Student accommodation booking platform Housemates is expanding overseas.

The expansion will cover several major Canadian cities including Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.

Currently Housemates is a platform used by students from over 20 countries which lists more than 1.2m beds across the UK, Ireland and Australia. 

Lydia Jones, chief executive, says: “We are incredibly excited to bring Housemates to Canada and support the vibrant community of students studying across this beautiful country.  Canada has become a hotspot for international education and we are determined to make the transition into Canadian student life as seamless as possible for all our users.”

Housemates claims that its platform “simplifies the process of finding and securing suitable student housing.” 

According to the Canadian Bureau for International Education, there was a 31 per cent increase in international students in Canada from 2021 to 2022. It adds that at the end of 2022, Canada saw 43 per cent growth over the previous five years and nearly 170% over the last decade.

“Canada is undoubtedly one of the fastest-growing destinations for international students” claims Jones. 

“The country has emerged as a preferred destination for international students, renowned for its world-class education system, diverse culture, and high quality of life. Our expansion into Canada is expected to significantly improve the student accommodation landscape, providing international and domestic students alike with a range of housing options tailored to their needs.”

Housemates, founded in 2020, is headquartered in Manchester and has an office in Bangalore, India.