Every year, I spend time in Canada, where my son lives and works. During these visits, I meet students juggling studies and part-time jobs, parents worried about their children’s future, employers looking for skilled workers, university administrators shaping education, professionals building successful careers and members of the vibrant Punjabi community.

These conversations invariably lead me back to a question that has haunted Punjab for decades: Why do so many of our young people continue to leave?

For years, the answer appeared simple. Canada symbolised opportunity, stability and the promise of a better life. For thousands of Punjabi families, sending a child abroad was not merely an educational decision, it became an investment in the family’s future. A Canadian degree was seen as the first step towards permanent residency (PR), financial security and a higher quality of life.

For many, that dream did come true. But the world has changed. And perhaps, so should our thinking.

Canada’s new reality

Students who reached Canada six to 10 years ago entered a relatively predictable system. They studied, worked part-time, obtained post-study work permits, secured employment, earned PR and gradually built stable lives. Today, many own homes, hold respectable jobs and contribute significantly to Canadian society.

Their success stories inspired countless others. Families back home saw relatives prospering. Social media amplified images of modern lifestyles, clean cities and economic stability. Naturally, aspirations soared.

However, the landscape today is very different. Immigration policies have tightened. PR pathways have become increasingly competitive. Work permit extensions are no longer assured, while job markets in several sectors have slowed. At the same time, housing costs and everyday expenses have risen sharply, making life considerably more challenging for international students.

Most students continue to display remarkable resilience. They balance demanding academic schedules with part-time work, relocate across provinces in search of better immigration prospects and constantly adapt to changing policies. Canada remains a country of immense opportunities, but it is no longer a destination where success follows automatically after arrival.

The real story begins at home

Yet focusing only on Canada’s changing policies misses a far more important truth. Punjab’s migration story did not begin with Canada.

For over three decades, young Punjabis have been leaving the state — not only for foreign countries but also for Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Chennai, Gurugram and Noida. Engineering graduates pursued technology careers. Management professionals entered corporate India. Doctors, researchers and government job aspirants spread across the country.

The destinations kept changing. The reason never did. Opportunity. Young people rarely leave because they dislike their homeland. They leave because they believe their ambitions can be realised elsewhere.

Punjab has talent, but not enough platforms

There is no shortage of talent in Punjab. Our educational institutions continue to produce capable engineers, entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, scientists, skilled technicians and management graduates. Punjabis have demonstrated their ability to excel across continents.

What Punjab has struggled to create is an ecosystem capable of absorbing this talent on a large scale.

Compare the state’s trajectory with Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu or the National Capital Region. Cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Gurugram and Noida have built thriving technology corridors, IT parks, research centres, Global Capability Centres (GCCs), innovation hubs and start-up ecosystems that collectively employ hundreds of thousands of young professionals.

Punjab certainly possesses industrial strength. Ludhiana remains one of India’s manufacturing powerhouses, while sectors such as bicycles, textiles, machine tools, agriculture and MSMEs continue to drive the state’s economy.

But industries alone cannot meet the aspirations of today’s graduates. The knowledge economy demands software development, Artificial Intelligence, semiconductor research, data science, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing and digital innovation. Punjab has yet to establish these sectors at the scale necessary to retain its own talent.

 

A temporary pause, not a permanent shift

The tightening of immigration policies abroad has prompted many students to reconsider Indian colleges and universities. Educational institutions are witnessing renewed interest from students who may previously have preferred overseas education.

This is encouraging, but it should not breed complacency. Unless Punjab creates meaningful employment, strengthens industry-academia collaboration, attracts global investment and nurtures innovation-led growth, the migration cycle will simply resume whenever international opportunities become more favourable.

The aspiration to leave is often driven less by geography than by economics.

Employment must accompany entrepreneurship

Governments rightly celebrate start-ups and entrepreneurship. Innovation is essential for economic growth. However, entrepreneurship alone cannot solve Punjab’s employment challenge. Not every graduate will become a founder. Most young people seek stable careers, professional development and financial security.

Punjab therefore requires a balanced strategy — one that simultaneously supports entrepreneurs while attracting major technology companies, establishing IT parks, expanding AI and research ecosystems, promoting high-value manufacturing and encouraging industries capable of generating large-scale, quality employment. Economic transformation demands both job creators and job providers.

Skills will matter more than geography

Parents also need to reassess long-held assumptions. Studying abroad should no longer be viewed as a guaranteed pathway to immigration. It should be an informed educational decision based on academic goals, financial preparedness and career aspirations.

For students, the lesson is even clearer. The future will belong not to those who simply migrate, but to those who continually upgrade their skills.

Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics, healthcare technologies, data analytics, digital business and advanced manufacturing are reshaping global economies. Employers across countries increasingly value competence over location.

A highly skilled professional can succeed in Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Toronto, Vancouver, London or Sydney. An unskilled graduate will struggle almost anywhere.

The dream Punjab should chase

The bond between Punjab and Canada will remain strong for generations. Family ties, businesses, educational partnerships and cultural connections have created a relationship that transcends borders. But perhaps it is time to redefine the dream.

The ultimate aspiration should not be obtaining a foreign residency card. It should be building a Punjab where young people stay, not because they lack alternatives, but because opportunities exist at home that match their talent and ambition.

Canada’s changing immigration landscape offers one lesson. Punjab’s long history of migration offers another.

Together, they remind us that lasting prosperity is never built by chasing destinations. It is created by nurturing skills, encouraging innovation, attracting investment and generating meaningful opportunities. That responsibility rests equally with governments, educational institutions, industry, parents and students. The conversation has waited long enough. Now, it must become a commitment.

The writer is Vice Chancellor of Desh Bhagat University, Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab.