Ernest Asamoah shared his eye-opening experience in Canada during an interview with DJ Nyaami on SVTV Africa’s Daily Hustle GH. He revealed that he left Ghana in June 2023 in search of greener pastures and settled in Toronto, where most Ghanaians in Canada are based. Inspired by a friend who praised life in Canada, Ernest had high hopes. He sold his car and house and even left a well-paying job, only to be met with disappointment.
According to Ernest, he spent about GHC 60,000 through a connection man, with additional costs for a plane ticket and a GHC 40,000 deposit into a supposed sponsor’s account. When he arrived in Canada, he met others in similar situations, including one man who sold everything he owned in Ghana, only to die from stress within three months of arriving. That incident, and others like it, made Ernest reflect deeply on the reality of life abroad.
On his first day in Canada, he noticed that many people seemed unhappy, only pretending to be content. He observed that building a life in Canada could take decades and questioned the point of sacrificing everything in Ghana if one couldn’t return to enjoy the rewards. He shared that even menial jobs paid around $2,500 per month, but when he compared it to the income and free time he had in Ghana, it didn’t seem worth it. He stressed that in Ghana, he could earn a similar amount and still have time for his family.
Ernest initially applied for asylum using a fabricated story but later canceled the application, realizing that life in Canada wasn’t what he expected. He mentioned that even sick people were forced to work due to the strict system. He lived with Kenyans and saw firsthand how relentless the work culture was. A local survey, he noted, found that young men were dying due to overwork and lack of rest.
He also criticized those who promote Canada as a dreamland on platforms like YouTube. He claimed many of them are jobless and make money by misleading others, charging high fees for lawyers once they arrive. Ernest emphasized that if Ghanaians put the same level of effort into work back home, they could succeed without going abroad.
He recalled an incident at an Afro shop where a man told him that anyone who eats Ghanaian food in Canada won’t achieve anything significant. He also pointed out the irony of a retired man paying $1,400 in rent from a $2,400 pension.
Now back in Ghana, Ernest says he has no regrets. Despite what others may think, he believes returning home was the right choice. For him, Canada is overhyped and not worth the sacrifices people make to get there.
Watch The Video Below:
About The Author
