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According to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the number of international students in Canada has tripled in the last decade. According to the IRCC, about 530,540 foreign students held study permits as of December 31, 2020, putting Canada third in the world when it comes to luring international students.
22 percent of all inbound students are from China and 50 percent study in Ontario. According to CBIE research, international students, including Chinese students, choose to study in Canada because of the overall quality of the education system, Canada's reputation as a multicultural and tolerant society, and the opportunity to become permanent residents after their studies.
Chinese international students contribute millions of dollars to the Canadian economy each year, not just for tuition but also for room and board, school supplies and equipment, meals, and other personal needs. As a result, any company that caters to Chinese consumers should also cater to the needs of Chinese international students. Here are three useful hints to help you succeed.
Make it simple to spend. Chinese international students are mostly Gen Z'ers (aged 16 to 25 in 2021), who like to spend money and expect to pay for goods and services in the same way they do at home. Accepting digital payment methods such as Alipay, WeChat Pay, and UnionPay is therefore essential. These e-wallet apps allow them to easily change Chinese RMB into Canadian dollars, keep track of their expenses, and access money sent from home.
Make online promotions available. Discounts, coupons, e-Gift Cards, and other special offers are common in Chinese consumer culture, and Chinese overseas students are no exception. They are tech-savvy and frequently use social media, so leveraging apps such as WeChat official accounts is an excellent approach to draw them and their community to your business.
Make contact with them. Chinese overseas students may not be competent in English, thus your company's ability to communicate with them in their original language will provide a significant competitive edge. In addition to accepting popular Chinese online payments, ensure that you have a dependable translation service that allows your staff or customers to type text into the POS device, speak into the device microphone, or scan printed text that can be translated in Chinese.
Linked knows the demands and obstacles that Chinese foreign students encounter when they come to Canada as a preferred Chinese digital payment partner of OTT, official Alipay, WeChat Pay, and UnionPay in Canada. We provide marketing and translation services in addition to convenient and dependable digital payment solutions and with several merchants catering exclusively to Chinese foreign students, including Centra Food, FoodHWY, Lighket, and Yo!TEA.
Ready to connect with Chinese international students? Give our Customer Support Team a call at (+1) 780-699-3305 or email us at sales@linkedadvisors.ca to get started!
