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I keep having a confusing experience where immigrants from third world countries, especially India, keep telling me that things are better in their home countries than they are here in Canada. This makes no sense to me given that the GDP per capita in Canada is about six times that of India, even after adjusting for cost of living. Also, the reports from people who visited there and the media show it to be an extremely poor and dysfunctional country. Far more Indians move to Canada for a better life than go the other way, giving up their maids and office jobs to work minimum wage jobs here, but then they say things are better in India.
Specifically, I've heard that the quality of healthcare is better in India and that the standard of living is generally higher. The people who say this still want to stay here, despite having been among the most privileged people in their home countries and living in a country that often doesn't recognize their qualifications or experience.
I've heard similar things from people from China. What is going on? Are they just lying? If so, why?
I can't compare India and Canada, but there are certainly many aspects of living in the US that are noticeably worse than major Chinese cities (where most immigrants will come from).
US food quality is garbage tier for anyone who didn't exclusively grow up on it (on taste, not on safety), our crime rates are high, our public transit is grimy and unreliable. There are many little things about day to day life in the US that grate on those who (perhaps justifiably) expect better. It's easier to notice these major and minor inconveniences than to account for all of the things that are improved.
Yeah, I think in the long run would-be Chinese emigrants will choose to stay in China. There's evidence they already are. The brain drain is becoming a trickle.
East Asia is just better than most places in a lot of ways, which is why you don't see people from Japan leaving very often. China will likely head that way over time as well as they become wealthier and more civilized.
India though... There's a reason they call it a 4th world country. It's one of the worst places on Earth. And yes I am lumping the entire country into that category. The only way someone could say it's better than Canada is through a very thick delusional lens.
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