ManitobaThe Winnipeg School Division says it’s getting ready to welcome a record number of students to be part of its international education program in September, driven by what the city has to offer — but also in part because of concerns about the current political culture in the U.S.Number of students in international program has more than doubled in recent yearsFelisha Adam · CBC News · Posted: Aug 11, 2025 6:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours agoThe number of students in the Winnipeg School Division’s international student program, which began in 2017, has gone from around 70 in recent years to over 180 students for the upcoming school year. (Randall McKenzie/CBC)The Winnipeg School Division says it’s getting ready to welcome a record number of students to be part of its international education program in September, driven by what the city has to offer — but also in part because of concerns about the current political culture in the U.S.The division’s program is one of many in Manitoba that allows students from other countries, from kindergarten to Grade 12, to study in Canada for a semester or a full school year.Aaron Benarroch, the director of recruitment and international education for the division, says the number of students for the upcoming year in the program, which began in 2017, has more than doubled in recent years.”Over the last three years we’ve probably gone from about 70-ish students to just over 180 students now,” he told CBC.Aaron Benarroch, the head of recruitment for the Winnipeg School Division’s international study program, says the division was worried it would not be able to find hosts for an influx of students in the upcoming school year. (Felisha Adam/CBC)The students this year are coming from 24 countries, including Spain, Italy, Brazil, Germany, China and Vietnam, said Benarroch.The incoming students pay a tuition fee, ranging from just over $6,000 to $12,500. While some stay with relatives, most live with local host families.With the growth in the program, there was some concern the division did not have enough families to host the influx of international students, said Benarroch, so it had to work quickly to boost the numbers. The division — the largest in Manitoba, with over 33,000 students across 78 schools — put out advertisements and sent emails to families in search of hosts.Since May, many have come forward with offers to host, and the division now has about 90 families taking part in the program, said Benarroch.’Great for families’ and students: hostGiuseppina Militano’s family has been a homestay host family for years.”It’s great for the families, and it’s great for the students,” she said.Militano and her daughter first welcomed an international student in 2022. Since then, they’ve hosted students from Colombia and Brazil. In the new school year, she’ll be hosting a 15-year-old from Spain.Giuseppina Militano, her daughter Parisa and their four-year-old beagle are among the 90 homestay families working with the Winnipeg School Division to welcome a record number of students from 24 different countries this year. (Felisha Adam/CBC)”You want to show them what Canada is all about,” she said. “There’s now so many various cultures, so there’s much more.… It gives them the opportunity to see a different place and how we do things.”Benarroch said he isn’t surprised to see the growth in the program. Winnipeg has many attractive qualities, including its affordability, diversity and even the variable weather, he said.”Just having four real seasons … people from other countries, especially Brazil or Vietnam, it’s not something that they experience.”He’s also noticed this year that some students who originally planned on studying in the U.S are changing their minds.”We’re definitely seeing an uptick in the number of requests for students who originally were thinking of going to the United States, but because of the political climate there, whether it’s politics or whether it’s safety concerns, we have taken some students that were supposed to go to the United States,” said Benarroch.Visits are planned months in advance, but “we’re definitely seeing that trend where there’s a shift … [and] we’re seeing more interest in Canada,” he said.”Parents themselves are starting to become hesitant because of the political culture that’s kind of developed,” Benarroch said. “It’s definitely a concern.”Militano says her time with international students has created many happy memories. (Submitted by Giuseppina Militano)Unlike international students wanting to study in Canadian universities, there is no cap on the number of public school students, according to the Canadian Association of Public Schools–International, an association of school districts and boards that offer international programs.Benarroch says the program has become a multimillion-dollar source of revenue for the Winnipeg School Division. There are no plans to slow its growth — he’s hoping to beat the record number next year.Militano said she’s looking forward to hosting students for as long as she can, so she can continue to build long-lasting relationships.Winnipeg classrooms set for spike in international studentsManitoba’s largest school division is preparing for an influx of international students when classes resume in September. Over 180 students are registered in the Winnipeg School Division’s international education program, more than double the total from just a few years ago.ABOUT THE AUTHORFelisha Adam is a reporter for CBC Manitoba focused on covering local stories. She previously worked as a video journalist and reporter in Montreal. She has covered politics, international affairs, community initiatives, healthcare, and education. Share your story ideas, tips and feedback with Felisha.adam@cbc.ca.
Winnipeg School Division sees spike in international students, including some who planned to study in U.S.
