Indian student gives ‘reality check’ on Canada move, lists reasons: ‘West sells you an illusion…’

An Indian, identified as Hefty-Ad1, has posted on Reddit that he regrets moving to Canada and warned other aspirants of the “illusion”. At the time of writing, the post had more than 1,900 upvotes and 518 comments.

In the post, simply titled ‘I regret moving to Canada’ on r/Delhi, the Redditor cited a list of reasons why he felt cheated by the move. These included what he called “the college scam”, financial struggles, mental health burden and growing opportunities back home in India. We take a look at his “reality check”.

‘Canada is not what it seems,’ claims Redditor

“Every day, I see people in India dreaming of moving abroad, believing there are better opportunities. But let me give you a reality check. I live in Canada and is not what it seems [sic],” he began.

He went on to warn, “The government and colleges have turned international students into a business, and once you land here, you realize you’ve been scammed [sic].”

The ‘College Scam’

As per the Redditor, most international students in Canada come through private or low-ranking colleges “that charge insane tuition fees but teach almost nothing.”

“Professors barely put in effort, the curriculum is outdated, and the degree is nearly useless in the job market. After graduation, you’ll realize that employers don’t even take your diploma seriously,” he claimed.

He also said that jobs dismiss candidates without “Canadian experience” and that “you’ll be forced into survival jobs like Uber, warehouse labor, or retail just to pay rent. Meanwhile, you’re drowning in tuition debt with no real career growth [sic].” 

Financial Struggles and Exploitation

The Redditor further pointed out the “insane” cost of living in Canada — “Rent is sky-high, groceries are overpriced, and basic necessities cost a fortune. Most students end up working long hours at minimum-wage jobs just to survive,” he claimed.

He further alleged exploitation by employers, “Work-life balance doesn’t exist—you either work or you don’t eat. Employers exploit international students, paying them under the table for illegal wages, and if you complain, they’ll just replace you with the next desperate student.”

Burden of Mental Health and Loneliness

The Redditor also noted the toll of being away from home and loved ones. “Living away from family is much harder than you think. In India, you have a strong support system—friends, family, festivals, and community. In Canada, you’ll be isolated, constantly working, and struggling to connect with people,” he posted.

“It can be hard to connect with people from our community as well as we are constantly busy with these “busy” lifestyle. Canadians are polite but distant, and real friendships are rare. Depression and loneliness hit hard, and many students suffer in silence, unable to share their struggles [sic],” he added.

Opportunities in India — Why Stay?

He further posted that students would be better off staying back in India, where opportunities are growing.

“India is growing, and opportunities are improving. If you work smart, you can build a great life without sacrificing your mental health, family, and dignity. The West sells you an illusion, but once you get here, you realise you’ve been brainwashed. Don’t fall for the trap—stay in India, invest in yourself, and build something meaningful at home,” he warned.

How Did Reddit React?

The reactions to the post in the comments were divided. While some agreed and sympathised with the OP, others still felt the trade-off was worth it.

One commenter said, “West is cool when you have a job, go on work visa and a company is paying you a salary. It’s not cool when you have lakhs of debt and living on peanuts working labor jobs, in short not cool for poor ppl [sic].”

While another added, “It’s because you’re comparing being rich in India vs being poor abroad. I would any day be a minimum wage worker in Canada than be a daily wage labourer in India [sic].”

One commenter even shared their own experience abroad, calling out OP for expecting a “lavish lifestyle immediately”. 

They said: “I’ve a similar story as the OP. Moved to the west, low ranked private university and all that. The difference is I guess, I didn’t expect a lavish lifestyle and a car immediately as I moved here… I started with a retail job in Canada, strategized my moves so that I can get absorbed in some corporate office. I had time to myself, my family, I went on walks, and enjoyed nature. Life isn’t as lavish, but the quality improved. There is Lesser pollution, lesser traffic and lots of civic sense in people. These are stressers that nobody talks about. Here, nobody bothers me if I don’t own a car or a house, what stage of life am I at? What I should have achieved by now? For everything, there’s time. It’s like- enjoy before you rush, walk before you run [sic].”