Studying Abroad and Post-Study Immigration for Chinese Students

Abstract

Since 1978 the outbound Chinese student population has consistently increased, year-on-year, resulting in the largest population of international students of any country of origin. The English-speaking world has been the main beneficiary of this trend, although the market shares of the different host countries within this group continue to evolve as a result of various natural, economic and political factors. This thesis attempts to understand the effect that a specific set of factors, i.e. the immigration policies of Canada and the UK, has had on the respective market shares of these two countries. This is done through a case study in Guangdong, China, including questionnaires and several interviews with outbound students in China. The results of this study indicate that some aspects of recent immigration policy changes, specifically those respecting post-study opportunities within a host country, are well-known by students and their families in China. In several subjects, it can be demonstrated that the contrasting policies of Canada and the UK have an effect on long-term, post-study plans, and perceptions of both countries as potential study destinations.