He joined the Communist Party of India, and became a teacher in an elementary school. Refused a visa to emigrate to the United States, he moved to the United Kingdom in 1959 leaving his wife and son behind in Punjab. In 1964 Khabra sponsored his son for immigration to the UK where he completed an engineering degree. Khabra did not have a close relationship with his son who later emigrated to Canada to further his studies. Khabra's first wife and mother of his son emigrated to Canada in 1974 where she lived with her son until her death in 1985.