The dream of studying in Canada is turning into a nightmare for many Indian students, warns YouTuber and podcaster Kushal Mehra, who has issued a stark caution to families chasing overseas education at any cost.
In a recent podcast episode, Mehra urged Indian parents to think twice before sending their children abroad through questionable channels. “Please don’t send your children to Canada through fake colleges or agents,” he said. “If it’s a reputed university like Waterloo, York, or Western, that’s different. But if someone is offering you a diploma mill admission, it’s a trap that will destroy your future.”
His warning comes amid surging numbers of Indian students in Canada — 90,000 study permit holders at last count — making Indians one of the largest international student groups there.
But Mehra says many are lured by promises of easy immigration and better jobs, only to face joblessness, housing shortages, and growing hostility from locals. He pointed to Motion M44, passed in 2022, which allowed international students to work full-time during the academic year. While intended to ease labour shortages, it led to a massive influx that Canada’s housing and job markets could not absorb.
“Migration has increased so much that Canada is struggling,” he said. “Housing costs have doubled, jobs are scarce, and public services are stretched thin.” Rent for a single room in Toronto, he noted, has jumped from ₹500–700 to over ₹1,200.
Even more alarming, Mehra raised concerns about human trafficking, particularly among young Indian women. “In the last three years, I have personally sent 13 girls back to India at my own cost because they were being sexually trafficked,” he revealed. He estimated that nearly 4,000 Indian-origin girls are currently caught in Toronto’s sex trade.
According to Mehra, lax student visa checks contributed to the crisis, allowing people with criminal records to enter the country under the guise of education.
His advice to Indian families: stay grounded. “If you can’t get a seat in Punjab, go to Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, or Jammu. There are good universities in India. Don’t sell your future for a false promise.”