Shrinking Foreign Job Markets Should Make Indian Students Cautious

Indian students need to rethink about their goals and pursue courses accordingly. In the wake of the shrinking job market in the most sought-after foreign destinations like US, UK and Canada, the norm of chasing IITs with a view to secure hefty-pay packages might soon fade out.

Rajesh Sawhney, a Gurgaon-based entrepreneur and Harvard Business School alumnus, has cautioned Indian students about the depleting jobs in the foreign countries.

In a viral post on X, Sawhney said: “There are no jobs in USA, Canada and UK for International students. Honeymoon is over, parents should think twice before spending crores on the expensive education.”

“Engg students especially IITians had an easy hack, do masters in the US and get a $200K starting tech job. This hack works no more,” he added.

For decades, many students from India believed that a foreign degree, either from the US or UK, would secure them a high-paying job. Now, this dream is shattering. According to Sawhney, this formula does not work any more.

Sawhney is a name to reckon with in the India’s startup ecosystem. He is the founder and CEO of GSF Accelerator, which helps early-stage tech startups with funds, mentorship and providing access to global networks.

Sawhney’s post evoked a mixed reaction from netizens. While a few agreed with Sawhney’s observation, many others felt that there were still many opportunities, provided the job seeker was talented.

However, the tighter visa rules and increasing layoff by tech giants are posing a problem to Indian students aspiring to land in foreign jobs.

In the wake of the increasing conservative policies being followed by the foreign governments, it is true that job seekers need to go beyond credentials and prove their competence.