Capital: Ottawa

Background: A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Its paramount political problem continues to be the relationship of the province of Quebec, with its French-speaking residents and unique culture, to the remainder of the country.

Higher Education: The education system in Canada encompasses both publicly-funded and private schools, including: community colleges/technical institutes,career colleges, language schools, secondary schools, summer camps, universities and university colleges.

Education institutions are not officially ranked in Canada, but you will find quality institutions across the country. When choosing your school in Canada, consider the type, size and location of the institution. If you are interested in a particular area of study, investigate which schools have more to offer in that discipline.

Canada's education system is excellent and ranks among the best in the world. Moreover Canadian tuition fees are among the lowest in English-speaking countries.

Canada boasts a wide range of quality educational institutions for both degrees and diplomas in technical and professional disciplines. Over 106,000 international students attend Canadian colleges and universities. This means that you can meet people from around the world as well as people from your own country.

International students who have graduated from a Canadian university or college have the opportunity to work in Canada for up to one year after they receive their degree or diploma. International students can work on campus without a work permit. Plans are being made to allow international students to work off-campus, too.

The uniqueness of Canadian colleges lies in the combination of employer-centred curricula within comprehensive learning institutions which respond to national economic policy. Colleges are dynamic institutions, constantly changing to meet the economic and social needs of the communities in which they work. As such, several colleges have achieved ISO certification and all strive for quality and excellence in meeting the changing learning needs of society.

Canada has a large selection of universities and university colleges located in both urban and rural settings in every region of the country. Our universities are internationally known for the quality of teaching and research. Degrees from Canadian universities are considered to be equivalent to those from American and other Commonwealth universities. Canadian universities are largely publicly funded; as a result they are of a consistently high quality, regardless of location or area of study. As well, they all retain a high degree of academic autonomy.