Canadian universities have reported record increases in international enrollment unlike their American counterparts who are dealing with a decline for the second consecutive year.

Parents with American educated son at graduation

Consistent attendance at recruitment fairs, print advertising, overseas education agencies and reliance on word of mouth contributed to as much as 20 percent increases in many Canadian universities, said Elizabeth Challis, director of International Student Services at the University of Winnipeg.

Many changes occurred because of the events of Sept 11, 2001, which caused a slight decrease in international students enrolling in the years following, she said.

Because Canada is so close to the US, educators said it is not a surprise that Canadian schools are also receiving more applications.

After Sept 11, 2001, it was more difficult for students to receive visas in the US. Many students chose to study in Canada instead because of the countries‘ similarities, they said.

In 2004, University of Winnipeg experienced a 20 percent increase in international student enrollment and is anticipating a five percent rise in 2005. The increase is due to the enrollment of more students from China and India, she said.

About 565,000 students from foreign countries were studying in American universities in the 2004 to 2005 academic year, a decline of one per cent from the previous year, according to an annual survey by the Institute of International Education released this month.

The one percent decline was an improvement over the previous year, when enrolment fell 2.4 percent.

That fall, the first time international student enrolment had dropped since the 1970s, crystallized concerns that declining numbers of international students could hurt US competitiveness.

US universities have responded by recruiting more aggressively overseas, a move officials said helped slow the rate of decline.

The State Department also made significant changes to its visa policy this year, including the extension of visas for science and engineering scholars working in sensitive areas. But the impact of this move will not be reflected until next year.

The policy changes, as well as speedier visa processing times, have been welcomed in education and industry.

Academics and industry groups are lobbying for more changes to student visa policy.

Some want a one year automatic visa extension for international students who graduate with advanced scientific, technology or engineering degrees. Policy now dictates they return home after completing degrees.