Study in Canada: 5 key things international students from India should be wary of

If you are all set to fly to Canada for your undergraduate or postgraduate studies, it is important to make all the necessary arrangements, from the student visa to the necessary documents.

Notwithstanding the euphoria of studying abroad that follows this much-awaited trip overseas, one must be extra careful of a variety of things.

For instance, if you believe that finding a part-time job there is a cakewalk, you are delusional. Also, if you assume that landing a job right after your degree is quite easy, you are taking a long shot.

Much to your chagrin, you will have to complete your household chores on your own without any help or assistance.

So, life there may not be hard for everyone, but it is not easy either.

What all you need to be careful about:

1. Finding a job in Canada: Landing a job in Canada is no mean feat. Although Canada is the second largest country in size, the economy is smaller than India’s. Canada is the tenth-largest economy in terms of GDP, while India is far ahead and stands fifth after the US, China, Japan and Germany.

Moreover, despite being a large country, Canada has a population of fewer than 40 million, with most opportunities concentrated in the select pockets of Toronto and Vancouver. Over 42 per cent of Canada’s land is covered by forests.

2. Part-time jobs: Many Indian students go to Canada with the assumption that they will earn their living by working part-time. But finding even a part-time job can literally be a Herculean task.

This can be manifested by a recently viral video showing hundreds of Indian students queued up at Tim Hortons, a fast-food joint in Vancouver.

3. Too many students and too few visas: The number of study permits Canada has issued recently has spiked so much that the Canadian government has decided to cut this number by a whopping 35 per cent.

Data shared by Immigration Minister Marc Miller revealed that 364,000 new permits would be approved in 2024, which is 35 per cent lower than the number of student visas issued last year (5,60,000).

4. Doing home chores on your own: Although it may not be relevant for some, students who are too sceptical about doing household chores on their own may not like living in Canada, where you have to do everything from cooking to cleaning and odd jobs such as repairing your boiler or doorknob.

5. Long distances between places: When you travel between cities, distances can be far too long. For instance, Ontario is 3,754 km away from Ottawa, Halifax is 2,719 km away from Manitoba, and the distance between Manitoba and New Brunswick is 2,415 km.