Randstad, an established employment agency and consultancy with extensive industry expertise spanning over six decades has identified developers, human resource managers, and mechanical engineers as the top three sought-after professions in Canada. Considering this insight, it is reasonable to expect that foreign students arriving in Canada would gravitate towards affordable DLI academic programs that prepare them for careers in these high-demand fields.
To aid international students in pursuing their career goals, we present a selection of three Canadian Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) renowned for offering cost-effective tuition for programs tailored to secure employment in Canada’s most in-demand sectors.
Please note that the information below only accounts for tuition fees charged by each institution, not other costs such as student services, recreational activities, or dental care. Please note that all tuition projections below are for 2022- 2023 (in Canadian dollars).
Our ranking will be determined by comparing the most popular DLIs in each Canadian province based on QS World University Rankings 2023.
- McGill (Montreal, Quebec)
- University of British Columbia – UBC (Vancouver, B.C)
- University of Manitoba – Manitoba (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
- University of Toronto – UofT (Toronto, Ontario)
- University of New Brunswick – UNB (Fredericton, New Brunswick)
- Dalhousie (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
- University of Alberta – Alberta (Edmonton, Alberta)
- Memorial University of Newfoundland – Memorial (St. John’s, Newfoundland)
- University of Prince Edward Island – UPEI (Charlottetown in PEI)
As Canadian universities have government approval to accept foreign students, it was vital to compare DLIs in this instance. In addition to receiving their diplomas from these institutions, international students may apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) so that they may gain the necessary experience to become permanent residents of Canada.
Developers
Among Randstad’s 15 predicted top jobs in Canada in 2023, developers topped the list. Randstad describes developers as “programmers who create apps, accounting programs, and operating systems based on user needs.”
These positions are typically filled by people with computer science backgrounds. Aside from UPEI, UNB, and Memorial, which are rated among the top 10 DLIs, UPEI offers the cheapest computer science programs.
Tuition costs are not disclosed by Memorial (even for international students), only broad estimates.
With an estimated full-year tuition of $6,750, UPEI offers undergraduate programs in the Faculty of Science to overseas students. According to the most recent information available, the undergraduate computer science program at UNB charges foreign students $19,360 annually. Memorial University in Newfoundland estimates the tuition for foreign students to be $20,000 instead.
With an anticipated annual tuition of $77,196 for students majoring in Science, UManitoba is one of the more expensive programs among the DLIs that were examined. For international undergraduate students studying computer science at UofT in 2023–2024, the annual tuition is $60,510. It should be noted that UManitoba provides tuition estimates on a per-credit basis. The predicted full course load (120 credit hours) has been multiplied by the per-credit amount to get the total annual tuition.
The table below lists the top 10 rated DLIs in order of the tuition for courses connected to computer science.
| Province | Institution Name | Tuition Cost |
| Prince Edward Island | UPEI (Charlottetown) | $6,750 |
| New Brunswick | UNB (Fredericton) | $19,360 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Memorial (St. John’s) | $20,000 |
| Saskatchewan | USask (Saskatoon) | $26,359 |
| Alberta | UAlberta (Edmonton) | $31,895.40 |
| Nova Scotia | Dalhousie (Halifax) | $35,000 |
| British Columbia | UBC (Vancouver) | $46,295.70 |
| Quebec | McGill (Montreal) | $55,389.30 |
| Ontario | UofT (Toronto) | $60,510 |
| Manitoba | UManitoba (Winnipeg) | $77,196 |
Human Resources (HR) Managers
Randstad identifies HR managers as the second most in-demand role in Canada. Typically, individuals in these positions are responsible for managing various human resource functions within a company, such as recruitment and workforce management.
Furthermore, all the evaluated DLIs offer programs related to human resources. However, the programs differ in duration, with some DLIs offering four-year undergraduate degrees, while others provide certificate programs that can be completed in a shorter timeframe.
Among the assessed DLIs, McGill and UManitoba host the most expensive HR programs. At McGill, the annual cost for an undergraduate commerce degree for international students is $63,693.60. UManitoba’s Asper School of Business estimates a tuition fee of approximately $85,999.20 per year for management students.
The table below presents the ten evaluated DLIs, ranked in descending order based on the tuition costs for HR-related programs.
The 10 rated DLIs are listed in the following table in decreasing order of program tuition expenses for HR-related programs.
| Province | Institution Name | Tuition Cost |
| Nova Scotia | Dalhousie (Halifax) | $3,135 |
| Prince Edward Island | UPEI (Charlottetown) | $6,750 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Memorial (St. John’s) | $20,000 |
| New Brunswick | UNB (Fredericton) | $20,158 |
| Saskatchewan | USask (Saskatoon) | $30,060 |
| Alberta | UAlberta (Edmonton) | $37,842 |
| British Columbia | UBC (Vancouver) | $58,153.50 |
| Ontario | UofT (Toronto) | $60,510 |
| Quebec | McGill (Montreal) | $63,693.60 |
| Manitoba | UManitoba (Winnipeg) | $85,999.20 |
Mechanical Engineers
Mechanical engineering positions in Canada are projected to rank third in job demand in 2023. Mechanical engineers play a crucial role in developing and designing machines that address human challenges, tackling issues such as industrial process control, automation, and environmental considerations.
Memorial, UNB, and UPEI offer the most cost-effective mechanical engineering programs for international students.
The estimated annual tuition for overseas students at these institutions is as follows:
- UPEI: The annual tuition fee is $6,750.
- Memorial University: The estimated tuition fee is $20,000.
- UNB: For undergraduate international students in the Faculty of Engineering, the tuition fee is approximately $21,337.
UofT and UManitoba charge the highest tuition rates for overseas students who want to enroll in mechanical engineering programs among the DLIs that were reviewed. The cost of tuition for international students in UofT’s Bachelor of Applied Science programs is $65,410 per year for the 2023–2024 academic year. The University of Manitoba projects that the annual cost of tuition for students enrolled in science programs will be around $77,196.
| Province | Institution Name | Tuition Cost |
| Prince Edward Island | UPEI (Charlottetown) | $6,750 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Memorial (St. John’s) | $20,000 |
| New Brunswick | UNB (Fredericton) | $21,337 |
| Saskatchewan | USask (Saskatoon) | $35,071 |
| Nova Scotia | Dalhousie (Halifax) | $40,800 |
| Alberta | UAlberta (Edmonton) | $42,707.40 |
| Quebec | McGill (Montreal) | $55,389.30 |
| British Columbia | UBC (Vancouver) | $57,735.91 |
| Ontario | UofT (Toronto) | $65,410 |
| Manitoba | UManitoba (Winnipeg) | $77,196 |
