Watch: Moving Back to India from Canada: 2026 Checklist, Costs, Jobs, Schools, and One Family's 3-Year Plan

3:43 Do did my thorough research for other countries as well to make sure that this is not an emotional decision kind of thing right because there are a lot of people who struggles with okay is this an emotional decision is it more realistic decision or not kind of thing right so at one point I would say it was more 8020 80% like I made it realistic 20% it was still emotional of course like how how cannot be right >> but almost a year and I would say zero regrets whatsoever u everything has been amazing I feel not just for us, our friends and family. Oh my god, like their lives has changed a lot. My in-laws are here, my parents are here. and I feel that they talk about this a lot as well that their quality of life has changed as well basically just because we are here. It's more interaction. They don't have to wait like a year or every couple of years for a month to see us kind of thing. so overall, yeah, absolutely amazing.

4:40 >> That's fantastic to hear. You know how he talked about 80% calculating 20% emotional. So that 80 is him and the 20 emotional. >> Yes. >> Before he walks you through the entire journey of all the calculation and mathing he did. So at least the audience is clear. It's 80% calculation 20% >> I think you know but it's a very fair point right. I mean you don't have you don't make decisions emotionally you know which makes it very hard for it to be successful. you know you have to have a balance for sure you need to think through all those steps because it's a big decision for any family to make and you should think through all those aspects and definitely there'll be some emotional aspect to it of course otherwise you know you can move to some other country right so let's I think dive into some of the points that you have mentioned I think you know you

5:30 Said there was certain goals in mind or you know you have waited for 3 years maybe you can you know talk a little bit more like you know what was that you were thinking at that time what is that you would like to achieve and what change so if you can talk through that because somebody might be in a similar situation and how they can think through it so that's why it could definitely help if you can walk through what's in your mind >> tell you one thing as in so when we came to Canada we had something in mind a goal in mind pretty much right like we started studying and I was like you know what I want to be successful like I want to have a house I want to have a good car like the American dream all we talk about pretty much right so that was the goal when I say that I had a goal in mind that was the goal in mind that I want to be successful in Canada because there are a lot of people who actually relies on me. There are a lot of people who supported me and I want to make sure that I reach that goal. Whenever I say that this is my home is because I still didn't achieve that goal kind of thing, right? So for the first decade we just worked towards achieving that goal.

6:27 Anything like we were like horses basically right anything around it we never even see to bother basically as in you know that okay is it too cold is it you know the politics is way too bad like the quality of life is way too bad we didn't care at all we I was just concentrated on one thing that I want to achieve this so started working towards it took me a decade to kind of you know reach to that point where we have our own house we have you know good cars all that American dream basically. But once I reached there, I started feeling that okay what what now you know are we happy? You know that it it comes to a point where everything you do is about money and once you actually start getting that like you start thinking about okay now what's the quality of life basically and that's where I started thinking as in is it good enough?

7:21 >> Yeah >> sure it was just a thought initially. Second thing I started seeing is a lot of change because as I said we were there for a long time. I started seeing a lot of change in North American culture especially in Canada and not just culturally it's economically politically calculating pretty much every single thing including taxes the quality of life the things that we have to give out the things we gain basically. Okay. So I had like a big chart that I made kind of thing to you know have my pros and cons about this. then just as in just to start with I'm like okay at the same time we started seeing the India actually started developing a lot you know the quality of life what we left you know 15 years before it has changed dramatically here. So we always come to visit and everything and we see that okay no there are a lot of things change. First decision I made wasn't to move to India. The first decision I made is that I want to start looking at other options.

8:23 >> U this is like definitely we made you know something out of what we had in Canada but unfortunately it wasn't you know viable. It wasn't something that we can live with for a longest time. So I'm like no like I don't want to do this. I I was thinking 10 years back or 15 years 20 years in when we are old how it's going to go kind of thing right >> yes >> so that's where we started kind of deciding basically that you know what I want to start looking at something else I started looking at US of course that would be an obvious choice but the one thing that always bothered me was H1B even though we were Canadian citizens you still have to go through there is a TN visa but again it's a non-immigrant visa and and we know like as an Indian or as a Gujarat there Maybe it's just my mindset but I want stability like I I don't want that sword hanging over me as in like you know what that I leave us for even vacation and I cannot get back for any reason XYZ and look what's happening right now. So all this like we calculated and I'm like I don't think it's worth because we are at that age

9:24 Like I I don't want to take this kind of risk pretty much for our family. >> You started looking at Dubai was the second option. It was actually a very attractive option in a way as in it's still close to India. at the same time there are a lot of things that we were looking for were checkmarked there but there were also other things that kind of like bothered us as well so you know and and this is like again family to family so this is for me there were a few things and then I started looking into India >> right what I did US Dubai and India basically I made a whole list of things as in pros and cons and everything and as I said that 20% emotions with Indian culture especially Ahmedabad for us basically that's where we grew up pretty much right so I started making all the list and everything and at one point it started making a little sense I'm like no I think there is a possibility and that's where the three years started >> okay >> pretty much right I started researching actually you were one of the first

10:25 Ones a couple of years ago that I saw some of your videos from earlier experts who actually came here there are like the group that we joined pretty much right there are a lot of questions being answered and everything. So it started giving us a little clarity a little by little but again I'm a calculative person >> and and most importantly it's kind of started to give the idea that we are not the only one thinking in this direction right because such idea pops in your head you feel like okay we might be the the odd one out here there is no way because you know how what reaction people are still very square when it comes to the idea of moving back to India we still get those question asked like okay wow how can you come back from Canada right so that your group the your videos and everything kind of gave us this entire picture very clear that okay no we are not alone there are a lot of more people out there who is thinking about it who has already actioned on it so that actually kind of gave us a lot of support >> yeah but the second thing actually to add on to that point before we forget

11:27 Like there are two things I thought the society would be a little different as in like you know why did you came back kind of thing as in like oh are you stupid or something who would live a luxury lifestyle like that to come back. Even in Canada, I thought like my friends, my colleagues would actually react something very similar. But it was a very different reaction. I never Oh my god. I like I've never imagined that I would get this much positive reaction from even my peers my friends my colleagues who has never seen India whatsoever who's actually Canadian. and the family, friends, extended family, anyone we know even like the random dude like I don't know and I'm talking to on the road kind of thing. They're like nope best decision you made. India is like so we it's it's changing it's not what we used to remember kind of thing. the biggest problem so coming back to the point so yes it gave me a little motivation that you know what yeah this is a viable option. It it it still didn't mean that like I actually kind of like removed

12:27 The other two possibilities. but what we did is like we came to India in a couple of years back to make sure that I actually grasp that reality right like now I'm coming to India with a different mindset I'm coming to India to see the problems I'm looking for issues that I can come across kind of thing now right so we came back here and again like I I had a huge note I had a Walmart's receipt on one page saying I b I bought onions or we bought the milk at this price in Canada like I'm doing my grocery list. I'm writing down everything to make sure I know the current prices because one thing I noticed this two years back is when I changed my mindset when I came back that the mindset we had of India was 15 years old.

13:15 >> And that's I think one of the mistakes a lot of people does is they think that India is what they left and that's not the reality. It's a completely different ballgame. And if I if you may allow me to add into this, it's the idea they will it will be unfathomable fathomable for them to you know find out the fact because what happens is when they come they just visit the same surrounding they meet the same people they probably go to the same restaurant right so there are little small aspects but if you explore if you visit out out of the box the areas that you're so used to if you kind of step out of those areas and then you meet and interact with people that's That's where you will explore the fact that no I mean those are not the only area there are a lot of more development has happened if we talk about real estate wise if we talk about the companies that is investing in India the corporate world everything is >> it's bombarding right now the development is bombarding and with the development the mind development the thoughts also developing of the

14:16 People of India who has been here and who maybe hasn't stepped out of India but their viewpoint the way they look at the life has definitely changed >> oh 100% % and that's what we noticed pretty much, right? It's a whole different ballgame here. so my things to do when we visit was pretty much that get an idea about a living cost, a basic living cost first of all. get an idea about if the other cities are options because what I wanted to do is I wanted to have like three cities you know as a backup. again we are attached to our hometown you know and Gujarat basically but in India like every 100 kilometers the whole vibe changed the culture change pretty much right so it's very vibrant in that manner so we wanted to make sure me being in IT and sales I wanted to make sure that we also try to check out the other you know cities to create that calculative decision of where to go.

15:11 >> Right. so we came we did all the calculations and everything we visited different cities including Bangalore for an example you know to make sure that we understand now the one thing that everyone would have in their mind who have worked in India before is Indian work culture. >> Yeah. And that's what was a big con in my list pretty much the pay the work culture and everything as in like hey is it still the same what we remember from 15 years back that we went where where you are working like 14 15 hours a day and you are still kind of like you know there is there is no personal life aspect say >> and I'm like we are going there for a better life I don't want that for us if that's happening again and and that would be a big red flag >> kind of thing So we started what we did is basically we started looking around especially for her is because for me I know there are a couple of things that I wanted to do so I was clear in that sense for her what we did is we went to

16:12 Bangalore there actually she's from hotel industry hospitality so we started looking into some of the hotels like hotels where we were staying like Marriott and stuff we started talking to some of the directors there you know as in like okay can you give us a little bit of we started talking to not people that we know but the people we met over LinkedIn or something to make sure that we actually get the honest opinion no sugarcoated stuff pretty much here from their point of view we got to know that it has changed a lot not just in Bangalore even in Ahmedabad like she talked to few people in Ahmedabad as well and you know it has changed a lot I would say is it up to the mark with the North American culture maybe not maybe there's still places to improve but it's not something you know I can consider as a red flag.

17:04 >> Yeah, >> they still care about you know work life balance and and and a lot of other things pretty much like the perks, the pace has been improved dramatically as well. So that was a big red flag I was worried about and that was something that I'm like okay this is something that that is not a bother anymore as of yet. then quality of life you know I actually went through as I said like in Ahmedabad we went through some of the places we met few people's again out of our group to make sure that we understand what's going on what's not and I calculated a budget based on this like okay this is what we need to earn if we want to maintain the same lifestyle we have in Canada. Yeah.

17:50 >> And it was significantly less than what I thought initially pretty much >> and that idea was very clear in our head that we don't want to kind of compromise in the that particular area of how our day-to-day life is whether it's about buying a grocery or buying a choice of the cheese that we like. So we wanted to make sure that that area we are not compromising at all. Our day-to-day life should be very similar to what we had in Canada. >> Exactly. Exactly. And that is my first preference because we work very hard to achieve something. I don't want to compromise on that just for other things pretty much right. So comfort and certain things was like a very key aspect for me and I created a budget that okay this is what we want. We went back with a lot of you know knowledge and then I started doing my research again. At this point we still have hadn't decided that if you want to do this or not. then about I think it was like eight months in I think eight or nine months in I I I was done with my research and I'm like you know what this is making sense now to me but again

18:51 Being calculative I'm like no I don't want to do this as in like okay let's just get rid of everything and just move there and we'll figure it out. So my plan was basically that our marriage was you know very strong at that point and I was able to take this decision with her help specifically is that you go there first right you go there first get a job let's see you know what struggles you actually face and everything go through that job culture for six months and then I'll join if there is no red flags. >> Yeah. right now the point was where to we went to different cities and everything but for some reason for us because we grew up in Ahmedabad Ahmedabad was comfort zone and to achieve what I wanted that comfort that family closure and everything Ahmedabad was the only place I I can think of right so I'm like okay we are deciding to start with Ahmedabad and then I put deadlines if doesn't happen

19:53 We're going to give this a try we're going to give this a try we're going to give this city a try and then I had three backup plans if it doesn't work out you come back and we'll continue this maybe our plan was flawed. We'll we'll revisit this and then we'll try again kind of thing. >> But at least one thing is we have our income here like my job was safe there. I was doing everything. I was setting up other things in parallel as well and that is the risk we are taking kind of thing pretty much right. she came here and of course like you you know about the the whole thing. I think she mentioned like when she came here and everything 6 months in she actually got the job within 10 15 days >> 15 days I had 15 days of lending I had like three or four interviews lined up and I secured a job in 15 days. So I gave like four interviews and not that I was rejected but I chose which one I wanted to go for.

20:44 >> Yeah. because and that that is another thing for hospitality if anyone's watching there was a lot of chances here there is no doubt about that what we saw there are a lot of opportunities and it's not restricted to a particular city or anything u culture has actually improved a lot in it of course for me like I was thinking that I'm restricted maybe in in Bangalore or Mumbai for an example or noa kind of thing right and that is still may be the case there are not many opportunities out there with remote jobs and everything you know it makes it a lot easier but again like I'm sharing this that I being in Ahmedabad was a big part of my decision- making is because again friends and family were very close by and everything I didn't have to worry about her being here kind of thing pretty much right so she came here 6 month 15 days in like she she got a job she started the job 6 months in again it's a very premature calculation

21:46 But still it actually gave us the idea that no the work culture is still not the same and we can survive just fine at that point I decided no this is actually the time for me to wrap everything up I started wrapping everything up and you know mood and it's been a year >> fantastic thank you for sharing all the details such a pragmatic person I think you know just making sure everything there is like a backup to backup plan like three getting all the information, doing the research, making sure I think this is most of most of the most pragmatic I think you know the plan that I have heard where someone actually spend time like you know also like revisiting some of the assumptions that you have right like where you asked Amisha to go and even like you know make sure the work culture is to what you were expecting and also getting the information from nonfriend you know actual so thanks for sharing all the details I think there are a lot of nuggets that people can follow if they definitely have that flexibility and the time and you know the options

22:48 There.