Yup, just be sure to leave the pair of {quote} text {/quote} markers behind though...if you accidentally delete some of that then the text wont be in the quote area.

Hy all
Thought I would stoke the fire as its been quiet as of late!

Our move to Canada was never meant to be temporary but permanent, just so anybody who thinks that temporary foreign worker means temporary, it does not. What it means is temporary until your papers have been processed and your PR is in the works. Which is what we were hoping to achieve.

Wifey and me came to Calgary in January 2008 after I was sponsored for an engineering job. 7 weeks later I got laid off. 3 months later after going all through HRSDC, I got a company to get an LMO with my name attached. 3 months later I got laid off.

After another 3 months of waiting for HRSC to get their act together I managed to get into another company with an LMO. One year and 3 days later, I got laid off.

After applying for over 36 jobs, I have all but thrown in the towel. The replies I did receive back usually had one thing in common. We don’t have an LMO. And we all know, no LMO - no job, at least for us foreign workers anyway.

In the last seven days I have been offered two jobs, one paying $15 p/h and one paying
$27 p/h. I made the appointment to see the HR manager who offered me $15 p/h to run a laser machine cutting metal components. I was in heaven - a job at last. Turns out his LMO is just about to expire and HRSDC are not renewing. So, he now has to let his foreign workers go once that happens and he tells me that he had over 1500 applications, mostly from foreigners. He interviewed a handful of Canadians but they obviously decided the jobs were not good enough and did not go back for interviews.
So now he has only a handful of people working for him in this huge factory which I was privvy to walk round during my interview.

My second job offer was from a company in Lloydminster. $27 an hour. Fantastic, but we would have to relocate. Not a problem. But one thing is standing between me and that job. HRSDC.

Once again the brain dead dickheads are refusing to issue a new LMO so foreign workers can have some form of life here. HRSDC have refused this company 3 LMOs and the company boss is having to let his workers go because of this stupidity. This factory is not as big as the previous one, in fact a lot smaller - but will have to shut down operations if they cannot find people to work there.

His words to me on the phone were, “I have foreign workers who are willing to work and can work, and I have Canadian workers who don’t want the work”. Perhaps I’m missing the big picture here, but surely if you can fill a position with a worker, be it foreign or Canadian and keep the factory operational, then surely this is better for everybody?

Alberta it seems is the only province that seems to be causing grief to so many people, Newfoundland, B.C. and other provinces are issuing LMOs as normal when the criteria has been met. Seems the plonkers at HRSDC are saying NO LMO before they even read the application.

So then, I assume the villains here are those dictators or should I say dickheads at HRSDC.
Meanwhile, I sit here with thumb up my ass hoping this other company will get a positive result with the Immigration lawyer.

If you are unemployed, you have my sympathy. You wont get nothing from HRSDC thats for sure.

One other thing I forgot to mention.
HRSDC still require proof you are looking for work!!!!!!!!!!!

Er, no, it doesnt, it means temporary. You may have other plans, but anything else that springs from it should be seen as a bonus, but in NO WAY guaranteed until you have a PR visa in your hand!


Temporary is just that because economies change, political policies change, and as a temporary worker you are here strickly for the convenience of the Canadian economy and tax payer.

It sucks that you find yourself in the middle of a recession, buy the LMO process is there to protect not just the temporary worker in seeing that they get a fair wage, but also the canadian workforce to make sure they get first dibs on any jobs.

Yesss, but if you dont apply for your PR then you are temporary - we know this.

Squig, that does sound ridiculous, but dude, temporary is temporary.

having said that, I'm sorry you're going through this. I guess the lesson is don't rely on anything when you're on a temporary visa.

Dear Kiwi
So far the comments have been about the temporary status - I would like to hear from people and their thoughts as to why HRSDC are happy to see companies shut down rather then let foreign workers work for them. Doesnt it seem starnge two companies phone me offering work and then say if we cant get an LMO and employpeople we may have to shut the doors permanently?

Yes, it does. Maybe they are not paying the going rate and are therefore not attracting the local candidates? There is likely more to this than meets the naked eye?

You're trying to apply logic to government policy. You'll get greater pleasure out of self-harming.

Bureaucracy doesn't move fast, no matter what country you're in or which government's in power. There'll always be a lag between economic circumstances, reality on the street and appropriate policy. You're just unlucky to be caught in a difficult situation.

The company in question is called BendTec and is located in Lloydminster - click on the web site and check out careers. At $27 an hour I would think anybody would be attracted to this wage.

I am sure you are right - but why are HRSDC so blanketed by whats happening now? The owner of the company has to talk to an immigration lawyer to see if he can employ people - come on!!!!! What is wrong here??

Aaah well that says it all

sorry elricho - you've lost me

THis.

Bet I can beat that KIWI

Calgarites by definition:

Unsociablemiscrantictwofacedsayonethingmeananother lazymother****erscantworkwontworkdontgiveashitwhot heyupsetwasteofspace****ers.

Yeah!