'Don't Want To Waste a Year...': Canada-Bound Students Fear for Their Futures

The India-Canada standoff has left Indian students with a pall of uncertainty looming over their heads.

"For months, I was just preparing and gathering all my documents, so that I can get into one of the best universities for PhD in Canada. But now that I have, I don't even know what will happen," Vishal (surname withheld to protect identity), who hails from Punjab, tells The Quint.

Vishal has opted for the January 2024 admissions intake at a Canadian university – and had applied for his visa last week, before diplomatic tensions between India and Canada escalated. He is supposed to be in the country by March as PhD admissions are subject to the availability of guides.

"But I don't want to wait another year to study. I cannot explain the gap year in my CV by citing diplomatic relationships, right?" he says.

Amid the India-Canada political turmoil over the killing of pro-Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Indian students like Vishal are left with a pall of uncertainty looming over their heads.

'If the Situation Doesn't De-escalate...'

Sanbeer Sandhu – like many other visa consultants – has been allaying the fears of students who are set to travel to Canada for the January 2024 intake.

"Of course, there will be fear. Students have paid Rs 15-20 lakh to confirm their admissions to universities. So, the fear is natural," says Sandhu, who works at Final Touch Immigration Consultants, based out of Punjab's Faridkot.

Their fears have naturally been exacerbated after India suspended its visa services in Canada on Thursday, 21 September. While the Canadian government has not communicated any such restrictions for Indians travelling to the country so far, students are worried that a retaliatory move could potentially ruin their futures.

"There has been no advisory from the Canadian government's end, but we are constantly assuring students that they will not be affected by visa restrictions," Sandhu, whose firm claims to send at least 50 students to Canada every year, tells The Quint.

However, speaking to The Quint, Mayank (surname withheld to protect identity), who is also a native of Punjab, says he is very "scared and anxious at the moment."

"My parents have invested so much in my higher education. Some students have already booked temporary accommodations in Canada for when we reach, but now, we don't know if we should continue keeping it or lose all our money."

Mayank

Meanwhile, Sreehari (surname withheld to protect identity), a resident of Kerala who has applied for a PG Diploma at Humber College in Toronto for the January 2024 intake, says he will be applying for a visa next week as "neither the agency nor the university has notified me about any developments with regard to my visa."

"What the agency told me was that they haven't received any communication regarding visa rejections. So, I am hopeful, and they have also encouraged me to apply," he adds.

But if the situation doesn't de-escalate, Sreehari has much to lose, he tells The Quint.

"Mine is a one-year course. So, I have already paid my fees, only then can the admission be confirmed. I paid Rs 13 lakh as fees and about Rs 6 lakh for living expenses. If the visa process gets delayed, I will personally face issues even though the admission can be deferred to 2024 fall without paying any extra fees. The problem is that my IELTS (standardised English language test) validity will come to an end in May, so I will have to go through that process all over again."

Sreehari

'Aim for Fall Session': University Reps

The number of Indian students in Canada with valid study visas has increased over the years. As per an Indian Express report, it was:

Moreover, of the 5 lakh international students who went to Canada from across the world in 2022, 2,26,450 students (41 percent) were from India, as per the same report.

Echoing Sandhu's views, Khanna (first name withheld to protect identity) from Vision Visas in Punjab, says that while Indian students are anxious, "it is unlikely that there would be any restrictions on student visas. If students already have a visa, they can consider going earlier. But again, there is no indication that student visa will be affected."

However, speaking to The Times of India during an education fair in Hyderabad recently, representatives of Canadian universities cautioned that the standoff "could lead to visa delays for Indian students and potentially disrupt the spring academic session scheduled to start in January."

As per the report, the representatives even advised students to opt to go to the country in time for the next fall session in August 2024. They also hinted that they would wait for a week and assess the situation before issuing admission letters.