International Education in British Columbia

Summary of Findings

From Dr. Roslyn Kunin’s ‘Economic Impact of International Education in British Columbia’, 2011

General Economic Contribution

Economic contribution of $1.8 billion to British Columbia (BC) annually (2010)
Direct contribution equivalent of $1.245 billion in provincial GDP (2010)
Creates over 21 540 jobs in province (2010)
More than $66 million in government revenue generated annually (2010)
Total of 94 000 international students in BC in 2009-2010, excluding executive training, some short-term private training, offshore and online delivery
International Education Services share of GDP greater than animal and crop agriculture or coal mining

International Education is a Leading Sector for Trade and Investment with BC’s Overseas Partners

Most important trade sector for BC with Saudi Arabia, India, Mexico
Second most important trade sector with Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, Hong Kong
Third most important trade sector with China

International Education Creates Jobs and is Beneficial To Families in All Regions of BC

International Student Numbers By Region

Mainland/Southwest	78 100	83%
Vancouver Island/Coast	8 300	9%
Southern Interior	6 700	7%
Northern BC	900	1%

International Student Numbers: By Sector and Source Country

12 000 international students in public/independent K-12 (2010)
39 000 international students in public/private post-secondary (2010)
43 000 international students in public/private language schools (2010)

Top Ten Source Countries for International Students

*Totals from public and private post-secondary, all K-12, and language schools (2009-2010)

1. Korea	17 900
2. China	15 400
3. Japan	11 100
4. Saudi Arabia	6 600
5. Brazil	5 500
6. Mexico	5 300
7. Taiwan	3 700
8. United States	2 500
9. Germany	2 400
10. Switzerland	2 200

About Dr. Roslyn Kunin

Dr. Kunin is chair of the board of directors of the Haida Enterprise Corporation and has been a Director of the Business Development Bank of Canada, chair of the Workers Compensation Board of British Columbia and member of the National Statistics Council of Statistics. She has also served as the Chair of the Vancouver Stock Exchange, Governor of the University of British Columbia and has served the community as Chair of the Vancouver Crisis Centre, and as Vice President of the YWCA. In her career, Dr. Kunin has worked in the private sector, taught at several Canadian university (including Simon Fraser University and University of British Columbia) and served twenty years as Regional Economist for the federal government in BC and the Yukon. She is also a respected authority in measuring the economic impact of international students in Canada, having authored the 2009 report on international student contributions to the Canadian economy for the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

Roslyn Kunin & Associates, Inc. (RKA, Inc.)
Website: www.rkunin.com