TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

This will only work if they force the "won't-work" Canadians to work in those jobs.

There are plenty here who deliberately avoid getting a job so that they can claim EI.

Then of course there are reasons why your donut and coffee cost $1 each and your Teen burger $3...low wages...do you want to pay double for your double double?

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Does this affect those working as servers in bars independent restaurants or is it just the corporate fast food industry?

Does this also mean that some of the PNP routes may change - for the semi skilled NOC codes that require LMO for the hospitality and tourism industry? ( I'm not sure if that is right but I'm hoping someone knows what I am taking about) - this is for the one in BC

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Won't work because they want to collect EI? Have you ever tried to claim EI?

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Prices going up isn't a valid reason in my opinion to have a TFW program for fast food and other very entry level unskilled positions.

As for the EI thing well if your getting 350 a week on EI, and the local fast food joint is only paying 10.25/hr for 20 hours a week, for 205 a week, do you really blame people for not working for that wage and staying on EI as long as possible?

It's time these places learn to pay a going wage for their area, and offer sufficient hours people can live on, so they can attract employees. If it means higher prices, so be it. Everything goes up in price over time. We don't need $1 coffees, Starbucks proves if you have a decent product, and brand, people will pay a premium for it.

They also pay 11-12/hr and have no issues it seems finding employees in the area's I have lived in.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

I heard on the radio this morning that it's the entire food services industry, not limited to fast food. There generally have been one too many cases of restaurants hiring foreign workers instead of Canadians where Canadians have applied.

I don't think it would affect the other streams that require LMOs, since it's the Food Services portion of TFW that's been suspended, not any of the other streams. (I am guessing, though.)

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

I can't say Im surprised by this though it should have been sooner. Im sure the hotel industry is next as I have processed LMOs for TFWs coming to work in hotels.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Yes...I'm regularly seeing news of Tims etc making losses. Oh wait...that's right. Tim Hortons profit in 2013 was over $600 million. Yep...it's hard times making over $1000 in profit every minute. I don't even think they sell a coffee for $1 unless it's a special offer.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Who wrecked the process....?

To begin with the Fast Food Franchise owners got too greedy in the end and you may ask how....well I will tell ya!

One would agree that if Canadians did not want the jobs then of course a TFW programme was the answer.

However where it goes wrong is the following.....

The franchise owners who started paying a higher rate and giving more hours to TFWs rather then local Canadians and in the end laying off Canadians and hiring even more TFWs, well these franchise owners have another business going on too!.....

They either own or are part of a residential property owning business and they (the Franchise owners) decided to guarantee themselves a continued flow of "locked in" tenants", by using the Immigration Services TFW programme as a "cash-cow!" and to make sure the TFWs could pay their rents, the Franchise Owners/Hirers paid as much as they could afford to TFW staff at the expense of lowering pay to/ or firing Canadians.

If anyone reading this is outside Canada right now....just google

CBC news temporary foreign workers.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Well, that's another job I've lost at the last minute, my prospective employer had an open lmo and my name was getting added to it.... Back to square one again. Can't say I'm surprised.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Time that some myths and truths were told about this situation from my observations and dealings with TFWs in various programmes

1. I dont blame the workers
2. Some Canadians will not work in these jobs for minimum wage or move across the country to where these jobs are even higher paying jobs.
3. Very few if any of these jobs (minimum wage) are taken by citizens of the G8 countries on LMOs not counting those coming across on working holiday visas (IEC).
4. The vast majority of these workers are coming from 3rd world countries who are hoping to eventually get PR status via another programme be it PNP or CEC.
5. They are paid pittance wages in their own countries and to some $10 an hour is decent money.
6. How many Tim Hortons or McDonalds locations do you really need in your city or town and remember the vast majority are franchisees and only carry the corporate name. In my city there are 26 Tim Hortons locations yes 26.
7. The TFWs don't get paid 15% less than Canadian workers that part was scrapped.

Thats only a few I can think of.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Same here. Earlier this week, my employer asked for my information so that he can finally add my name to the LMO. Well, it looks like I'm back to square one.

The more ironic thing about my situation is that my employer got this LMO after a very heated appeal/fight with Service Canada because he really needs the workers and managed to convince them to overturn a negative LMO decision.

All I can do right now is hope they keep the program long enough for me to find another job in some other industry and make it to the inside of Canada's borders. Better yet, I hope that Kenney softens his stance really soon and decides to make an exception for rural restaurants up in areas with low unemployment up north. If such an exception is going to be made, then I hope my employer doesn't close down between now and then.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Ok well I suppose if your a supervisor or manager you can apply through FSW ( CEC it's ineligible).

I can see why they have suspended it. it's just means in two- three years time if I want to stay my only probable option is spousal sponsorship :(

Things may change though I suppose.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Is student with Off-Campus work permit considered TFW?

Thanks

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

No, an off-campus work permit is a type of open work permit, not a temporary foreign worker permit.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Remember the rules for this are changing on 1 June 2014
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-offcampus.asp

This thread will NOT affect full time students looking for part time or full time work when these new rules come in. Students won't need LMOs under the new off campus rules as per the link.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Hi


1. Students attending designated schools never did require LMOs for Off Campus work permits. They weren't eligible until 6 months of satisfactory schooling. As of June/01 they can start working part time off campus from day 1, no work permit required.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

I know :lol: Just pointing it out in case students think they might need LMOs with the new rules;) How students got into this thread is a mystery anyway unless they have just quit studying.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

How rude.

On the very same CBC programme there were reports of people sending the same resume in to the same companies every 2 weeks and never returning phone calls when someone wanted to give them a job.

Because they didn't want a job. They wanted EI.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

I tend to peruse other news sites and Reddit (good source for discussions on this subject). Reading the posts and comments there is a venomous vitriol against this TFW program. A substantial number of people are calling for it to be scrapped and existing permits to be cancelled. All of them. No exceptions. It's not just a tiny minority. The abuses of the system have opened a can of worms.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

............I love it!

Now the CEO of McDonalds Canada has been caught out!

I thank CBC for revealing the information given to them!

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

No. Not rude. Welcome to Real Life.

I have been fortunate to only have to sign on for EI twice in 17 years. Both times, despite meeting all criteria, providing all required documentation, I had to jump through multiple, unrequired (according to official sources) hoops to get it,

1st time around, I found a new job, & had been working for nearly 3 months when EI informed me I would get benefits.

2nd time around, in October 2013, I was asked for supplementary documentation, not listed as required, which I nevertheless provided, & received notification that I was accepted as eligible for EI Payments. I'm still waiting to actually receive any money, despite being still listed as unemployed. I get by on a p-t/casual job/savings.

I am aware of people who manage to play the system & live off welfare payments. And who think I am daft to work for the same amount they receive on welfare:(

S

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

they should have a look at certain trucking companies as well! when they are at it.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

100% right, probably the most abused TFW's over here.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Yawn, so now Kenney (who supposedly is now the minister of employment, not immigration) has said that the TFW cannot be used by fast food restaurants. And there was that whole RBC scandal with the TWP.

On the basis of what can only be described as some hysteria whipped up by CBC.

I appreciate that maybe some of the employers weren't following the rules but on the other hand it's not clear cut. There are various legal avenues, employment standards, human rights complaint, etc. but no, let's have hysterical reporting by the CBC knowing full well the employer can't comment for legal reasons. Apparently you can also complain to ESDC directly and get the LMO revoked: http://www.esdc.gc.ca/eng/jobs/forei..._revoked.shtml

I know years ago I went into fast food restaurants that appeared to be run by children the labour shortage was so bad (and so we had radio ads explaining the child labour laws) and the local BK used to close on weekends(!) because they didn't have enough staff (now apparently they are all Filipino).

There's a legal procedure here and it all seems to be knee-jerk at the moment.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

And apparently McDonald's has now issued a press release accusing CBC (correctly imo) of being biased and the CEO has had a conference call with franchisees which was recorded, saying it's "bullshit" - well if ever there was an expert on it...

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

I think that is a statement being made by CBC that is somewhat devoid of facts at this point. One McDonald's franchisee in Victoria has had their LMO yanked and a couple of others in Alberta are being investigated - that's a long way short of "fast food franchise owners".

CBC just got carried away after the RBC scandal and now they're just trolling for people who are complaining. This story (which originally came from CBC) sounds very suspicious to me: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/04...n_5187344.html

ALL of the staff were laid off - which sounds like a change of ownership to me and only TWO foreign workers were rehired. Probably for perfectly sound reasons.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

How long do you think this moratorium is going to last? A week, a month, a year, a decade? It's a moratorium, so it won't last forever. They're going to have to have to end this suspension at some point and come out with a decision to either keep the TFW program for restaurants (possibly with new restrictions) or scrap it altogether. Im hoping that they do the former instead of making the innocent suffer for the guilty.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

EI isn't welfare and only way to even qualify for it is to work, and pay into it, and its an insurance program.

Social assistance in Canada pays very little, and anyone working is making more then a single on welfare, in BC for example you get up to 375 for housing, and 235 for living expenses. Welfare doesn't provide what people seem to think it does.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Thank you, I know that, having btdtgtts. My post was rather off topic, & intended to refute another which inferred one could happily "screw the system" on EI benefits.

Welfare/social assistance is a totally different can of worms, & I shouldn't have introduced it :(

S

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

If I remember your posting history a bit, you've been a-waiting for an LMO from a fast-food restaurant in some obscure but tiny community in Northern BC?

I can understand why this development is of interest to you, but am at a total loss as to why you adopted this plan in the first place.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

My LMO for the community in northern BC was approved two weeks ago. My employer hired me shortly after conducting one final interview. Just this past Tuesday, my employer requested my identity information (name, date of birth, country of citizenship, etc) for the "Foreign Worker" section of his LMO application. Then two days later, this moratorium hit out of nowhere. Even though his LMO has already been legitimately approved, he still can't add my name to one of his positions now that the moratorium is in effect.

I developed this plan for the same reason that Former Lancastrian indicated. I want to become a Canadian citizen in the long run starting with provincial nomination after getting my foot in the door. I chose a remote community because that's where the strongest demand is and I was careful not to choose places that would generate controversy like this. I don't have any special skills so this was the only route into Canada for me. I was actually hired on the understanding that I'd stay for a minimum of 5 years (first as a foreign worker and then as a permanent resident) and not stiff my employer by quitting as soon as I become a permanent resident.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Why are you fixated on becoming a Canadian citizen? Genuinely curious.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

I once lived there and I liked the country. I felt more at home there than I do in my own country. I want to be surrounded by nice, friendly people for life. In Canada, I was allowed to be myself and interact with 85% of people in positive ways.

I'd like to be able to live in Canada and enjoy my stay without having to worry about the date in the future when I'd have to eventually leave. I want to do my part to maintain Canada's status as a good place and be actively involved in the community. Is that really too much to ask for?

Bear in mind, my country of citizenship doesn't allow dual citizenship. The government here revokes your citizenship whenever you pick up a new one. So that means that I like Canada a lot or hate my country a lot (or both).

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

I admit I'd assumed that you were a UK citizen, if only because your posts are grammatically coherent. But now I'm even more curious. Where are you from?

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

For fear that my employer might be reading this site, I won't be revealing that just yet. However, I'll tell you in a private message. Funny thing is that my employer also thought that I was a UK citizen.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Take your pick from any of these

Dual Citizenships Not Allowed
Andorra, Austria, Azerbaijan ,Burma, Bahrain, Botswana, Japan, China ,Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji,India,Indonesia, Ecuador, Estonia, Iran, Poland, Papua New Guinea, Brunei, Japan, Peru, Kuwait , Kenya, Kazakhstan, Chile, Kiribati, Poland, Korea, Kuwait, Denmark, Latvia,Singapore, Slovakia, Ecuador, Lithuania, Solomon Islands ,Fiji ,Malaysia, Mauritius, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Romania, Thailand, Mexico, Nepal, Venezuela, Norway, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal
Pakistan:
Pakistan allows dual citizenship only with the below countries
United Kingdom
Italy
France
Belgium
Iceland
Australia
New Zealand
Sweden
United States
Ireland
Netherlands
Switzerland
Canada
Egypt
Jordan
Syria

Spain
Allows dual citizenship with some Latin-American countries Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, Andorra, Portugal, the Philippines and Equatorial Guinea.

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Fair enough (I think).

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Surprisingly, I don't live in any of those countries, but my country is a British Commonwealth country (hence the English fluency).

Re: TFW/LMO Suspended for Food Services
 

Now Im curious unless Im missing the obvious is your country of citizenship on this list
Dual Citizenships Allowed:
Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Bangladesh, Canada, Cyprus, United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, South Korea, South Africa (requires permission) , Egypt(requires prior permission), Greece, France, Finland, Germany (requires prior permission), Iraq, Italy, Israel, Ireland, Hungary, Iceland, Sweden, Slovenia, Syria, Serbia, Armenia, Lebanon, Malta, Spain ( allows only with certain Latin american countries), Tonga, Phillipines, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka (by retention), Pakistan (accepts only with 16 countries), Portual, Turkey (requires permission)