In Japa Confession #003, a man in Edmonton kept a suitcase packed under his bed for months after he nearly went back. Many readers wrote to say they had their own version of that suitcase.
We usually talk about japa as one trip, from home to abroad. For many people there is a second decision: whether to stay. Some go back home, some move to the US, the UK or Dubai, and some just think about it late at night with a flight search open.
What the research says
The Conference Board of Canada and the Institute for Canadian Citizenship call this onward migration, and their Leaky Bucket reports have measured it. The 2024 edition found:
Economic immigrants are more likely to leave than people in other immigration categories. The skilled workers Canada selects are the ones with the most options elsewhere.
Immigrants who first came as international students are also more likely to leave.
Departures happen early. Earlier research in the series found the biggest share of those who leave do so within five years of arriving, and the risk is highest around years four to seven.
The data have limits. Canada does not systematically record when people leave or where they go, so these figures are estimates. Researchers at Toronto Metropolitan University have pointed out that this makes emigration hard to measure.
A permanent resident card is not the same as a sense of belonging.
Why we want your story
Statistics cannot explain why someone stays or leaves. They do not capture a mother’s voice note, a bank balance of $11.47, or a spouse saying the right thing at the right moment. Those are the stories Gather exists to tell.
Have you seriously thought about leaving Canada? Did you leave and come back? Did you go home and find home had changed? Did you stay, and if so, what kept you here?
Send your confession to stories@gathermedia.ca. We publish anonymously. Names and identifying details are changed, and nothing is published without your consent.
If you are struggling right now, please talk to someone. In Canada, you can call or text 9-8-8 any time for free mental health support.