Incanadawithproblem

So, I have a very serious problem.

I was working in Vancouver for my first year in Canada, where I successfully activated my second one year visa a little while ago, and decided to take a trip across Canada before finding work on the East Coast.

Whilst travelling through Montreal I lost/had stolen my coat, which contained in the pocket my passport with work permit and my SIN document.

Not knowing what to do, and having onward travel booked that same day to Halifax, I got on the train. I am now in Halifax. In the interim period I reported the passport lost with the Montreal police.

Now I feel really stuck - I do not know what to do. I have a total of maybe $2500 left. I dont have any forms of identification whatsoever. I do have scans/photocopies of the photo page of my passport, my work permit and my SIN document. I am staying in a hostel which I had booked and have paid for for one week.

To receive a replacement passport from the UK, I am being quoted a wait of a minimum of 10 weeks from when they receive application, and it could take a week or two for it to even get to them. I dont think I can survive ten weeks on $2500 without working, and I dont know how I can get a job without any documents. I can only get an emergency travel document if I have plans for onward travel, so I would basically need a flight back to the uk.

Therefore I have to decide whether to stay or whether to go asap.

My main question is, is there ANY way I can gain employment in Canada under the present circumstances? Is there any kind of replacement work permit that can be issued? Can I be employed with just an SIN number, or is the work permit necessary?

Also, do any UK nationals who have had to apply for a replacement passport in Canada know if the minimum 10 weeks figure is accurate? Even 6 weeks, I could probably manage to scrape by, but 10+, plus any further time it would take to get replacement work permit etc, impossible.

I cant believe things have gone so badly wrong for me.

EDIT: The question which is plaguing my mind right now: IF I can find work legally in Halifax without these documents, or can get some temporary document from of documents which will allow me to find work, I can ride out the wait for a replacement passport and all that. However, if this is not possible, and I definitely cannot afford to wait out 10+ weeks without income, it would seem sensible just get out as quickly as possible, whilst I can still afford the trip to toronto (or wherever the consulate is that issues emergency uk passports), the emergency passport fee and the flight back to the UK.

Novocastrian

To quote Douglas Adams, don't panic.

You have a SIN even if you don't have the card. You only have to give the SIN (i.e. the number) to a future employer. You also have a scan of your IEC (although I'm not sure anyone would actually ask to see that).

Why would you need a passport to work in Halifax?

Oh, and welcome to the forum.

Incanadawithproblem

Thanks for the reply. The problem with that, as I see it, as I am not sure I have any way to prove that the SIN belongs to me. My employer in Vancouver, admittedly it was a big and reputable company (maybe more careful than just any old employer), wanted passport and work permit.

I mean, look at it this way, whoever stole/picked up my SIN paper also has my SIN, but they are not me. So, putting myself in an employers perspective, how could they be sure that the SIN I give them actually belongs to me, if I have nothing to back this up (other than highly inferior ID such as debit/credit cards which have the same name, and a scan of my passport)

Incanadawithproblem

I also have the added inconvenience that my only bank account is with VanCity who have no branches outside of BC, I had planned to open a local account when I got here but I guess I cant do that without ID, so I dont know how I can get a direct deposit form for any employer to pay me into my VanCity account. If I get paid by cheque, how can I cash them without ID?

Former Lancastrian

If in Halifax go to the CIC office at this address
Halifax 1741 Brunswick Street, Suite B110
Halifax, NS
B3J 3X8
In-person help by appointment only. Once your application has been received, CIC will contact you to schedule an appointment if deemed necessary by the processing office.

Refugee claims can be made between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday.

Make an appointment or ask to speak to a CIC officer and then explain your situation and they should be able to issue with a replacement work permit. Visit the Service Canada office at
6206 Quinpool Road ,
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Explain to them what happened and voila replacement SIN. You will need to get a new passport from the UK and report it lost stolen and apply for a new one
https://www.gov.uk/report-a-lost-or-stolen-passport

Incanadawithproblem

Thanks for this reply. Will they be able to issue me with a replacement work permit or SIN prior to me having received my replacement passport?

Also, do you know, seeing as I know my SIN number and have copy of the SIN issue paper with the number and expiry on it (I was never issued with an SIN card as I was told they were no longer being issued), is this enough for me to legally work?

JamesM

You can definitely work with just a SIN number.

It's all any of my jobs here have ever asked for.

You can probably also obtain a document from Service Canada so investigate that.

How do I replace my lost or stolen confirmation of SIN letter or SIN card? - Service Canada

Lastly if you need to get back to the UK contact the airline and tell them your passport is stolen. This happened to a friend in Cyprus all be it 14 years ago and he was able to travel with a letter from the police explaining that his passport and ID was stolen. I can't imagine you are the first traveller to have their ID stolen.

Good luck.

Former Lancastrian

CIC should be able to issue the replacement work permit. It would take me about 10 minutes. CIC don't deal with SIN's Service Canada deals with them. Your SIN is valid a replacement paper i.e. not a photocopy looks more genuine to an employer should they ask.

JamesM

What Happens If I Lose My Passport

Get to your nearest British Embassy.

Incanadawithproblem

I appreciate all of your help, thanks guys, you have been reassuring.

I managed to speak to someone at the embassy over the phone and he was able to advise me that if I was remaining in Canada, I did not need to go there in person, I just needed to fill in and fax them the document reporting my passport as lost and also to go through the process of applying for a replacement passport. My concern was that I would have to wait for this process to take place before I could work here, and I would not have enough money to do this, but as my intention was to remain for 9 months in Halifax provided I could find employment, if I am still able to work by following the process FL outlined to get documents, then I should hopefully be ok.

EDIT: The policeman in Montreal told me that once I reported my passport as lost to him, and he made a call to register that, my passport was officially cancelled then and there.

You've been a great help guys

Novocastrian

As said "DON'T PANIC".

Aviator

Have you reported your SIN stolen/lost? With your passport and SIN, there could already be another you out there!

Advise the credit bureaus , anyone running a credit check will be extra vigilant then.

Incanadawithproblem

Right, I attempted to follow these instructions but things did not go well. Firstly, I went to CiC but was unable to set up an appointment in person and was told I had to call CiC. I called them and they told me that I needed to submit an application for a replacement of immigration document which would take 30 days to process. Furthermore, they emailed me the link to the page and it states that along with my application I need to submit:

"1. Photocopy of one piece of federal or provincial/territorial government photo identification OR if unavailable, a photocopy of government issued or internationally recognized photo identification from outside Canada before your entry to Canada.

2. Photocopy of one piece of federal or provincial/ territorial government issued identification OR if unavailable,a photocopy of government issued or internationally recognized identification from outside Canada before your entry to Canada. This could include:

• your birth certificate.
• your marriage certificate, if applicable"

Well, I dont have either of these to submit, my passport was lost with my work permit in it and I dont have my birth certificate and am not married. I have no official ID whatsoever.


SO right now, as unbelievable as it is, it looks like I am looking at a timeframe of apply for and wait for a replacement British passport, 12 weeks, then use that to apply for a replacement work permit, 4 weeks, a total of 16 weeks! This seems incredible to me.



So it looks like I really am stuck. I went to service canada after and they told me they could not print a replacement SIN document until I had a replacement work permit.


They did say I am technically still legal to work in Canada and that an employer might employ me with just the SIN, however, the SIN document states:


"If your SIN begins with the number 9 you must present valid proof of authorization to work in Canada to your employer. Your SIN record must always be updated to reflect to most recent expiry date."


That makes it appear to me that I HAVE to present a work permit with the SIN.



Does anyone see any inaccuracies or false logical jumps in what I have written above?

Incanadawithproblem

So, things did not go well today. I went to CiC as recommended by FL, but they told me no-one could see me without appointment and that I needed to contact CiC by phone. I phoned CIC and they told me I needed to apply for a replacement document, that it would take 30 days, and emailed me a link http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/informa...TOC.asp#5545E2.

But this is where it gets really problematic. It seems that I CANNOT apply for the replacement without two forms of ID, and I have none. So, if I have to wait for a replacement passport to arrive before I can even apply for a replacement work permit, I am looking at a wait period of around 16 weeks!

Service Canada said that they cannot reprint an SIN until I have a work permit. They told me that technically I am still legal to work as I do have an SIN, but it would be a case of whether or not an employer would require a work permit aswell, of which they were unsure.

However, the SIN document reads "if your SIN begins with a 9you must present a valid proof of authorization to work in canada to your employer" which I can only assume means the work permit.

So it seems like I am completely stuck in a catch 22? I cant work without waiting 16 weeks, and I cant afford to wait 16 weeks without working.

Does anyone see any steps I have missed or false logical jumps I have made?

Former Lancastrian

Typical Govt workers
Personally I would go back to the CIC office and ask to make an appointment to see a CIC officer. A reprint of a work permit can be done in 10 minutes. Ask to speak to a Supervisor if necessary and stress to them that its important and you cannot wait 4 weeks and not be working. If all else fails take a trip to the Halifax Intl Airport and ask to speak to a CBSA Superintendent (Canada Customs). Explain to them your ordeal and ask them if they will consider reprinting a copy of your work permit. Have some ID with you.