My husband been laid off and we have three weeks before our work permits expires
#61
Re: My husband been laid off and we have three weeks before our work permits expires
I wonder re the quality of advice you have received to date from your "lawyer" though in terms of obtaining/applying for PR at a much earlier date. I hope you can get some answers/advice today, when you see them, although do they work saturdays?
Good luck for you
#62
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 137
Re: My husband been laid off and we have three weeks before our work permits expires
Once again, what's so bad about getting back? Your OH is cabinet maker you said. I respect all kind of work, even unqualified, that skilled trades of course isn't, but do you think it's a very good prospect here? Will that be enough to pay for kids' education, which is free in EU by the way? and more things like vacations?
Edit: PS: by the way, why the hell do you need an immigration lawyer?
Last edited by Settlers_Unlimited; Jul 4th 2009 at 3:23 pm.
#63
Re: My husband been laid off and we have three weeks before our work permits expires
2005, as a tourist, then while here I applied for a TWP to start a business. PR took a further 3yrs to gain. I feel reasonably well qualified to understand the risk that a temporary status means.
#64
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 415
Re: My husband been laid off and we have three weeks before our work permits expires
hi, we too came to Canada on TWP, we too took a big risk in buying our house..but we had already applied for our PR..have u thought about moving to a different province...Saskatchewan is the only province that doesnt seem to be effected by the job sanario..it took me a lot of hard work to get a twp here but i would do whatever it took to stay here in Canada..if i were u i would be looking and applying for other jobs in another province..i know it seems that everyone is getting at u on here, but when u post on here u will get everyones help and opinions, not always what u want to hear..immigrating to a different country is very risky.
#65
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: My husband been laid off and we have three weeks before our work permits expires
I know it seems like everyone's turning on you, but to be honest, your attitude when you first posted was very much 'poor me/canada should treat me better' . You need to take some responsibility and I think you'll find people's attitude will change. Agree that there is no safety net ala the UK in Canada - it's one thing that I don't agree with, but anyway....
I am sorry for your predicament. I wouldn't wish it on anyone...agree with the others that you need to find work in another province (what about Manitoba? ) or become a student.
Good luck.
I am sorry for your predicament. I wouldn't wish it on anyone...agree with the others that you need to find work in another province (what about Manitoba? ) or become a student.
Good luck.
#66
Re: My husband been laid off and we have three weeks before our work permits expires
This is an absolutely horrible situation for the OP to be in and we really feel for them. The flaming that has been aimed in their direction is really out of order. Many permanent residents have used this route in the past as a way to start their Canadian dream and some could contentiously argue that those who have found employment and have come using this route have demonstrated that they are a more useful asset to Canada (sits back, puts on asbestos clothing and waits to be flamed).
The problem with the TWP system is that it is exploited on the employer side by many smaller companies run by either incompetents or liars with no ethics. Many of the TWP jobs are offered on the understanding that the job is long term and with the promise of assistance in gaining PR. There is no excuse, even in in this unepxected downturn. If you make a promise, you budget for it, and keep your word OR you make it clear at the outset what will happen if work starts to dry up.
When we came on a TWP we were promised the world by my employer. 15 montsh later they closed the Calgary office. I have since found out that they only offered me the position inCanada as an employee to get my services for 15 months on the the cheap because I was working for them as a contractor in the UK. The office closure was already planned when they hired me
Any ideas that if all the TWP workers went home that the unemployment situation would resolve itself are barmy. In general, TWP holds take jobs for which there is a shortage of Candians with the necessery skill or jobs that they consider themselves to important/skilled to do, hence the Timmies LMOs. It's a pretty safe bet that without the TWP program, Canada would never have been able to develop the tar sands. Is that a good thing? For the economy definitely, but ....
The OP really neads to talk to their immigration consultant. Since they will have been here for 2 years I wonder if they could submit a Canadian Experience application the very day that it expires? We have someone in our office who had one of these processed in a matter of months. You can get UK police certificates in a matter of days. I don't know if you have to stay in Canada as a resdient rather than a visitor for the duration of the application though. Perhaps the Timmies route could assist this, as long as they can survive on Timmies wages for a few months. Their concern abou schooling is valid, although I'm not sure that the school would even know. When we registered our son at his school all we had to do was give an address without any proof of immigration status.
The problem with the TWP system is that it is exploited on the employer side by many smaller companies run by either incompetents or liars with no ethics. Many of the TWP jobs are offered on the understanding that the job is long term and with the promise of assistance in gaining PR. There is no excuse, even in in this unepxected downturn. If you make a promise, you budget for it, and keep your word OR you make it clear at the outset what will happen if work starts to dry up.
When we came on a TWP we were promised the world by my employer. 15 montsh later they closed the Calgary office. I have since found out that they only offered me the position inCanada as an employee to get my services for 15 months on the the cheap because I was working for them as a contractor in the UK. The office closure was already planned when they hired me
Any ideas that if all the TWP workers went home that the unemployment situation would resolve itself are barmy. In general, TWP holds take jobs for which there is a shortage of Candians with the necessery skill or jobs that they consider themselves to important/skilled to do, hence the Timmies LMOs. It's a pretty safe bet that without the TWP program, Canada would never have been able to develop the tar sands. Is that a good thing? For the economy definitely, but ....
The OP really neads to talk to their immigration consultant. Since they will have been here for 2 years I wonder if they could submit a Canadian Experience application the very day that it expires? We have someone in our office who had one of these processed in a matter of months. You can get UK police certificates in a matter of days. I don't know if you have to stay in Canada as a resdient rather than a visitor for the duration of the application though. Perhaps the Timmies route could assist this, as long as they can survive on Timmies wages for a few months. Their concern abou schooling is valid, although I'm not sure that the school would even know. When we registered our son at his school all we had to do was give an address without any proof of immigration status.
Last edited by Posidrive; Jul 4th 2009 at 5:15 pm.
#67
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,015
Re: My husband been laid off and we have three weeks before our work permits expires
I have read the posts and I don't consider them to be flaming. OK some of them were negative but then the OP wanted to know what to do and giving unrealistic positive information doesn't seem to me to be helpful at all.
Ok, the situation definitely sucks, but if its not going to work then there is no point in giving false hope.
Ok, the situation definitely sucks, but if its not going to work then there is no point in giving false hope.
#68
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12,830
Re: My husband been laid off and we have three weeks before our work permits expires
The problem with the TWP system is that it is exploited on the employer side by many smaller companies run by either incompetents or liars with no ethics. Many of the TWP jobs are offered on the understanding that the job is long term and with the with the promise of assistance in gaining PR. There is no excuse, even in in this unepxected downturn. If you make a promise, you budget for it, and keep your word OR you make it clear at the outset what will happen if work starts to dry up.
The WP program works fine, there are as many employees out there who get the WP, get PR and push off to a better paying job as soon as they can, regardless as to whether the employer helped them get PR or the agreement made. It should seem pretty obvious to anyone surely, on a temporary permit or as a full time employee if work dries up there are closures and layoffs. WP permits are issued if there are not Canadian resident who can do the job, should Canadians be laid off first? When there is no work, someone has to go, as hard as it is for the employee. Employers have commitments too, lots of them, to shareholders, employees as a whole, suppliers, customers, their own families.
I have come across more situations where employees have gone off on a day or less notice, regardless of their agreement with the employer, only looking after their interests.
There are many employers who go to a lot of trouble to bring in temp workers and have nothing but problems. Bottom line is Temporary is not permanent. There can never be a guarantee it will become so.
#69
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 7,284
Re: My husband been laid off and we have three weeks before our work permits expires
My husband got laid off from his job as a cabinet maker in Calgary and now we only have three weeks left on our work permit before it expires. We've been looking for jobs constantly but it's hard and we didn't get any employment insurance because of him being locked in with his recent employers. They treated him unfairly because they even started to help us to get our work permit extended and then they laid him off. We've just bought a new house and I have four kids. I read on Citizen and Immigration website that after the work permit expires we have up to 90 days to have it renewed.
We're so stressed about this and we don't know what to do....I find that this system is so unfair, does these governments want to wait until some one commits suicide before they look into the problems foreign workers face or what?? I'm a british citizen and Canada is still ruled under the Queen yet we're still going through hell
We're still hoping that a job might turn up for us to continue living here and to get our PR
We're so stressed about this and we don't know what to do....I find that this system is so unfair, does these governments want to wait until some one commits suicide before they look into the problems foreign workers face or what?? I'm a british citizen and Canada is still ruled under the Queen yet we're still going through hell
We're still hoping that a job might turn up for us to continue living here and to get our PR
This is an absolutely horrible situation for the OP to be in and we really feel for them. The flaming that has been aimed in their direction is really out of order. Many permanent residents have used this route in the past as a way to start their Canadian dream and some could contentiously argue that those who have found employment and have come using this route have demonstrated that they are a more useful asset to Canada (sits back, puts on asbestos clothing and waits to be flamed).
The problem with the TWP system is that it is exploited on the employer side by many smaller companies run by either incompetents or liars with no ethics. Many of the TWP jobs are offered on the understanding that the job is long term and with the with the promise of assistance in gaining PR. There is no excuse, even in in this unepxected downturn. If you make a promise, you budget for it, and keep your word OR you make it clear at the outset what will happen if work starts to dry up.
When we came on a TWP we were promised the world by my employer. 15 montsh later they closed the Calgary office. I have since found out that they only offered me the position inCanada as an employee to get my services for 15 months on the the cheap because I was working for them as a contractor in the UK. The office closure was already planned when they hired me
Any ideas that if all the TWP workers went home that the unemployment situation would resolve itself are barmy. In general, TWP holds take jobs for which there is a shortage of Candians with the necessery skill or jobs that they consider themsleves to important/skilled to do, hence the Timmies LMOs.
It's a pretty safe bet that without the TWP program, Canada would never have been able to develop the tar sands. Is that a good thing? For the economy definitely, but ....
The OP really neads to talk to their immigration consultant. Since they will have been here for 2 years I wonder if they could submit a Canadian Experience application the very day that it expires? We have someone in our office who had one of these processed in a matter of months. You can get UK police certificates in a matter of days. I don't know if you have to stay in Canada as a resdient rather than a visitor for the duration of the application though. Perhaps the Timmies route could assist this, as long as they can survive on Timmies wages for a few months. Their concern abou schooling is valid, although I'm not sure that the school would even know. When we registered our son at his school all we had to do was give an address without any proof of immigration status.
The problem with the TWP system is that it is exploited on the employer side by many smaller companies run by either incompetents or liars with no ethics. Many of the TWP jobs are offered on the understanding that the job is long term and with the with the promise of assistance in gaining PR. There is no excuse, even in in this unepxected downturn. If you make a promise, you budget for it, and keep your word OR you make it clear at the outset what will happen if work starts to dry up.
When we came on a TWP we were promised the world by my employer. 15 montsh later they closed the Calgary office. I have since found out that they only offered me the position inCanada as an employee to get my services for 15 months on the the cheap because I was working for them as a contractor in the UK. The office closure was already planned when they hired me
Any ideas that if all the TWP workers went home that the unemployment situation would resolve itself are barmy. In general, TWP holds take jobs for which there is a shortage of Candians with the necessery skill or jobs that they consider themsleves to important/skilled to do, hence the Timmies LMOs.
It's a pretty safe bet that without the TWP program, Canada would never have been able to develop the tar sands. Is that a good thing? For the economy definitely, but ....
The OP really neads to talk to their immigration consultant. Since they will have been here for 2 years I wonder if they could submit a Canadian Experience application the very day that it expires? We have someone in our office who had one of these processed in a matter of months. You can get UK police certificates in a matter of days. I don't know if you have to stay in Canada as a resdient rather than a visitor for the duration of the application though. Perhaps the Timmies route could assist this, as long as they can survive on Timmies wages for a few months. Their concern abou schooling is valid, although I'm not sure that the school would even know. When we registered our son at his school all we had to do was give an address without any proof of immigration status.
I do sympathise with the OP's situation, some very dear friends of ours are having to leave within the next few days due to their TWP expiring. It's a risk coming here on a temporary work permit. We did this too, BUT, we had a back up plan for the worst case scenario, ie no jobs and having to go back home. Even though we have PR now, there's still no job security for us, short hours, little annual leave, no compassionate leave. MOH had to take some of his 2 weeks AL to look after me for me recent surgery, etc.
Canada's employment laws and EI system sucks, the OPs aren't the only ones suffering, others have come on here and posted about similar problems. The others who posted received support and sympathy. Why didnt the OP? It could be the demanding tones and lack of acceptance that they took a risk. Maybe the other posters are getting inured to seeing variations on the same theme. It's tough times.
#70
Re: My husband been laid off and we have three weeks before our work permits expires
I completely agree with the above F, well put.
Its important to have a back up plan - not everything ends the way your dreams would have you believe.
My plan would be the Timmies route (and i'm not kidding either!) I would rather serve coffee than go back to the UK as I class this as my home now.
Repeat after me
"Was that cinnamon and raisin or plain...........?"
Its important to have a back up plan - not everything ends the way your dreams would have you believe.
My plan would be the Timmies route (and i'm not kidding either!) I would rather serve coffee than go back to the UK as I class this as my home now.
Repeat after me
"Was that cinnamon and raisin or plain...........?"
#71
Re: My husband been laid off and we have three weeks before our work permits expires
before the collapse, Trades people from Germany that we know were laid off the very day a contract finished despite the company have a number of other jobs running at the time. They were told that they might be rehired as soon as another contract came in.
There are 2 issues here:
- TWP workers are regulary being lied to with false promises of PR assistance and a permanent job
- The employers are just trying to pay low end permanent wages for a contract position that should command a much higher rate.
My feeling is that the TWP system is flawed. Perhaps TWPs should only be issues with fixed term contracts in which the employee gets paid for the full term regradless. It would certainly weed out the employers who abuse the system.
#72
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: My husband been laid off and we have three weeks before our work permits expires
Many permanent residents have used this route in the past as a way to start their Canadian dream and some could contentiously argue that those who have found employment and have come using this route have demonstrated that they are a more useful asset to Canada (sits back, puts on asbestos clothing and waits to be flamed).
The problem with the TWP system is that it is exploited on the employer side by many smaller companies run by either incompetents or liars with no ethics. Many of the TWP jobs are offered on the understanding that the job is long term and with the promise of assistance in gaining PR. There is no excuse, even in in this unepxected downturn. If you make a promise, you budget for it, and keep your word OR you make it clear at the outset what will happen if work starts to dry up.
When we came on a TWP we were promised the world by my employer. 15 montsh later they closed the Calgary office. I have since found out that they only offered me the position inCanada as an employee to get my services for 15 months on the the cheap because I was working for them as a contractor in the UK. The office closure was already planned when they hired me
Any ideas that if all the TWP workers went home that the unemployment situation would resolve itself are barmy. In general, TWP holds take jobs for which there is a shortage of Candians with the necessery skill or jobs that they consider themselves to important/skilled to do, hence the Timmies LMOs. It's a pretty safe bet that without the TWP program, Canada would never have been able to develop the tar sands. Is that a good thing? For the economy definitely, but ....
The OP really neads to talk to their immigration consultant. Since they will have been here for 2 years I wonder if they could submit a Canadian Experience application the very day that it expires? We have someone in our office who had one of these processed in a matter of months. You can get UK police certificates in a matter of days. I don't know if you have to stay in Canada as a resdient rather than a visitor for the duration of the application though. Perhaps the Timmies route could assist this, as long as they can survive on Timmies wages for a few months. Their concern abou schooling is valid, although I'm not sure that the school would even know. When we registered our son at his school all we had to do was give an address without any proof of immigration status.
#73
Re: My husband been laid off and we have three weeks before our work permits expires
I agree that a TWP is always a risk, but the deceipt of some employers here is quite appalling.
I would think that people on TWP's that have skills that are not available at all in Canada are actually quite rare - and I expect they get paid a premium to do so. Giving out TWP's to people so that they can do min-wage work in Timmies should really be done in times of low unemployment (unemployed people that consider themselves to important/skilled to work in Timmies really need to get over themselves)
Canada is also very short of skilled workers that cannot genrally be handled by the TWP progrem, eg Doctors because Canadians who qualify with medical degrees head South of the border for more money as soon as they qualify.
#74
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: My husband been laid off and we have three weeks before our work permits expires
That's not what I meant. There are a lot of smaller companies out there who will take TWP workers as an easily disposible option. They sell the position whith false promises and with wages at the bottom end the range that would get LMO approval. This has happened to people that we know. In particular
before the collapse, Trades people from Germany that we know were laid off the very day a contract finished despite the company have a number of other jobs running at the time. They were told that they might be rehired as soon as another contract came in.
There are 2 issues here:
- TWP workers are regulary being lied to with false promises of PR assistance and a permanent job
- The employers are just trying to pay low end permanent wages for a contract position that should command a much higher rate.
My feeling is that the TWP system is flawed. Perhaps TWPs should only be issues with fixed term contracts in which the employee gets paid for the full term regradless. It would certainly weed out the employers who abuse the system.
before the collapse, Trades people from Germany that we know were laid off the very day a contract finished despite the company have a number of other jobs running at the time. They were told that they might be rehired as soon as another contract came in.
There are 2 issues here:
- TWP workers are regulary being lied to with false promises of PR assistance and a permanent job
- The employers are just trying to pay low end permanent wages for a contract position that should command a much higher rate.
My feeling is that the TWP system is flawed. Perhaps TWPs should only be issues with fixed term contracts in which the employee gets paid for the full term regradless. It would certainly weed out the employers who abuse the system.
#75
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: My husband been laid off and we have three weeks before our work permits expires
Canada's policy for the 'professions' is completely wrong and totally protectionist (this is my neutral view - I'm not a doctor or lawyer or anything)