students, Wilkinson suggests that the high Canadian dollar may have deterred some Asian students from registering. “The numbers have not dropped substantially,” he comments, “but enough [for us] to be a bit concerned.” On the other hand, numbers of Korean and Taiwanese enrolments have remained strong, as have Brazilian and Saudi.
While certain nationalities have declined, others have often made up the deficit. At Four Corners, de Frias reports “a significant increase” in the number of Korean enrolments, and, at the English Language Centre at Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning in Toronto, ON – where Korean and Chinese students make up the biggest groups – Manager, Vera Beletzan, has witnessed a rise in numbers from Vietnam and the Middle East.
Furthermore, according to Kolber, Saudi Arabia has grown as a source country “for all Canadian schools across the board”. Meanwhile, Ilac bucks the trend by recording an improvement in numbers from Mexico this year. Kolber further observes, “The UK visa changes may have tipped the balance in favour of Canada when making a choice on where to study. However, ...it is still a challenge to attract students from the EU to study in Canada.”
While changing patterns of national demand have had their impact on the market, providers have also noticed some shift in programme and accommodation preferences. According to Sheila Nunn, Owner and Director of Marketing and Business Development at East Coast School of Languages (ECSL) in Halifax, NS, her school has seen an increase in demand for non-homestay accommodation. “In response to this need, we have developed a network of alternative accommodation for our students,” she reports. “They now have the choice of student residences, hostels, private apartments, a supervised student house, furnished suites and hotels,” along with a wide range of prices.
Meanwhile, according to Beletzan, there are fewer students coming in at the lower levels of proficiency, and more in the intermediate range. “Students are looking increasingly for degree and post-graduate options in the college system,” she observes. “More flexibility and more pathways are important.”
In line with this finding, “Ilac is focusing on investing in and developing our university pathway programme,” notes Kolber. “This is our biggest focus,” he adds, “and we believe it will continue to be over the foreseeable future.” Nunn concurs. “I think the year ahead will be a positive one for schools that offer university pathway programmes, as the demand for ESL preparation for post-secondary study in Canada remains strong.”
Outlook is growing bright
According to Sheila Nunn, Owner and Director of Marketing and Business Development at East Coast School of Languages (ECSL) in Halifax, NS, the high visa refusal rate for students from many countries represents the biggest challenge facing private language schools in Canada. Nunn points out that the issue’s importance was highlighted at the recent Languages Canada conference, following which an immigration sub-committee was formed to bring it to the attention of both local and federal governments.
Jonathan Kolber, President of International Language Academy of Canada (Ilac) in Toronto, ON, also believes that things are moving in the right direction. He comments, “Languages Canada is working hard in lobbying for improvements in transparency in student visa policy, so we are optimistic this might help.”
Economic constraints on the Canadian market may prove harder to deal with. “The Canadian dollar is at a historic high against sterling and the US dollar and, now, [against] the euro,” comments Kolber. “Although we have not seen any decrease [in business] lately, it is a concern,” he adds. As Andrew Wilkinson, Marketing Manager at Heartland International English School in Winnipeg, MN, points out, “The high Canadian dollar will have an adverse effect on demand, especially if other currencies are not performing well.”
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Contact any advertiser in the this issue now
The following language schools, associations and accommodation providers advertised in the latest edition of Language Travel Magazine. If you would like more information on any of these advertisers, tick the relevant boxes, fill out your details and send.
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