Indian students aspiring to secure high-paying jobs in the United States, United Kingdom, or Canada may need to reset their expectations, according to Rajesh Sawhney, founder and CEO of GSF Accelerator. In a post that quickly went viral on social media, Sawhney cautioned that the once-reliable path from foreign degrees to lucrative careers is no longer as accessible as it used to be.
“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,” Sawhney wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. His remarks have sparked widespread discussion online, with many questioning the current return on investment of international education, especially for Indian students.
Sawhney, who holds a fellowship from the London School of Economics and is an alumnus of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program, pointed specifically to students from India’s elite engineering institutions. He noted that graduates, particularly from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), once had a reliable formula: complete a master’s degree in the United States and land a tech job paying upwards of $200,000. According to him, that path “works no more.”
The debate over his statement has divided users on social media. Some agreed with his assessment, suggesting that the job market abroad now favors skill over academic credentials. “Yes! The game has shifted from credentials to competence. Those who adapt and build skills will still find a way,” one user commented. Others pushed back, urging students to conduct their own research and not be discouraged by generalizations.
One user wrote, “This ‘hack is dead’ narrative is too simplistic. Sure, the low-hanging fruit is gone. But the opportunity? Still very real. Just not for the average, unprepared candidate banking on a degree alone.”
Sawhney’s warning comes at a time when several factors are tightening job prospects for international graduates. Microsoft recently laid off nearly 6,000 employees globally, many of them Indian professionals. Additionally, U.S. policy changes under President Donald Trump—particularly around immigration and H-1B visa restrictions—have added new barriers for foreign workers.
The message from Sawhney and others appears clear: Indian students can no longer rely solely on foreign degrees to open doors in international job markets. Adaptability, advanced skills, and a realistic understanding of the global economic climate are now essential for those hoping to build careers abroad.
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