Uphar, this week's Echo Essentials guest, is an international student from Punjab, India who is entering his second year as a Nipissing University marketing student while working part-time at Clark Communications, which owns the North Bay Echo Community Podcast Network. Co-hosts Scott Clark and Dave Dale invited Uphar into the studio as he celebrated his first year in North Bay to talk about his experience so far.

Uphar sheds light on the intense pressure international students are under to achieve not only their educational pursuits but also qualify for work permits that they hope will lead to permanent residency. He said they have to navigate through many challenges, including harsh economic realities and evolving rules set by the federal government. That is why recent protests erupted, Uphar said, as tens of thousands face deportations because certain work experiences no longer count toward their scorecard.

Uphar also talks about online racism, including this summer's "poopgate" that led to virtual battlegrounds between different races. He also describes the exploitation some students face when financial issues force them to work 'under the table' for unscrupulous Canadians of East Indian descent.

In the banter before the interview, Scott and Dave talk about North Bay's Community Survey, the Bay Block Party and BayToday's Aug. 9 article by Stu Campaign that looks into the massive revenue Canadore College gains from international students.

See the article here: https://www.baytoday.ca/local-news/canadore-to-repeat-record-167m-in-international-student-fees-9328179

See the Small Town Times interview with Uphar last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSmi0hX7_Ok&t=52s