The Oshwals' migration to North America began in the middle 1960s. The first group of Oshwals came to North America to further their education and professional careers. After their education, many Oshwals entered the job market and found new opportunities attractive enough to settle in America. This first group was made up mostly of student bachelors who returned to their home land (India and East Africa) to find suitable mates to start families and establish roots in America. A small number married Americans. Oshwals in America preserved their culture, tradition, and religion and organised several social and religious functions
In the mid 1970s, a second group of Oshwal immigrants went to North America, due to the unsettled political situation in East Africa. The majority of these Oshwals settled in Canada. This second group was primarily composed of families who were resettling.

During the 1980s, most Oshwal immigrants were the relatives of the first and second group. These immigrants received support from the early immigrants which made their transition a little easier. Due to uncoordinated arrivals, there is no clear accounting or census of the total number of Oshwals in North America.As the time passed, Oshwals recognised the need for a united body and improved communications among all Oshwals in America as well as the world. The first Oshwals of America gathering was organised in 1986, in New Jersey, by the residents of both New Jersey and New York states. A second annual "get together" was held in Connecticut in 1987.

The success of these two gatherings led to a third annual get together in Massachusetts in 1988. The significance of this third annual event was the formation of the "Halari Visa Oshwals of North America". The fourth annual get together was held in New York state in 1989.
Since than, an annual gathering has been held on Thanksgiving weekend. Some of the activities that have been undertaken by group include the collection of funds for the drought relief in Halar in 1988, and scholarships for deserving Oshwal students in India.In 1994 Oshwals Canada Inc. was set up to serve the needs of Canadian Oshwals.