The Ticking Clock

December 13, 2023. It was the last day of my post-graduate IT project management program at Seneca. I was looking at a $30,000 CAD education loan. This included $20,000 for my first-year school fees and $10,000 for the GIC, which was mandatory in 2023. Worse than the debt, I did not have a professional tech job. I was only working part-time at Jump+, which was not going to help me secure my PR.

Life was very uncertain. It was hard for me mentally and physically to be in a new environment. I had a massive weight on my shoulders. If I did not secure a tech job in a few days, I would have to enroll in a second course. That second course would cost another $20,000 CAD just to let me stay and get a 3-year work permit. Adding that to my current debt would mean a total loan of $50,000 CAD. For me, that was a nightmare.

The Grind and The Rejections

I had four years of real-world experience before coming to Canada, but finding a tech job was still incredibly tough. I faced at least 100 to 150 rejections. Around 100 of those companies never even replied to my applications. I had maybe 10 to 15 interviews in a span of 5 to 7 months.

The imposter syndrome hit me very hard. I was getting interviews, but no one was selecting me. It was depressing, especially in those last two months when the deadline was approaching. I needed a tech job to be eligible for PR and to avoid more debt.

To say I was busy is an understatement. I was studying full-time. I was working my part-time sales job at Jump+ in Vaughan. I was doing an internship as a project manager for a Seneca Hackathon. On top of all that, I was applying for jobs and attending interviews. I had to manage all this while traveling on public transport in the freezing winter, cooking my own meals, doing laundry, and handling all my chores in a country where I had just landed six months ago.

A desperate person will do almost anything legal to get what they want. I did exactly that. I contacted people and arranged references over LinkedIn. I would research how a company’s product worked and add those specific details to my cover letter. I tried everything to find the direct email addresses of the hiring committee.

Breaking the Default Rule

Most international students are told to follow a default path. The equation is 2 years of study plus a 3-year work permit equals Permanent Residency.

That equation was the default because it was easier to follow before 2023. But as IRCC changed their rules, I realized one has to be smart. You have to look at your unfair advantages and your limitations. My biggest limitation was my age. I was 26 when I came to Canada. If I followed the 2 plus 3 rule, I would be 28 or 29 before I could even apply for PR because I had to wait to finish studying and gain experience. I felt I was wasting my time and increasing my debt. It would take too long to stabilize my life.

Instead of playing that long game, my plan was to target the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). My goal was to complete 1 year of study, get 1 year of Canadian experience, go back to India, and apply for PR from there. But to do any of that, I needed a job first.

The Advice and The Advocate

I used to ask my professors at Seneca for help with references or tips. My professor Ali Esfandian gave me advice that changed my strategy. He suggested I target small companies and drop my resume there in person. He said they will recognize the effort and prioritize you over everyone else.

He was right. It worked for me.

I had lost all my hope on December 13. I thought I had to get that second course. But two days later, on December 15, 2023, at exactly 2:00 PM, I got an offer letter. It was a role as a software engineer at Snappy Innovations. When I saw that message, I cried. I knew that even if I only got a 1-year work permit, I could go back to India after gaining Canadian experience and still get my PR.

During my interview process at Snappy, Dan Bravender was my interviewer. After I got selected, Dan became my friend, my mentor, and most importantly, the person who taught me how to think like an engineer. Later I found out that he actually pushed the Snappy team to hire me instead of the other options. I hope he made the right choice.

Victory One: The PR

As I started working at Snappy, I learned that the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) International Student Stream was actually an option for me. Because I had the tech job, I could apply. I used the same technique I mentioned before. I looked at my unfair advantage and my limitations, and I used them to get what I wanted.

In July 2025, the moment finally arrived. I received my eCOPR email. It was around 1:30 AM in the morning in India. I immediately picked up the phone and called my mother. When you achieve these kinds of things, you want your family to know right away. The time on the clock simply does not matter.

The Remaining Challenge

Getting my PR was a massive victory. But the story was not over, and I was not truly free yet.

I still had a $30,000 education loan hanging over my head. It was a huge hurdle that I had to clear anyway. Landing a nice job at Snappy solved my immigration problems, but the debt was still a heavy weight.

My strategy to fight the loan was strict discipline. Even after I got my PR and had a good developer salary, I decided to live exactly like a student. I refused to increase my expenses and I did not change my lifestyle. Instead, I took large chunks of my salary and paid it directly toward my loan principal. It was hard to keep living on a tight budget when I finally had an income, but I knew it was the only way out.

Victory Two: The Final Breath

I kept up that strict student lifestyle for months after becoming a permanent resident. Finally, in May 2026, I made my last payment.

When I logged into the portal and saw my loan balance become zero, I took a deep breath. It was a pure breath of freedom. After three years of constant pressure, uncertainty, and fighting for my place in Canada, I finally felt like I was free forever.