Rs 680 billion for menial jobs.

"In the picturesque Canadian province of Prince Edward Island (PEI), a significant protest is unfolding. A group of former and current students, mostly from India, have taken to the streets, voicing their distress over a policy shift that jeopardizes their future prospects in the country." The PEI government has decided to prioritize healthcare, early childhood education, and construction, leaving students who work in food and retail industries, meaning as waiters and salespeople, in jeopardy. So "they face the stark choice of returning to their home countries or protesting in hopes of a policy reversal." ET. The Government of Canada decided to cap the number of international students. "For 2024, the cap is expected to result in approximately 360,000 approved study permits, a decrease of 35% from 2023." canada.ca. Yet, "Despite Canada's policy changes, the fundamental qualities which made the country attractive" are "Canada continues to offer better chances of settling down post-studies, compared to other countries." TIE. A student visa is an avenue to menial jobs in Canada which offer a decent quality of life and the prestigious tag of Non-Resident Indian (NRI). The same jobs in India are considered shameful and a loss of status. Canadian student visas are very attractive for young Punjabis who spend a total of Rs 680 billion every year in university fees and living costs in Canada. ET. Canada's actions may have resulted from India's response to "accusations by the Canadian government that Indian agents were involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar." Mint. "External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said Canada has a 'permissive attitude' towards terrorists and extremists," (India Today), and "People linked to organised crime in Punjab are welcomed in Canada." ET. Naturally, Canada would like to restrict potential terrorists and criminals from Punjab. Without a good income men cannot find brides. "These days, the first preference of potential brides is for men with govt jobs that don't exist, followed by private jobs that are shrinking, and then self-employed youth, backed by farmland; the foremost question being, what's the groom's annual income?" wrote Jaideep Hardikar. "You meet graduates and postgraduates of all hues; they've tried their luck - futilely - in the industrial belt of Mumbai-Pune-Nashik; worked in contractual employment for paltry wages; lived in crowded shared chawls or rooms; tried - or are still trying - their luck at competitive exams to land a job, and failed." Sadly, "There is an entire class, probably in the millions, of Indian graduates and would be graduates who are absolutely subpar in their ability to think, communicate, understand, analyse or problem-solve anything." Because of smartphones. "Somehow, watching videos has become the new cool and books a waste of time," wrote Chetan Bhagat. The rot starts in schools and enforced school closures for two years due to Covid (HT), exacerbated the problem. The Annual School Education Report 2023 found that "nearly 25% of rural youth in the age group of 14-18 cannot read a class 2 level text 'fluently', even if it is in their regional language," and "more than half struggle with division (3-digit divided by 1-digit) problems," and yet, "Close to 90% of youth have a smartphone in the household and know how to use it." The Hindu. If they have to do menial jobs, better to do it in Canada. It might get them a bride.