A clip uploaded by an Indian woman in Canada is going viral on social media, depicting a long queue of foreign students and immigrants outside a small job fair for a few job opportunities. The clip, first uploaded on Instagram, is exposing the increasing plight of foreign students and recent immigrants coming to Canada for better job prospects and a better living standard.

In the since-viral clip, the woman pans her camera across a line of dozens of job applicants patiently standing outside a job fair. She says that the position is a general internship and only five or six opportunities are available."Guys, hamare jo Indian relatives aur friends hain jinka sbhi se lagta hai ki Canada mein bahut paisa aur job hai, unko ye video dikha dena (Friends, please show this video to anyone who believes there is a lot of money and jobs in Canada)," she tells in Hindi, to dispel myths about life overseas. “This is the reality of Canada. If you’re prepared for this, then come — otherwise India is better,” she warns viewers in the video, which has now racked up thousands of shares and comments. While some users praised the woman for showing the “harsh reality” instead of painting an unrealistic dream, others argued that opportunities still exist for those with the right skills. “Same situation here in Toronto. Even for survival jobs, it's a long wait," one commenter said. Another said, "Everyone believes it's a land of opportunity until they see the reality."

Why Are Employees Turning Out?

The video arrives at a time when Canada's labour market is under mounting pressure. Increasing unemployment and few opportunities, particularly for foreign students, have sparked heated debates about Canada's immigration system and post-graduation work opportunities. A new Gallup State of the Global Workplace 2025 report reveals that half of all US and Canadian employees are either actively searching for or receptive to a new job, yet belong to the planet's most "engaged" workforce. Only 52 per cent claim they are "thriving" in life, leaving almost half the workforce "struggling" or "suffering," even though they live in one of the world's highest-performing economies. North America is ahead of the world at 31 per cent when it comes to employee engagement, but Gallup points out that the remaining 69 per cent are either not engaged or actively disengaged; they might be mentally disengaged or even damaging workplace morale. This points toward an expanding gap between surface success and true well-being. Workers might look committed but feel hollow, and are more likely than ever before to change jobs if their emotional needs are not being fulfilled.

More than half of North American employees, a stark 57 per cent think that the present is a good time to look for a new job, and optimism is strongest among younger workers under 35. Here's what the report says

• 50 per cent experience daily stress (to 46 per cent among those under age 35).
• 22 per cent experience daily sadness.
• 17 per cent experience daily anger.
• 15 per cent experience feelings of loneliness every single day.

Unlike the job seekers featured in the viral clip, these employees already have a job, and they're performing it well. They are most often high performers who meet targets and clock in on schedule, but secretly are making plans to leave. Gallup's report cautions that high engagement is no guarantee of loyalty. As daily stress and isolation increase, even top performers feel isolated. "Life abroad isn't always a dream.". Sometimes it's just… a long queue," the caption on the viral video says — mirroring the alert in Gallup's research: if workplaces do not close the gap between engagement and wellbeing, loyalty will be the first to suffer.

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Reality Check For Indians Who Want to Study Abroad

Several netizens reminded everyone that the larger problem is the "skill mismatch" and not a general shortage of employment opportunities in Canada. "Vancouver does have jobs. Employers like Microsoft, Amazon, Lululemon, BC Hydro, Telus, and Vancouver Coastal Health are constantly on the lookout for candidates," one user posted. "It's about gaining the appropriate skills, not blaming Canada or the country." Others pointed out that competition is only tough for starting positions and subsistence jobs, and once an immigrant acquires Canadian experience and appropriate qualifications, things get better.

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The video is a wake-up call for thousands of Indian students and families who shell out handsome amounts on education abroad, hoping to find good-paying jobs and eventually permanent residence. From Canada's overstuffed job fairs to North America's burned-out workers, the take-home message is simple: workers crave more than paychecks. Today, retention hinges on purposeful work, emotional health, equitable opportunities, and caring workplaces, not salaries or benefits.