Re: LMO/TWP & Laid off
 

I fully sympathize with your situation as the same thing happened to me back in 2009.
I sold up in the UK house, car, furniture and moved to Calgary to start a new life with my wife and two young children. Started the job Jan 2009 and everything seemed fine until after 2 months of working for the company, The rumors started circulating about things slowing down.
I confronted the boss the next day who reassured me my job was safe and said "do you really think I would bring you all this way and lay you off".
The next day at coffee break the foreman gave us TFW our layoff slips, except a couple of Canadians. I remember one Irish lad in tears as he was living wage to wage.

Went to see the boss to find out the score and his secretary said he had just flown to Hawaii on holiday for three weeks lol.

Moved back to the UK after a couple of months working under the table with much less money in my pocket and very disappointed.

Re: LMO/TWP & Laid off
 

Nah.

Re: LMO/TWP & Laid off
 

Seniority means the union will be looking out for it's old time members, not newbies from the UK

Re: LMO/TWP & Laid off
 

Yup - our experience was you will be put on an out of work list. Expect to not move up towards the number one spot because no one actually uses the out of work list and it's pretty useless to someone on a work permit tied to one employer anyway.

Have you started your PR application already OP?

Re: LMO/TWP & Laid off
 

Contacting a lawyer should be a matter of course for anyone in Canada when they are dismissed or laid off.

I've always had employment contracts.

Re: LMO/TWP & Laid off
 

Which is why many employers carry employment practices insurance. In addition, one has to consider getting another job, one should consider carefully before venturing off with a lawyer. If you have been treated very badly or a contract breached, maybe, but as a matter of course? I think you would pretty soon make yourself unemployable, especially in a small industry, word gets around, employers take references from your past employers. Miss any off your resume, this is misrepresentation or lie when asked about them, this is just cause for dismissal, for which a lawyer is unlikely to be able to help with.

On more than one occasion I have had a situation I could have had a claim though the legal system, however one does not want to burn too many bridges, except in the most dire circumstances.

Re: LMO/TWP & Laid off
 

I didn't say anything about a lawyer. I'd just look for a new job, would never have crossed my mind to go to a lawyer.

I asked if employment contracts were common as I have never experienced working anywhere in 18 years of being employed where there was a contract.

Closest thing I suppose the sheet they always have that says outlines the wage, and starting date, but its very simple form and easy to understand, but they don't promise anything beyond the wage.

Re: LMO/TWP & Laid off
 

In my experience, in the construction trade, contracts are only used for people requiring a work permit. If you are a PR here and a trade it is highly unlikely you would get a contract of any kind.

Re: LMO/TWP & Laid off
 

IME Canadian employers tend to treat references differently to UK employers. It is more likely they will take up references. Rather than send a formal written request they pick up the phone for an informal, off the record, chat. It allows a former employer to say exactly what they think of you.

There is a lot to be said for remanning as professional as possible, even in difficult circumstances. Think of it as an investment in your next job.

Re: LMO/TWP & Laid off
 

Without question.