Remya

Apologies in advance, but everything has finally gotten the better of me.

1) Moved here a year ago under a working holiday visa. Easy to get, no hassles. Phew.

2) Found a job here in Montreal (is this where most of you groan and tell me my first mistake is?). Minimum wage-ish, but beggars can't be choosers, right?

3) Stuck at said job for the entire year despite finishing work at 2-3am on weekends and despite the winter - which I didn't find too bad (go me!) although I hear it was a mild one (yikes!).

4) Apply for PR in January this year, common-law spouse thingy. (Boyfriend of some years is Quebecois, believe it or not Montreal seemed like the most logical choice at the time, more chances of getting a job than in his native Lac. St-Jean...)

4) Visa has just expired, I stay on as a legal visitor. They've extended my visa until Sept. to give time for PR to come through. Working holiday visas can't be extended at all and in fact, any visa would take its time to come through anyway (I would qualify for skilled imm., but have heard that takes even longer to get).

So far, I can't get a job and please don't tell me to work under the table, it might sound naive but I'm worried I'll get caught which would kill my immigration chances. Money situation okay.

Logical choice (for me) - volunteer! Pass the time, meet people, all of those other things discussed under that other forum topic. Even better, with experience I can apply to University to do a Master's in something apparently considered a Highly Desirable here in Canada due to the shortage of people in that area of work.

5) However! Was told today that I can't volunteer because I need 2 references. Not as easy for me as it might sound, I've got one (had to translate it from Dutch, as I lived in Holland before I came here) but the other... just before visa expired, the company here in Mtl went bankrupt. No notice given to any of us mere employees, thus no way of getting a decent reference from HR. For all I know, the managers and HR have dropped off the face of the earth. Boom goes my 'Canadian experience' and confidence.

It's bad enough not to be able to work in the meantime - I do wonder what would happen if my application was delayed for some reason, and didn't come through after the 5 or 6 months it's supposed to take. I've accepted that my degree here is worth nothing. Luckily didn't have too much Life experience to throw away. But it does feel like I'm down on my luck, and it being Quebec makes it that bit more difficult. (I speak French, but am not 'fluently bilingual', so have already resigned myself to low jobs until I get a postgrad degree here). We don't want to move within Canada (yet), as the boyf has an okay job here, his family is here and even then I couldn't get a job until PR came through.

So, that's my situation. I'm not asking for criticism of how I went about things, just a bit of sympathy. Or something. I could cry and cry at the frustrations that have come up... although I guess you all know about it as much as or more than me. At least I don't have kids to worry about. I wonder if I'm overreacting, or underreacting, or if I have no reason to complain at all. I guess I'm just in a bit of a hole and don't know what to think about it.

iaink

Cheer up, at least your with your OH.

Are you sure the references have to be work related? Normally for volunteer stuff its just character references, so most anyone you know fairly well will do?
Companies go bust all the time, it doesnt really affect your hard won canadian experience, you still had the experience, so that is better than nothing if you cant track down any of the managers in person for a reference.

Anyway, keep trying, the not being allowed to work sucks, but you are right not to repordise anything, and the AIP will come eventually.

Glad your enjoying Montreal, keep you chin up eh!

Glaswegian

The company might be gone but all those people are around somewhere. Is there any way to get in touch with one of the managers and as for a personal reference from him/her?

Mrs G

Remya

I tried the head office in Toronto, as the HR woman there assured me she could write a reference even though she's never met me, so I dubiously gave in the reference and of course, it's (and I quote) 'unacceptable'. She apparently only confirmed I'd worked there a year, of course she couldn't give any indication of what I'm like as a worker. And it goes against privacy regulations to give out contact details of managers. Joy.

Alas, yes, the ref's have to be work related. Otherwise I've luckily made some Montreal friends... although they're all moving after graduation from University later in the year!

iaink

Generally speaking all any employment reference will say nowadays is to confirm you did work in a particular position for a particular timeframe, basically confirming that your resume is based in reality.
To say it is unacceptable is very odd, its all they should be getting from a responsible employer who is watching there own back.

Any other comments either positive or negative could potentially land the writer in very hot water legally speaking as you could be sued for defamation or for presenting an inacurate picture of a person, so most managers have a form of double speak for these things that says nothing at all about the person, but looks like it does.

Sounds like a tough break, but there are plenty of other organisations Im sure who would not be as picky.

Are you in touch still with any of the people you worked with? Perhaps they had a contact address with a manager outside of the work environment that would be usefull for you?

seacreature

I'm stuck in the 'Canadian Experience' vicious circle at the moment.
I've just rang tonnes of places offering to volunteer my services, so far so good. I've got interviews for everyone.
If I need Canadian references to volunteer I am leaving the country
in utter disgust!!!!!!
That will simply be the final straw.

Please someone verify that I DO NOT need Canadian work references?

dingbat

You might need a local reference, yes. It could just be a character one though.....start boiling....

jorja

Just to let you know, I volunteer and didn't need a reference to start. I imagine it depends on the position you're volunteering for and how supervised you are. Non-profit industry is crying out for volunteers... I'm sure they can work around your limitations. Try the volunteer bureau on Drummond/Maisonneuve. I'm in similar position to you, in MTL and unable to work until my permanent resident application comes through.

aahtuk

Seacreature, where do you live, buddy? If you're renting from a landlord, just have them give you a freakin' Canadian reference. I also won't believe they wouldn't allow you to volunteer w/o references. That would be plain bullshit!

wizzard

Just in case you don't know it's actually considered working illegally if you volunteer for any position that would normally expect pay.

So for example it is ok to volunteer with a local charity group where no one ever gets paid, but you can't volunteer at a business as a kind of intern or whatever because you are illegally occupying part of the Canadian Labour Market without having work authorization.

It may sound silly but it's just down to HRDCs definition of what "Work" is which is anything you might expect compensation for. and to "Work" you have to be a citizen, PR, or have a work permit.

So if you say spend 2 or 3 days week down the local office doing even basic stuff for no pay just to get experience and referances you are technically working illegally and if you get caught you are no better off than if you had been illegally working for money, just poorer. You can still get deported and denied re entry etc. all of which would negate getting PR.

Drew

Remya

Hi jorja,

I noticed you were in Montreal, great to hear of someone else in the same situation. Do you have any ideas when you should be getting PR? I guess it's my bad luck that the position I want is so stringent (I'm over it a bit, now, was just very angry and sad when I found out), but I need it to be able to apply for a postgrad degree here. If that doesn't work out, though, I'm curious to hear where you're volunteering...

Remya.

jorja

I'm volunteering at the YMCA Downtown, purely to alleviate boredom not for future work experience. The Y give you a free membership if you do more than 3 hours per week (it could be more than 3). I'm thoroughly enjoying my sabbatical... though I hope to be back to work within 3 months. PR process is dragging out over police certificate problems...

CIC def. of volunteering: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-volunteer.html

It's a beautiful day here today. I think I even saw some grass... it's been a while!