Dozens of Indian students queue up for Tim Horton’s job in Canada. Video is viral

Nishat, 23, told Hindustan Times that he has spent over six months looking for a job in Canada, but has been unsuccessful in the hunt so far. “I came to Canada six months ago for my post-grad course in accounting. Since then, I have been looking for a part-time job.”

“Most Indian students take up part-time jobs to survive in Canada as the cost of living is very high,” he told HT. “It is very frustrating because I have been trying for six months.

“There is a sense of humiliation because I have to keep asking my family for money. You also see your friends working, and it is frustrating.

“On top of that, people think you can’t bag a job because there is a problem with you. It is only recently that people have started realising that Canada does not have jobs,” Nishat told HT.

Not one to give up hope, however, Nishat recently made his way to a Tim Horton’s job fair in Toronto.

In his viral video, the York University student said he reached the job fair 30 minutes before time, only to see a long queue of applicants already there. His Instagram video shows dozens of Indian students lining up in hopes of bagging a job. Nishat estimated that about 90 percent of the people in the queue were Indians.

Take a look at the video below:

Nishat said he spent $2 to get his CV printed before showing up at the job affair. “I updated my CV thoroughly to increase my chances of getting a job,” he said in Hindi in his video. “But when I reached Tim Horton’s, a long line was waiting for me.”

“More than a 100 students had already showed up for the job fair. Looking at the long line, even the white people nearby were shocked,” he added.

Nishat said that Tim Horton’s asked the students about their schedule, collected their CVs and dismissed them, saying they would receive an interview call if shortlisted.

After submitting his CV at Tim Horton’s, Nishat travelled a long distance to apply for a job at another store. “I don’t know if I will find a job at either store. So this was my day full of struggle,” he said in conclusion.

A bleak job market

His Instagram Reel has racked up nearly 1 million views since being shared on June 12. In the comments section, many Indian students said that they too were looking for jobs in Canada.

“Due to unnecessary overcrowding in Canada, it is almost impossible to find a job for survival,” wrote one commenter.

“It’s been 10 months and I’m still looking for a job,” said another. “It’s been 6 months and I’m still looking for my part time job!” a third Instagram user commented. “It’s been 7 months, still jobless,” a user commented.

One person said he was also part of the queue in front of Tim Horton’s.

In October 2023, a PTI report highlighted how Indian students in Canada are struggling from a lack of job opportunities. “I am not thinking about the India-Canada rift so much. I am more worried and concerned about my future. There is a huge dearth of jobs here, and I don’t know whether I will be able to secure work once I complete my studies,” Harwinder (name changed on request to protect his privacy), told PTI.

Several Indian students around the Greater Toronto area echoed a similar sentiment. The high cost of living in and around Toronto and other Canadian cities is also hurting students here, who are compelled to live in cramped rooms to save on rent and other utilities.

(With inputs from PTI)