Should I leave my boyfriend to marry a Canadian for citizenship?

At 28, I have long harbored ambitions to move abroad to advance my career and financially support my family. To achieve this, I borrowed money to apply for a scholarship in Canada. After a year of balancing studies and work here, I am eager to find a permanent way to stay, identifying marriage as the quickest solution.

I am seeing a foreign classmate who is quite fond of me, and we are still exploring our relationship. He is five years my junior, caring and generous, frequently treating me to meals and shopping trips.

Despite his affection, our future together holds considerable uncertainty, as he still depends on his family’s financial support.

A Canadian man in his 40s living close to my place has also expressed interest in me. He has proposed a marriage of convenience to help me gain citizenship, offering his support without any financial expectations. However, I have no romantic feelings for him. Choosing this path would not only betray my current boyfriend but potentially harm both men involved.

Nevertheless, as I’m no longer young, I believe my options for staying in this country are limited, leaving me in a significant dilemma. What should I do?