Hyderabad: Caught between economic uncertainty and limited employment opportunities in their fields, an increasing number of Indian students in Canada are turning to odd jobs in restaurants and supermarkets to stay afloat.
In a stark reflection of this growing trend, a Toronto-based Indian restaurant, set to open in Dec, recently received 2,987 applications for just thr-ee positions— waiter, kitchen helper, and cleaning staff — of which more than 1,600 applicants were Indian students.
But this is not an isolated case. Several restaurants and supermarkets in major Canadian cities, including Toronto and Vancouver, are witnessing a similar surge in applications, largely from students and recent graduates, even before they are opened.
In another similar instance, a popular coffee chain’s new outlet in Surrey saw a waiting queue of at least half a km for four positions. The coffee shop will open in Jan 2025.
Young graduates share that they are compelled to take up such gigs — waiting tables, assisting in supermarkets, or working as delivery drivers — as chasing jobs related to their field of study have become scarce.
“In fact, working in food chains like McDonalds, Dominos, etc, is believed to be a luxury here. If other restaurants pay $10 to $12 for an hour, these chains pay over $15. But getting that job itself requires you to clear at least three rounds, and the vacancies are very few,” said Sunil Singh, who has been staying in Vancouver since 2020, and currently working full time at McDonalds. This student has a master’s degree in Information Technology.
Other jobs that young Indians usually do include working in electronic stores and salons.
Jasmeet Singh, a 25-year-old who went to Canada in 2018, works at a mobile store. “When I came here, I had dreams of working in finance or marketing after completing my degree. But the reality is very different. I’ve been working at a mobile store since 2021. And even after graduating, I haven’t been able to find a job in my field. First, there was Covid, which disrupted the job market, and now the influx of students coming every year, is making it more difficult to land even odd jobs. This is another reason that there are many restaurants coming up in Canada as their owners easily get desperate youngsters as cheap labour,” Singh added.
According to the ministry of external affairs’ data, Canada has the highest number of Indian students studying in any foreign country. The data showed that in 2024, of the 10.3 lakh Indian students, as many as 4.2 lakh took off to Canada.
“It’s time students seriously revisited their plans of moving to Canada. Unless they’re okay working in eateries, waiting tables, or cleaning floors, this may not be the right choice. I don’t mean to demean anyone doing those jobs, but that’s the reality here. We’re barely managing to pay rent, and repaying loans feels impossible. In fact, I’m even considering moving back to India,” said Meher Khan, who pursued a degree in IT in 2022 and is currently working at a salon.