One is a country of warm weather and delicious food
One is a country of maple leaves, with cold weather and advantaged policies
There are too many similarities between the two countries
The same official language
The same environment and good quality of life
Both suitable for studying abroad
Both excellent choices…
So…
Is it better to choose Canada as your destination for studying abroad and immigration
… or is Australia better?
1. Popular Majors for International Students
▼ Canada - Business Management, Media, Engineering, Nursing, Computer Science, Hotel Management
▼ Australia - Accounting, MBA, Healthcare, Information Technology, Education, Hotel Management
2. Requirements for studying abroad
▼Canada
To be eligible to apply for a Canadian undergraduate program, applicants are required to have completed 12 years of basic education, submit an average mark from high school, with college entrance examination results, and a high school graduation examination score of over 85%. The language requirements are mainly from TOEFL or IELTS results. Mainstream universities generally require a minimum of IELTS Band 6.5 or TOEFL 80. Bachelor's degree programs are basically 4-year programs, and the duration of college programs are 2-3 years.
For graduate applications, it is relatively easy to enroll in a vocational course, because the requirements are much lower than any undergraduate program. To apply for a management degree, you must have a GMAT score, and for an engineering degree, you must have a GRE score.
Canadian university applicationsEach university will publicize their minimum requirements for applications to their programs on their website. No matter what your major is, you will need to take a language proficiency test such as TOEFL or IELTS. Some schools offer "conditional admission" opportunities, which may not require Chinese students to provide language scores, but a TOEFL or IELTS score is required to apply for a visa. Your visa application may be rejected if you do not have adequate English-speaking skills.
Australia
Almost all schools in Australia will require you to have completed 12 years of basic education. The high school average from China has to be over 80%. You can apply to Australia's "Group of 8" universities if you have excellent preparatory course results. You will also need a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 or TOEFL, PTE or other language proficiency scores. If your score falls below the cut-offs, you can apply for a language course for direct admission. This is relatively easier for Chinese students. The undergraduate programs are usually 3 years.
After completing three years of undergraduate education, you can apply for graduate school. For engineering majors, the undergraduate degree is 4 years. GMAT scores are required to apply for a management degree, and GRE scores are required for engineering majors.
Some universities' management majors will require you to have work experience. If you have no work experience, you can apply for a diploma course. Some schools may not require language scores, but your visa application will still you to have them.
Cost of studying abroad
The cost of studying in Canada or Australia depends on many factors (including which school you applied to, the major, and geographic location). Generally speaking, the tuition and living expenses in Canada are much lower.
4.Visa Process for Studying Abroad
▼ Canadian Study Permit
According tothe latest policies of new student visa applications issued in 2018, there are 4 different ways of getting a student visa.。
- Student Direct Stream: this procedure is the easiest. Suitable for those who are willing to purchase aGuaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC), pay one year's tuition in advance, and have an IELTS score of at least 6.0;
- Higher education: suitable for those who are willing to purchase aGuaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC), pay one year of tuition in advance, and want to go to Canada for a university or college;
- Primary and secondary school: suitable for those who are willing to purchase aGuaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC), pay one year of tuition in advance, and want to go to Canada to attend a primary or secondary school;
- Regular process: the same as the originalapplication for a first student visa.的要求一样。
To apply for a student visa through the general method,you must:
get a medical exam
pay an application fee of $150
not work over 20 hours per week during any semester (full time work during vacation times are permitted)
study for more than one year (spouse can work full time)
apply for a work visa within 90 days of graduation to stay in Canada
Australian Visa Requirements:
The Australian student visa is not a paper document (electronic version)
Application fee $535
Only the spouses of graduate students and doctoral students can work without time limit.
Student visa holders can work up to 40 hours every two weeks.
5. After Studying Abroad -Getting a Work Permit
▼Canada
The work permit obtained after graduation allows any student who graduates from a Canadian higher education institution to work for the same length of time as their study program (8 months to 2 years), and a 3 year work permit in any field in Canada can be granted for 2 years of study.
▼Australia
Graduates who complete their undergraduate or graduate studies can apply for a work permit valid up to two years. Other graduates can apply for the 485 visa, which is for the most common, valid for 18 months.
6. Job opportunities after studying abroad
▼Canada
Nurses, project analysis engineers, teachers, pharmacists, property managers, building managers, etc. are all the most popular jobs in Canada. Moreover, Canada provides more job opportunities, less pressure and a higher starting salary.
▼Australia
Australia's best jobs are in education, medical services, hotel management, computer system design, accounting, etc. There are many job opportunities in Australia, but senior jobs are not easy to find. Many jobs require permanent resident status, which is difficult for international students.
7.Immgration after studying abroad
▼Canada
During the period of stay after applying for a work visa, you can apply for permanent residency in Canada. Canada is a large country with sparse population, so high-tech talent is scarce. Compared with other countries, the chances of obtaining permanent residency in Canada are relatively high.
▼Australia
There are still opportunities to apply for permanent immigration to Australia, but the process is long. Immigration officers will conduct a very detailed investigation of the applicant's background and determine that there is no fraud. Because the process is very complicated, it will take some time for the Australian government's immigration application to be processed.
8.Scholarships for International Students
Both Canadian and Australian universities have many scholarship opportunities. You can look up the scholarship programs in the financial support section of your school’s website. In addition to school scholarships, there are actually many organizations, funds, etc. that will provide scholarships to students.
9.Distance from Home
▼Hong Kong – Toronto
Hong Kong International Airport – Pearson International Airport | Flight time: about 14.5 hours
▼Hong Kong – Sydney
Hong Kong International Airport – Sydney Airport | Flight time: about 9 hours
10. Climate
▼Canada
The climate varies across Canada, depending on your location. From the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast, Canada spans over five time zones. Toronto’s winters are milder than other cities in Canada, but it will still be cold and snowy. Montreal’s winters are very cold and there tends to be a lot of snowfall. Generally, the country is relatively cool in summer.
▼Australia
Being in the southern hemisphere means that summer in Australia starts in December and winter starts in June. Almost one third of the country is tropical, with an average temperature of about 20 degrees, and the southern region is temperate.
11. General Job Opportunities
Australia has a simplified economic structure, mainly in a few industries (such as mining), but the employment rate is high. Canada is a manufacturing plant of the United States, and it is also the most developed and complete as the world's heavy industry is a concentrated here. The Australian economy is incomparable to Canada, but Australia is the best place to work in the world. If you are a non-technical worker, you can live quite decently in Australia. On the other hand, you can get the most comfortable life in Canada. If you are a skilled worker, Australia is basically your paradise.
12. General Welfare Assistance
Canada and Australia are both countries with good welfare systems. There is no general Ministry of Education in Canada, instead, each of the provinces are responsible for their own education systems. There are high subsidies in Alberta and other provinces, but some provinces do not have any subsidies. Because in Australia it is easier to find a job, new immigrants do not need any benefits within the initial two years. In Canada it is harder to find jobs, so welfare is given for 6 months. In some provinces, it is particularly difficult to find a job, and 3 months of welfare is given (it is also possible to apply for a loan from the government if you struggle to survive).
Comparison of Canada and Australia’s Welfare Subsidies
13. Overall Geographical Advantage
Australia is relatively close to New Zealand, so there will be a lot of touring and vacationing. On the other hand, Canada, as the neighbor of the United States, also occupies an advantageous position considering how easy it is crossing the border to the United States just for shopping or for employment. In terms of time difference, Sydney, Australia is 2 hours ahead of China, while Toronto is 12 hours behind.
Australia travel guide with map flag ocean and sights flat vector illustration
14. Total Cost of Living
Australia generally has a higher per capita income than Canada, and the tax burden is relatively low (income tax and retail tax). A standard of living is subjective and, there is more to consider. In the three aspects of food (restaurant dining), living (buying a house) and transportation (buying a car), the same lifestyle would cost much more in Australia than Canada.
15. Overall Attitude Towards the Chinese
Chinese people have basically invaded Canada. Large populations of Chinese people have high statuses. Also, there are many elite groups in the Chinese American population. This has led to local Chinese Canadians benefiting from the association with newcomers. In cities like Vancouver and Toronto, Chinese people account for almost half of population. There is a large number of Chinese people in Canada who do not speak English or learn it. They are mainly skilled immigrants who did not have to take the IELTS test and were granted permanent residency from 2004 to 2005. Australia has become more and more appealing to the Chinese in recent years, but if Australians encounter economic problems, racial discrimination will still occur.
16.Diversity
Australia and Canada both have diverse societies, but with different races. Canadian immigrants are mainly Chinese, Indians, Sri Lankan, Jamaican, etc., and more and more immigrants now come from the Middle East. Australia also has many immigrants from China, others are more from Indonesia, Thailand, Lebanon, and a small number of immigrants come from Central and South America.
17．Urban Livability
Regardless of whether you choose Australia or Canada, both countries have unique environments and unique international races. Whether it is Sydney or Melbourne in Australia, or Vancouver or Toronto in Canada, they are among the most livable cities in the world.
