Apprehensions like ‘Do we have to go back to India without completing our degree?’, ‘Should I stop applying to Canadian universities?’, or ‘Do I have a future anymore in Canada?’ are common among Indian youngsters and their parents
Thousands of Indians enrolled in Canadian universities are caught in the diplomatic crossfire between India and Canada, reported news9live.com. Many more still dreaming of heading overseas for better opportunities are faced with uncertainty. Apprehensions like ‘Do we have to go back to India without completing our degree?’, ‘Should I stop applying to Canadian universities?’, or ‘Do I have a future anymore in Canada?’ are common among Indian youngsters and their parents.
“Two of my friends were planning to come to Canada in January 2024. But they haven’t received their visas yet. They already have their confirmation letter from the university. They are really worried because they don’t know what’s going to happen… They received an e-mail from the university recently, mentioning that their process might get delayed a bit,” Ajeesha Nair, an Indian student at University Canada West, told News9 Plus.
Citing the example of Indian students who had to leave Ukraine after the conflict with Russia began, Anil Trigunayat, former Indian Ambassador to Jordan, Libya, and Malta, said, “A lot of them have gone to Central Asian countries, such as Georgia and Armenia. In certain cases, the Ukrainian universities offered them to come back later. So there are several options available.”
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Even this year, Canada has issued over a lakh student visas to Indians till July. It is not, however, just the education expenditure that makes Indians crucial to the Canadian economy
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“These students engage into courses like IT, marketing, artificial intelligence, and eventually they work in Canada. I don’t think Canada can afford to kill this channel of upskilling their own economy. It will be very disastrous.”
Immigration consultant Ravi Veeravalli listed the UK and Australia as desired destinations. “The UK also gives exemption that you don’t have to do your English competency examination if your medium of instruction has been English. So, the processing time is not too long. Then there’s Australia, which also offers a very robust post-study work.”
Experts have reassured students that they need not be disheartened by the situation. After all, the world is the oyster for those with ambitions.
Indians make up at least 40% of the international student community in Canada. They also make up the fastest-growing section of the student population, witnessing a cumulative growth of 47% in the past five years alone. Over 2.25 lakh Indian students went to Canada last year alone and contributed over $8 billion to Canada’s economy. This is proof enough of how valuable Indian students are to Canada.
Even this year, Canada has issued over a lakh student visas to Indians till July. It is not, however, just the education expenditure that makes Indians crucial to the Canadian economy. “These students engage into courses like IT, marketing, artificial intelligence, and eventually they work in Canada. I don’t think Canada can afford to kill this channel of upskilling their own economy. It will be very disastrous,” Veeravalli said.
Canada’s GDP stands at $2.09 trillion. If the current situation persists and the student intake is affected, Canada could be in for a $700 million economic shock. “Billions of dollars go from India to Canadian universities. These universities will have a lot of problems if Indian students aren’t there. Canadian government has to take all measures to protect Indian students and Indian diplomatic missions,” said Trigunayat.
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