Why are so many Indian Punjabis leaving Canada?

People from the Punjab province of India have long been drawn to Canada in search of better prospects abroad but is the Canadian dream no longer the hype anymore?

When traversing the lush rural plains of Punjab, it is difficult to overlook the fervour of the region's immigration aspirations.

Plenty of mustard fields protrude billboards offering simple immigration to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. In addition, far away from the motorways, consultancies tutor young people in English.

Brick single-story homes serve as blank canvases for hand-painted mural advertisements that guarantee speedy visa approval. Meanwhile, hundreds of agents cram into a single, cramped street in Bathinda, promising to accelerate the young people's wildest desires.

This northwest Indian region has had waves of overseas migration for more than a century, ranging from Sikh soldiers conscripted into the British Indian Army who went to Canada to rural Punjabis, who settled in England after independence.

However, some people are now opting to return home, particularly those from Canada.

Among them is 28-year-old Balkar, who left Toronto after barely a year and came back in early 2023. After the Covid-19 outbreak, he fled his small village of Pitho with the ultimate objective of becoming a citizen. To pay for his education, his parents mortgaged their property.

However, after living in Canada for a few months, his Canadian fantasy gradually faded from his memory.

"Everything was so expensive. I had to work 50 hours every week after college, just to survive," he told the BBC. "High inflation is making many students leave their studies."

In his typical Punjabi house, Balkar now operates an embroidery business out of a small room on one side of the large central courtyard. In order to augment his income, he also works on his family's farm.

Many youngsters like Balkar have suffered the increasing cost of living in Canada eventually giving up their dreams and leaving back for India.