Artikkelit

18.12.2024

OECD insights on Recent on International Student Mobility

International student mobility has undergone significant changes in recent years, reflecting boarder global trends and shifting priorities in education and foreign policy. Recently published OECD study “International Migration Outlook 2024” highlights this paradigm shift in student mobility policies observed in OECD countries. This new OECD study shows that international student numbers continued to grow. Over 2,1 million new international students arrived in OECD countries last year. Compared to the year before the pandemic (2019), the number of international students has grown 33 %. Major destination countries for these students are United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Japan.

At the same time, these major destination countries and some other OECD countries are moving to limit international student flows and focus on so-called international talents. Some OECD countries tend to focus more on facilitating international students integration into the labour market. These efforts include streamlining residence permit processes, increasing tuition fees and introducing policies that enable international students to work during and after their studies.

Actions to promote student mobility are still part of policies of internationalization of higher education. To enhance the attractiveness of studying abroad, UNESCO is also supporting targeted initiatives to enhance student mobility within African states. 

Post-Pandemic Recovery 

OECD countries have long valued international students. Over the last decade, they have taken active measures to attract, support and retain international students. Attracting and retaining global talent remains high on the political agenda in OECD countries, as qualified workers constitute key drivers of economic growth, competitiveness, and innovation. 

The Covid-19 pandemic had a profound impact on international mobility, with travel restrictions and safety concerns halting many programs and closing up of destinations. However, the last two years have seen a strong recovery, with student mobility numbers rebounding to pre-pandemic levels in many regions. 

The United States (442,000) and the United Kingdom (450,000) are the top destination countries for students within the OECD in terms of new visas issued. Overall, the top five destination countries for students – along with the UK and the US, Canada, Australia and Japan – received 80 % of all new international students in the OECD area. The United States and the United Kingdom host obviously the largest number of top universities in the world. 

Indian students are largest group of foreign students in UK (25% of all international students), US (25% of all international students) and Canada (40% of all international students). Chinese students were the largest group of foreign students in Japan and Australia. In both countries, around a third of students come from China. In contrast, the EU and EEA countries had a more diverse nationality structure for incoming students.

Balancing Between Attracting and Regulating

OECD countries are becoming more selective in the efforts to attract students by focusing more on so-called international talents. For example, in Australia, the changes are part of a wider reform of the migration system and respond to its recent review, which found that Australia had not focused enough on capturing the best and brightest of international students. Societal factors also influence on current policy measures on international students. Canada is facing significant students housing difficulties and has temporarily capped student permit applications for two years.
Actions implemented in Finland over the last years are very similar compared to those taken by other OECD countries. Many OECD countries have tuition fees or have just introduced them in their higher education system. Norway recently (in 2023) introduced fees for international students from outside the EU. Before that, in 2022 Norway – without tuition fees and with many English language program – was among six top study destinations in between OECD countries. 

The Netherlands also plans to increase tuition fees for students from outside the EU as part of efforts to reduce student numbers. Meanwhile, Japan has recently decided to allow universities to charge higher fees for international students compared to domestic students. Until now, international and national students in Japan have been charged the same fees.

Despite a trend towards stricter control over international student, many countries are introducing policies to better support employment of international students during their studies and after graduation. Governments continue to recognize the significant contributions of international students to the local economy and workforce. 

For example, Germany and Korea have extended the number of hours that students are allowed to work during their studies. Some countries have recently introduced measures to facilitate the transition from studies to the labor market. The United States and the United Kingdom have improved the conditions for post-graduation visas that allow graduates to look for employment.

However, enhancing the international mobility is still at the center of international higher education policy, for example on the African continent. UNESCO collaborates with African governments to improve research and study possibilities in Africa. There are efforts to facilitate inter-university cooperation to ensure that African students can move to another African state to study and contribute to research ensuring a more integrated higher education system. The Revised Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees and Other Academic Qualifications in Higher Education in African States (Addis Convention) entered into force on 15 December 2019 and has been ratified so far by 14 countries on the continent.

More information:
International Migration Outlook 2024, OECD: International Migration Outlook 2024
Addis Convention, UNESCO: Addis Convention

Sari Eriksson, sari.eriksson(at)gov.fi