'Lack of jobs' in Canada, Indians worried

Toronto, October 8

As India-Canada relations strained in the wake of allegations levelled by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau against India for allegedly killing Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, there is another major problem that is plaguing Indian students here — lack of job opportunities.

In 2022, 2,26,450 Indian students arrived in Canada, making India the top source country of new international students entering the North American nation, suggests data of the global education search platform Erudera.

A student said he wasn’t thinking much about the India-Canada rift but worried about his future. There is a huge dearth of jobs here, he said. Several Indian students around the Greater Toronto area echoed a similar sentiment. Mayank, pursuing a course in health services, said the thought of not finding work after studies had been giving him sleepless nights.

The high cost of living in and around Toronto and other Canadian cities is also hurting students here, who are compelled to live in cramped rooms to save on rent and other utilities. “We had come with hopes of getting well-paying jobs to help our parents and families back home in India, but there were no jobs. We are struggling to make ends meet,” said a student hailing from Haryana.

According to ICEF Monitor, a market intelligence resource for the global education industry, there were 3,20,000 Indians with active study permits in December 2022.