'Feeling Completely Lost': Female Techie Laid Off Abroad Plans Return To India

An NRI living abroad for the past six years said she was 'feeling completely lost' after losing both her job and a chance at permanent residency (PR). In a social media post, the 25-year-old woman from New Delhi said she moved abroad at 19 for her graduation before settling in Australia to scale up her career in IT.

The techie said she had spent the last few years building her career and was just two months away from beginning her PR application process when she was unexpectedly made redundant by her employer.

"Now I'm unemployed, applying for jobs constantly, and potentially looking at having to leave Australia by the end of March if I can't find another job and sort out my visa situation," she wrote.

The woman said she was unable to process her situation and returning to India seemed like a 'very real possibility' at this stage.

"I was 19 when I left Delhi. I've spent the last six years building a life abroad, becoming independent, figuring things out on my own and working towards a future I genuinely wanted. I never imagined I'd be in this position at 25," she said.

"I honestly don't know what I'd do if I had to move back to India. I could look for a corporate job but from what I know, the work culture and environment can be really difficult. I've also thought about starting something of my own, but I haven't seriously explored that yet, and I have no idea where I'd even begin."

While returning home would not be the end of the world, the techie said her mind goes blank when thinking about her future in India as there was lot of uncertainty.

"I also feel like I've failed myself and everyone who believed in me. I worked so hard to get here, and I was so close to getting PR. It feels like everything I've worked towards has been taken away from me because of circumstances I couldn't control."

Check The Post Here:

25F, might have to move back to India after 6 years abroad. Feeling completely lost about my future. Anyone been through something similar?
by u/Unfair_Exchange466 in returnToIndia

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'You Have Time'

Reacting to her post, social media users advised the woman that returning to India may not be bad for her. Being near to family and a new environment may help her bounce back quickly.  

"India is not all bad if you have your parents and friends there, which can help you in this difficult time. At this point, panicking will not help," said one user while another added: "You have time. Second half of the year is usually downtime; you'll find something soon."

A third commented: "You've only been out of India for six years; it's minuscule compared to the grand scheme of things. The issue is the mentality of taking a foreign country for granted. You didn't really “build a life” in a country that doesn't owe you anything since you're not yet a citizen. It was a mirage you were working in."

A fourth said: "I am sorry you are going through this. One of the worst things a human experiences in their life. You are basically going through death of identity since going back to India and rebuilding your career is like starting from scratch. An existential crisis is normal."