The tables illustrate the number of international students in Canada and the United States by country of origin in 2002 and 2003.
Overall, Canada saw a stronger growth in international student numbers, while the United States had much higher totals in both years.
In Canada, the number of international students increased noticeably. The biggest growth came from China and India. Chinese student numbers rose from 5,400 to 7,850, which is a 45% increase. Similarly, the number of Indian students grew from 2,100 to 2,835, an increase of 35%. As a result, the total number of international students in Canada went up from 59,870 to 70,004, showing a 17% rise.
In contrast, the United States experienced slower growth. The total number of international students increased slightly from 581,600 in 2002 to 592,230 in 2003, which is only a 2% rise. Chinese student numbers grew moderately from 110,000 to 116,600, while Canadian students increased from 31,000 to 33,170. However, the number of Indian students decreased significantly, falling from 200,000 to 182,000, a drop of 9%.