A new OECD report published in April 2026 examines the trends, challenges and policy responses related to international student recruitment in six leading study destinations: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. These six countries were selected from amongst the OECD countries given their strong growth in international enrolment over the past decade, a sizeable share of international students in the overall student population, and similar policy objectives. 

Structured around the international student journey, the report covers five substantive themes:  

• Choosing what to study, admission and arrival processes;  
• Study adaptation, progression and success;  
• Life in a new country and integration;  
• Post-graduation opportunities and possibilities; and  
• Emerging policy considerations.  

The report draws on harmonised OECD data, a policy survey and a diverse body of national statistics and academic literature. 

The overarching finding is one of significant numerical growth, followed by a significant policy shift in part of the countries. Between 2013 and 2023, international enrolments expanded substantially across all six countries, even as the COVID-19 pandemic caused temporary disruptions.  

• By 2023, the United Kingdom was the second-largest destination country for international students, with 748 461 international students enrolled (i.e. an 80% increase since 2013), international students accounting for 23% of the country’s higher education population.  
• Canada recorded one of the steepest growth rates, at 157% over the same period (reaching 389 181 students in 2023).  
• The Netherlands grew even faster at 166%, but from lower numbers, comparatively speaking (getting to 169 459 students in 2023).  
• Australia hosted 467 074 international students in the same reference year (up 87% since 2013), representing nearly one third (27%) of all tertiary enrolments. 
• Alongside this expansion, international students became a critical revenue stream for institutions in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom in particular, where tuition fees charged to overseas students have increasingly cross-subsidised research and teaching costs for domestic students, a situation the report flags as a source of financial vulnerability and governance concern. 

However, since 2023, important differences emerge between the six countries. Driven by public concerns over the housing penury, immigration debates, recruitment integrity and lower than desired retention rates of international graduates, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have all moved to tighten their approaches.  

The effects are already visible in visa data: Canada saw the number of newly granted study permits sharply decrease, by 61% between 2024 and 2025 (from 293 060 to 115 470), while the United Kingdom issued 14% fewer visas in 2024 than in 2023, and Australia recorded a 13.4% drop in the same year. In Canada, institutional surveys found that by autumn 2025, 82% of responding institutions reported lower undergraduate international enrolments than the previous year. By contrast, France and Germany have maintained – and in some cases strengthened – policies to attract international students, with France recording a 6% increase in residence permits for students in 2025 and Germany a 6% rise in foreign student enrolments in winter semester 2024/25. 

The report identifies four interconnected challenges that cut across all six systems regardless of their policy directions:  

• Students struggle to access reliable pre-arrival information and navigate complex admission processes;  
• Dropout rates among international students tend to exceed those of domestic peers, driven by financial pressure, language barriers and unmet expectations;  
• Housing remains a persistent and acute difficulty, with many international students encountering scams or paying more than domestic counterparts; and  
• Post-graduation outcomes are weaker in the short term, with only a share of students who intend to stay ultimately securing longer-term status.  

In response, the OECD proposes four policy considerations: i) creating a more predictable and transparent environment for students and institutions; ii) strengthening academic and social support to reduce dropout; iii) facilitating smoother transitions into the labour market after graduation; and iv) improving the quality and timeliness of data on international students to support better-informed policymaking.