Indian students reassess their overseas education plans as relations between New Delhi and Ottawa deteriorate
The visa consulting industry will be “shaken to its core” if relations worsen, said the regional manager of one such business.
Demonstrators stand on a cardboard cutout of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a protest outside India's consulate, a week after Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised the prospect of New Delhi's involvement in the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Sep 25, 2023. (Photo: REUTERS/Carlos Osorio)
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JALANDHAR, PUNJAB: For a year, Mr Ashu Gandhi had been making plans to get a Master’s degree in Canada.
His ambition to study in Canada started when he was 15 years old, after hearing about people in his neighbourhood moving there for work.
Canada has been a popular destination for Indian students for years, with thousands heading there annually to further their studies and eventually taking up permanent residence.
However, after India warned its citizens of rising “anti-India activities” in Canada following a diplomatic fallout, he has been forced to reassess his options.
“I think I may drop this plan completely, or perhaps wait it out. My family members are also worried about sending me to Canada in this environment,” Mr Gandhi told CNA.
He said he is now looking for an alternative education destination and seeking help from counsellors.
There are also concerns about wasted money, said his father Jatinder Gandhi.
“We’re a middle-income household. For Ashu’s education, we’ve used a lot of our savings, and we’ve also borrowed from people. Parents would do anything for their kids,” he said.
“But now if we spend this money and his move to Canada is hampered, we’d be stuck in a bad place.”
FLARED TENSIONS
Protests in Canada led by Sikhs demanding a separate state called Khalistan had already created a strain on India-Canada ties, with India perceiving the movement, which has quietened in Sikh-majority Punjab, as a threat.
Canada is home to the largest number of Sikhs outside India, with a Sikh population of more than 770,000, or around 2 per cent of its total population.
Tensions flared in September when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Indian agents played a role in the death of Canadian Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was labelled a terrorist by Indian officials.
India has refuted Mr Trudeau's allegations and in a sign of deteriorating ties, demanded that Canada withdraw a majority of its diplomatic officials from India.
It has also suspended visas for Canadians, leaving Indians worried about tit-for-tat measures which could push thousands of students into limbo, along with millions of US dollars sunk into school fees.
CANADA A POPULAR DESTINATION
The most popular destination for residents of Punjab has always been Canada, according to the visa consultants and English language coaching centres that line the streets of big Punjab cities like Jalandhar.
According to media reports, 136,000 students from Punjab went to Canada last year, based on figures derived from the number of visas approved by Canada under the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) scheme.
India was the largest source of international students entering Canada last year, four times more than the second largest group, the Chinese.
INDUSTRY COULD BE “SHAKEN TO ITS CORE”
ESS Global, one of many visa consulting services in Punjab, specialises in securing Canadian student visas.
“Canada fits the bill in many ways. The English language test score requirements are low, spouses are allowed to travel on student visas, and the paperwork required is minimal too,” said the firm’s regional manager Vikramjit Singh.
He added that the firm receives 800 to 1,000 applications a month.
However, things are beginning to get complicated with Canada warning that Indians could face longer visa processing times.
While Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said Ottawa is not escalating tensions, businesses said if ties do worsen, India’s US$1.4 billion visa consulting industry could be in trouble.
Mr Singh noted that 60 to 70 per cent of its clients want to go to Canada, while the remaining opt for the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States.
”This whole industry will be shaken to its core if our relations worsen,” he said.
