My Canadian Immigration and Emigration Journey: Reflecting on Education, Language, Social Barriers, Employment, and Family
I was born in Hong Kong, where my father worked a government job and my mother ran a semi-successful business. We weren’t rich—middle class at best—but life was stable. However, fearing the 1997 handover to China, my father decided to move our family to Canada. He worried about communist rule, the potential seizure of family assets, and the possible deterioration of Hong Kong’s economy. In the years leading up to 1997, many families from Hong Kong made similar moves, seeking stability and opportunity abroad.
In 1996, we arrived in Canada. I still remember being placed in ESL (English as a Second Language) classes in grade 4, speaking very little English. It was intimidating as a child to feel isolated from classmates due to the language barrier. However, one of the nice things about Canada is that there are so many children of immigrants in schools that being an immigrant feels somewhat “normalized.” In fact, at the school I attended, “white” students were a minority. Many prospective immigrants think of Canada as an Anglo country, but in major cities like Toronto, Caucasians are often the minority.
I stayed in ESL for a few years and didn’t consider my English at a native level until high school. By university, my English was just as good as any Canadian’s, and I scored well on essays. Like any skill, practice makes perfect, and language is no different. Being immersed in English from a young age certainly helped. However, even with fluent English, I noticed that people tend to form friendships primarily within their ethnic circles. Visit any school or university in Toronto, and you’ll see this dynamic in action. While there are exceptions, this is true for the majority. My closest friends were all Chinese, not by deliberate choice but simply because that’s how things naturally unfolded. I’ll explore this topic in greater depth in a future post.
My parents struggled to integrate into Canadian society. They never made friends with “local Canadians,” and it wasn’t just a language issue. Their few friends were also Chinese, and they primarily spoke Chinese together. The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) has a sizable Chinese community, making it possible to get by with minimal English. Just as students form ethnic cliques in school, adults often do the same. You can live parallel lives—shopping at Chinese supermarkets, eating at Chinese restaurants, and rarely needing to speak English.
Growing up in Canada, I never fully agreed with statements like “diversity is our strength.” Toronto often feels like a collection of ethnic enclaves, where each group maintains a polite distance from the others. It seemed more realistic to form relationships with people who share the same hobbies, culture, language, and food preferences. This dynamic made me question the idea of a “mosaic” model that the Canadian government and education system likes to champion. While the government promotes the idea of people happily integrating, what I observed from real human behavior seemed to differ.
As of this writing, far-right movements are rising across the globe, often as a backlash to culturally plural societies. Europe, for example, has seen a surge in nationalist and anti-immigration sentiments, reflecting the challenges of maintaining social cohesion in diverse communities. These trends suggest that the idealized vision of multiculturalism may not align with the complexities of human nature and societal dynamics. While diversity can bring richness and innovation, it also requires careful management to address the tensions and divisions that can arise.
As a child, I watched my parents struggle to adapt. Both worked odd jobs, and despite my father’s office experience in Hong Kong, he was never able to secure full-time office employment in Canada. He eventually settled on freelance translation work, but not before taking on manual labor jobs in factories. Combined with their savings from Hong Kong, modest investment returns, and frugal spending habits, we were able to get by. The Canadian government’s generous child benefits also helped. Still, our lives were simple, and my mother often argued with my father about the decision to move to Canada. After all, he had given up a stable government job, and she had abandoned her business. From a financial perspective, the move to Canada was a step down.
The feared communist repression in Hong Kong arguably never materialized. While the city faced challenges between 1997 and 2003—due to the Asian financial crisis and the SARS outbreak—it rebounded after China joined the World Trade Organization in 2003. Hong Kong became an economic powerhouse once again, until the events of 2019 sparked another wave of emigration. One can only wonder what life would have been like had we stayed.
I graduated from university with good grades but wasn’t a social butterfly. I didn’t land a job at a Big 4 accounting firm, as many aspire to do, but I eventually earned my CPA (Chartered Professional Accountant) designation. My career progressed steadily, though not as quickly as some of my peers. Despite my technical skills, I lacked what’s now called “executive presence,” which held me back from promotions. However, through job-hopping and honing my expertise, I eventually earned a managerial title.
I don’t mean to brag, but I’ve been a successful investor as well. I bought my first condo right after graduation. How? I worked a night shift job during university, putting in 20-30 hours a week while maintaining scholarships that funded my degree. Back then, a condo cost around $200,000 CAD, with a 5% down payment. Combined with my ultra-frugal mindset, I entered the real estate market earlier than most of my peers.
For the first 8 years of my career, I took public transit to work. I avoided owning a car because I knew it was a money sink—insurance, gas, and maintenance add up. Plus, commuting by transit allowed me to read and learn, especially about economics, which became a passion.
Despite my career progress, I always dreamed of starting a business. I eventually partnered with a friend, and together we built a successful venture. I sold my shares just before the 2020 pandemic hit, which turned out to be a fortunate decision.
Financially, I was relatively successful. I bought a second condo and had invested in the stock market throughout my career, following Warren Buffett’s value investing strategy. Between my employment income, business earnings, frugal habits, and investments, I became a millionaire before turning 30 on a net worth basis.
In 2015, the Liberals came to power in Canada, ushering in an era of big government. Their policies led to increased taxation, expanded government reach, bloated public services, and what felt like a hostile attitude toward businesses. Combined with external factors, I believe this marked the beginning of Canada’s decline. This, of course, deserves more content to explain.
Toronto is no longer the city I recognize. Over-immigration has drastically changed the face of the Greater Toronto Area, and not for the better. Crime rates have been skyrocketing, drug addiction is rampant, and it’s now a common sight to see homeless people sleeping on the streets. The sense of community I once felt has eroded, replaced by a growing sense of unease and disillusionment.
Even the police, who are supposed to protect and serve, seem powerless. It’s shocking to hear them advise residents to simply hand over their car keys if someone tries to steal their vehicle. This isn’t the Toronto I grew up in—a city that once felt safe, welcoming, and full of opportunity.
Around 2019, I started seriously considering leaving Canada. I began researching my options and took concrete steps in 2022. In 2024, I moved back to my birth country of Hong Kong, resigning from my six-figure job, selling my real estate, and liquidating most of my financial assets to bring with me. Some people fear the Chinese government but personally, I’ve learned to fear the CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) more. Having a significant portion of your income and wealth taxed away is an assured event in Canada. As an accountant, I’ve heard so many horror stories of overreach and abuse by the CRA that gets very little media attention.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading. My story captures many of the themes and topics I’ll explore on this site—themes that many immigrants can relate to. One should not be limited by where they live now and should aspire to move if the prospects are better elsewhere.
It’s easy to jump on the “I hate Justin Trudeau” bandwagon. I’m not such a person. Governments will do things you don’t like no matter where you go. My decision to leave is a calculated one. I concluded that Canada is not the place to be if you’re entrepreneurial or ambitious—or if you’ve hit a certain threshold in net worth. I’m not telling everyone to leave Canada. Canada has its pros and cons, and it certainly would be suitable for some people. My website aims to help you assess your own situation and determine whether making a move would make sense.