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Analiza Pathak
Born in Guwahati, raised in Mussoorie and Delhi, She grew up reading magazines more than textbooks. She is an experienced writer/editor and has shifted focus to various aspects of communication. Her a ... Read More
A recent report has revealed that nearly 20,000 Indian students who traveled to Canada for higher education never enrolled in any college, and the government has no record of their whereabouts. According to a Times of India report, many of these students have now taken up odd jobs to sustain themselves. Some students who genuinely wanted to study accepted admission offers from lesser-known institutions after failing to secure seats in reputed universities. However, upon reaching Canada, they discovered that their colleges were either fake or lacked the necessary facilities.
A 24-year-old student from Panchkula, Haryana, believed he had gained admission to a well-known college in Brampton. But after arriving in Canada, he found that the address on his admission letter led to a small office with no classrooms. When he inquired, he was told that classes were full and was asked to wait. After several weeks, he realized the institution was fraudulent. Thankfully, he had paid only Rs. 4.2 lakh of the Rs. 12 lakh tuition fee.
Back in India, the student had communicated with his agent only through phone calls. The agent assured him that he could cover his remaining fees through part-time jobs, without needing another loan. To support himself, he took up work at a gas station.
While some students were victims of scams, others intentionally misused the student visa system to enter Canada for work. Unlike countries such as the US and Australia, Canada does not require international students to pay their tuition fees upfront, making it easier for some to take advantage of the system.
The student association revealed that some students are using Canada as a route to illegally enter the United States. However, Henry Lotin, a former federal economist and immigration expert, mentioned in the report that most of the missing Indian students have not crossed the border but are still in Canada, working and trying to secure permanent residency. “Last year, there was a sharp rise in international students seeking asylum in Canada. This suggests that at least 10% of student visa holders are unaccounted for. While we now have some clear data, it is still unclear where all these students are,” he said.
According to The Times of India, most of these students come from Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra.
A 27-year-old from Valsad, Gujarat, admitted that he enrolled in a community college with a fee of ₹7.5 lakh for two years—much cheaper than a master’s degree in Canada, which costs nearly three times as much. “Many people from my area have done this, so I did the same. I know it’s illegal, but this was my only way to enter Canada. Besides, even students who joined reputed colleges are doing the same jobs as me, but they have loans of Rs. 25 lakh or more,” he said. He currently works two jobs—one at a restaurant and another as a food delivery partner at night—to send money back home.
Another 26-year-old from Khammam, Telangana, took admission in a college in Surrey but never attended classes. Instead, he now works full-time at a mobile shop for a cash salary of seven dollars per hour. Likewise, a 25-year-old from Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, works as a delivery agent in Toronto.
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