Amid escalating concerns regarding pursuing education in Canada, Indian students might be exploring alternative options. As per a publication in The Times of India, the US and the UK are now emerging as favored substitutes, closely trailed by Australia, France, Germany, and Ireland.
Nonetheless, Aditi Paul, an immigrant advocate based in New York, warns about the potential risks of foreign students falling prey to scams in these alternative destinations. These fraudulent schemes could lure students into enrolling in programs offered by unaccredited universities in the US, resulting in exorbitant fees for education that may be either non-existent or of inferior quality.
Paul highlights the infamous “Day 1 CPT Scams” that adversely impacted international students who were unable to secure work permits in the US upon completing their studies.
Simultaneously, although there is no restriction on F1 visas, obtaining an H1-B visa for employment in the US post-graduation is increasingly arduous due to limited annual slots (approximately 65,000 – 85,000) and a lottery-based selection process. Even if fortunate enough to be chosen, immigrants must convince their employers to initiate green card applications to extend their employment beyond the six-year limit of the H1-B visa.
Paul emphasizes the challenges posed by frequent layoffs in the technology sector and the extensive backlog for green card applications, particularly affecting Indian nationals, thereby creating significant hurdles for immigrants. She proposes the implementation of caps to maintain equilibrium between job market demand and supply, safeguarding immigrants from such precarious circumstances.
Blaney suggests that Australia could witness a surge in popularity as an educational destination among Indian students. However, the definitive impact of these trends is anticipated to become evident post the first quarter of 2024, coinciding with the enforcement of regulations to monitor the influx of foreign students starting from 1 January.