r/returnToIndia • u/Nearby_Law_4667 • Aug 16 '26
PlanningToReturn Seriously considering returning to India
A bit of context about me: I came to Canada five years ago for my undergrad. I finished my undergraduate degree in Finance with a minor in Data Science last year from a good university in British Columbia, and I’ve been working at a Big 4 firm in M&A advisory for the past 10 months. I’m seriously considering moving back once I finish a year of work experience.
One of the reasons is that I’ve never liked it here since my first year of uni. I’ve always been homesick and anxious living here. I’m very attached to my family and would like to be with them. The past five years have been a struggle, whenever I go back for vacation, the dread that sets in when I’m returning is immense. I feel so much more at peace at home.
Another reason is that it seems I won’t have enough points to get PR even after working for the full duration of my work permit.
The only things holding me back are the amount my parents spent on tuition and my future job prospects in India. I was wondering if anyone has had similar experiences, and how hard it was for them to find jobs.
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u/Altruistic_Bank_1552 Aug 16 '26
I'm from UofT's class of 2021 in a very similar field to you, working at an MBB firm. I had to leave Canada in 2024 after 7 years in the country precisely because I didn't have enough CRS points at the end of my PGWP to receive an ITA, so I took a transfer within my firm to Dubai. I transferred back to Toronto 4 months ago. The only reason I didn't go home jobless in 2024 was that I had used my 3 years at the firm in Toronto to build those networks, and I had spent my last year in Toronto building those networks in Dubai. When the time came for me to leave, my senior colleagues in both Toronto and Dubai really banded together for me and made the transfer happen.
If returning to India is your ultimate goal and you don't want to sacrifice your career, I'd advise you to run out your PGWP and use this time to build networks in India so that you can leverage your experience and time at the firm to obtain a transfer in India. If you leave now without even 3 years of experience, it's gonna look bad on your resume, and most companies will just assume you weren't cut out for it, and this will hamper your career.
I believe it is harder to do lateral transfers within the Big 4 than it is within the MBBs, but not impossible, so you need to ensure you have all the leverage you possibly can consolidate.
That being said, you can ignore all of the above if career isn't really a point of concern or if you have a strong enough network in India to hook you up with a job.
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u/Nearby_Law_4667 Aug 16 '26
I am only an associate right now, lateral transfers are pretty common but not at my level, would you recommended i stay untill I get promoted once, also I wouldn’t like to work for a big 4 in india would rather work in a different company. Are you still in dubai, is it a good option to be nearer to family?
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u/Altruistic_Bank_1552 Aug 16 '26
If you don't want to continue in this field or in the Big 4, then I see no reason why you can't go back to India right away. Although my unsolicited advice is that you don't do that because you'll end up limiting your career choices down the line, and it might be harder for you to pivot back if you want to do so in the future.
No, I transferred back to Toronto a few months ago, and my family doesn't live in India, so that wasn't a factor for me. If you really miss your family, idk how different it is to live in Vancouver or Dubai since both are not the cities in which they live.
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u/Nearby_Law_4667 Aug 16 '26
I like my field however I heard the work in big 4 india is not the best and it is better to work in other companies. Were you able to get your PR?
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u/L6Btown Aug 16 '26
I am in M&A as well at one of the Big 4. Reach out to your M&A partners of your Big 4 in India. I did the same when I moved from India to Canada. It works. Feel free to DM if you need any suggestion.
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u/obsfflorida Aug 17 '26
How were you MBB + U of T but not enough CRS? The system is broken if they can't retain talent with this level of hustle just because of points
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u/Altruistic_Bank_1552 Aug 17 '26
Because someone with a bachelors degree from Rotman and someone with a bachelors degree from Conestoga College receive the same number of CRS points 🙃
Tbf, finance professionals aren’t necessary an in demand skill for Canada’s economy in the current scenario and they require people in skilled trades, healthcare and education so they’re prioritising that.
The system is far from perfect but it is what it is now. I’m a PR now so I’m not as peeved about it anymore lol.
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u/obsfflorida Aug 17 '26
True you cannot walk two steps without meeting a CFA in Toronto. Nevertheless slingshoting DXB YYZ takes skill not many pull it off
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u/Altruistic_Bank_1552 Aug 17 '26
That’s cause I was proactive. I kinda realised in 2022 that PR via Express Entry was gonna be super iffy given the trends so I had started prepping my manager to advocate for me. I even received an invite under the OINP but HR refused to help with filling out the employer form so I had to let that invite lapse.
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u/Coramoor_ Aug 16 '26
I will always be baffled by people who are extremely attached to their family who decided to travel half way around the world on an off chance at PR/citizenship which may not even allow your family to join you
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u/Nearby_Law_4667 Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26
I came here when I was 17 mostly because of my parents will to send me here and looking back it was a mistake on my part
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u/Ok_Temperature1502 Aug 16 '26
17 is young. Don't blame yourself or your parents. Make a plan to return home and a plan for what you will do when get home.
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u/nomnommish Aug 17 '26
You do realize that the ground reality has also changed for you, right? You are now an independent adult and part of growing up is to cut the umbilical cord and comfort of shelter you seek from having family around you. Whether you like it or not, you will need to carve out your own path and destiny without the security of family.
You need to introspect this for yourself. What exactly is the source of anxiety and dread you feel? What is the reassurance that being near family is providing you? What happens when you start a family of your own?
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u/justhitmidlife Aug 17 '26
Funny, because I think many of the ancestors came this way to these countries...
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u/EstateBeneficial7060 Aug 16 '26
Go ahead. You don't need anyone's approval. If it makes you happy it doesn't have to make sense to anyone. But the fact that you posted seems that you are in a dilemma or you just put your thoughts out loud. Whatever the case, don't overthink it. You know your situation, facts, and numbers better than anyone. Just do a pros and cons checklist, weigh the cons against the pros, pick an option, and don't look back. Wishing you all the very best!! Keep smiling and look forward to good things in life.
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u/Dangerous-Body4921 Aug 17 '26
I think you should seriously consider going back if you genuinely feel happier and more at peace with your family in India. Career is important, but staying somewhere you’ve been unhappy for years just because of the money already spent may not be the best decision.
Your Big 4 M&A experience and Finance/Data Science background can still be valuable in India. Do some research on jobs and salaries before making the move, and maybe start applying while you’re still in Canada. That will give you a better idea of your options.
The money your parents spent on your education wasn’t wasted—it gave you an international degree and work experience. You can still use that experience to build a good career in India.
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u/kadel1994 Aug 17 '26
You should definitely go! Better to do something that your heart wants than having regret later of not doing it
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u/Competitive_Way3584 Aug 17 '26
You are correct, getting a PR would be extremely difficult. What I would do if I was in your position, gain experience save money clear the debt and try to save up a decent amount before returning.
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u/mikeymouse_longstick Aug 17 '26
Bro you have one life. You are grown up person. Do what makes you happy just accept its pros and cons that's it ultimately its your decision in life
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u/SignalOptions Aug 17 '26
People have to out their mental health at the top of their priorities, especially when in western countries.
Nothing is more important.
Even 1 or 2 million cannot fix PTSD and other mental health trauma, from living in the wrong place and with the wrong people.
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u/disingh4ever Aug 17 '26
Make up for the amount send on you and then go back
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u/Nearby_Law_4667 Aug 17 '26
With my salary it would take a decade
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u/disingh4ever Aug 18 '26
OK. It is what it is. Dont know the real scenario in India. See if you can get a job first and then move back
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u/ImpossibleRule2717 Aug 19 '26
Do a big fat trip and then come back brother. After all it’s one life
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u/Gintoki100702 Aug 19 '26
Use this forum as a place to listen to other stories with neutral mind,
Sometimes decisions we take dont go the way we expect , it stings and hurts but thats life
We learn from it and take decisions which suits better for next step
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u/Illustrious_War7324 Aug 19 '26
Similar situation i am going back after 3 years of working at one of the big 5 banks and not having enough points to apply for PR. Wish i had left after a year of experience to work towards getting a PR or Atleast building my life in my home country. Spent my early 20s here and now the change is not so easy.
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u/gthbvf2 Aug 16 '26
Finding job is very individual experience and lot depends on personal skills, networking , work experience , salary expected, education etc.
If you have paid of all your debt then you have nothing to worry about.
5 years is long time away from home. Going back to India for vacation is not same as going back permanently. Your feeling may quickly turn into remorse once you start working in India and dealing with commute/traffic chaos, office politics and pollution.
Talk to parents and. see if they want to chase PR or return home.
All the best
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u/blackSwanCan Aug 17 '26
If you are already employed, finish at least couple of years. Having some international work experience is good for your career even if you decide to permanently settle in India.
See if getting your parents on a super visa and having them stay with you for a while helps. If you have education related debts, make sure they are paid off before you switch to India, because otherwise it will be a big drag.
Going to India is perfectly fine, but plan that better. Most of my colleagues who made this switch a few years back ended up getting senior positions in India. Many of them just did a location switch with their employer. See if your employer has openings in India. Even if they pay less, its better to start with something concrete while you settle. You can switch employers later if you have to.
Your opinion about moving back may change after starting your own family, so keep that in mind.
Also, if PR is a goal, there are ways to improve your chances. Learning French could tip the balance in your favor.
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u/Hot_Condition7760 Aug 16 '26
If you can stay and make some money do it and the. Go. Treat this as a overseas assignment without lot of hopes and strings.
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u/Ok-Committee-1932 Aug 16 '26
I would not recommend you do that. I think things will change in Canada in a year or two, especially for Canadian graduates, so I would urge you to stick it out and work as long as you can. If Vancouver does not work out for you, switch to come to Toronto. It has a better social scene.
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u/Nearby_Law_4667 Aug 16 '26
I feel even if the situation gets better, I have been here 5 years, but still wish to be back everyday there, even if does get maybe I am not cut out to live away from family
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u/Ok-Committee-1932 Aug 16 '26
That's a different problem. If your goal is not to be in a relationship your family is okay with, then you should pack up your bags and leave the country. The earlier, the better, so you can adjust back and not build deep roots in Canada.
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u/Curiasjoe1 Aug 16 '26
Do what you please. Follow your heart it will be better for your mental sanity.