remma wrote:
What are the advantages of pursuing an MBA in Canada as an international student?
How does Canada's business environment contribute to the value of an MBA?
What are the potential career prospects for international MBA graduates in Canada?
Hey
remma,
Canada is gaining immense traction as an education destination, MBA included, for a lot of international students particularly those from Asia. In comparison to its US counterparts, there are several benefits that Canadian institutions offer some of which are listed below:
- Easier immigration and a defined path to long term stay. The immigration system in the United States is extremely constraining not only for students but also for immigrant professionals due to which the US is losing some of its highly skilled workforce to its Northern neighbors
- Diverse and cosmopolitan society which enhance the entire experience of staying in a particular country, most people in your local community are warm and welcoming
- Budding startup ecosystems in and around Toronto and Vancouver which will is likely to be a big job generator in the near future. Some top MBA graduates from the US chose to base their startup / venture in Toronto given its proximity to the US and immigrant / startup friendly policies
- Additionally as an international MBA student, you wont be constrained by the visa sponsorship requirement due to which you can explore all industries for job openings. In the US on the other hand, its typically the Technology and Consulting industries that hire bulk of the international students, a lot of industries are not open to visa sponsorships
Coming to the business environment:
- While the country has immigration friendly policies, please realize that the business ecosystem and corporate recruitment market will pale in comparison to that of the United States
- The salaries will also be on the lower side when compared to those with the US and factoring in the cost of living your savings will be constrained during the initial couple of years
- The professional experience in the US will simply be more valuable given the culture of Innovation, R&D, market orientation etc.
Career prospects can vary from city to city but largely Toronto is big in Finance so more IB and Consulting openings there while cities like Vancouver have a lot of Tech presence given their proximity to Seattle. By and large the country is rich in resources so a lot of Metal and Mining teams of even US companies will be based out of there. This is a broad summary and opportunities can vary based on location and local regulations.
Hope that helps!