Gremmie

Ok just copied this from the Trucking Forum, from a family that has had to return because he did not meet the educational requirements for Alberta.

From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2011 09:37:20 -0600
Subject: Client Inquiry (ID XX9) - Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) -KS (Re: XXXXXX - AINP # XXX1-X9-XXX90)


Dear Ms. K S,



Thank you for your email of August 20, 2011, regarding your fiancé, XXXX XXXXXX’s, application to the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) for the occupation of Long-Haul Truck Driver.



I attempted to contact you by telephone yesterday afternoon (August 23) by calling (403-xxxxxxx ), the home contact phone number provided on Mr. XXXXXX’s application, but it appears that this telephone number is no longer in service. Therefore, I am emailing you directly instead to address your inquiry and to clarify the rationale for the decision to decline Mr. XXXXXX’s AINP application.



The federal Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program, is designed to allow foreign workers to work temporarily in Canada for a limited period of time, as authorized by a CIC Work Permit. The intent of the TFW program is to authorize temporary employment and is not designed as a route to permanent residence in Canada. Individuals who wish to reside in Canada permanently may utilize a number of federal CIC programs, or provincial programs, such as the AINP, which have their own approval criteria. The criteria for the AINP Long-Haul Truck Driving Industry Category have been in place since the year of 2004. For your reference, the criteria are listed on our website at: www.albertacanada.com/ainp.



According to our records, the AINP received Mr. XXXXXX’s application on December 21, 2009. On January 4, 2010 a notification email was sent to Mr. XXXXXX's representative, Paul XXXX, confirming that the AINP had received the application. On December 1, 2010, a Program Officer initiated an assessment of his file and sent an email to Mr. XXXXXX’s employer, XXxX Transport Ltd., to confirm his current employment status with the company. On December 2, 2010, a response was received from XXXX Transport Ltd., providing confirmation of on-going employment. A final review of the file was initiated on December 3, 2010, and a request for additional information was sent to Mr. XXXXXX’s representative. On December 29, 2010, the additional information requested was received by mail. The additional information was reviewed by a Program Officer on January 18, 2011 who noted that Mr. XXXXXX's education credentials did not appear to meet the minimum education criterion for the Long-Haul Trucking Industry under the AINP Employer-Driven Semi-Skilled Worker Category.



In order to clarify if Mr. XXXXXX met the minimum education criterion, further consultation was made to the provincial International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) to validate if that the examination documents demonstrated completion of high school. IQAS reviewed the educational documents and advised that Mr. XXXXXX’s General Certificate of Education (GCE) Notification of Results did not demonstrate passing grades for the required minimum of 5 GCE examinations. Although, the documents illustrate that Mr. XXXXXX completed more than 5 GCE examinations, it appears that he only received passing grades for two of the examinations. Several of the other grades that he received were graded as “U”, indicating a “failure to attain a minimum passing grade”. In light of this circumstance, the AINP declined Mr. XXXXX’s application for not meeting the minimum high school education criterion and a decline letter was issued on January 26, 2011.



As stated on the decline letter, Mr. XXXXXX may choose to obtain an Alberta High School Equivalency Diploma as a mature student by completing and passing five General Educational Development (GED) Tests. For further information on the GED Tests, please visit http://education.alberta.ca/students...ernative2.aspx or contact Learner Records and Data Exchange at (780) 422-9337.



Also, as previously stated on the AINP decline letter of January 26, 2011, Mr. XXXXXX may wish to re-apply to the AINP for the occupation of Long-Haul Truck Driver once he receives a High School Equivalency Diploma and provided he continues to maintain his employment status, and holds a valid Work Permit.



If you wish to discuss this matter further, please feel free to contact me directly at (780) 644-XXXX.



Sincerely,



KXXXX XXXX





Team Lead, Semi-Skilled Workers

Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program

Suite 940, Telus Plaza North Tower

10025 Jasper Avenue

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5J 1S6

Tel: 780-644-xxxx

Fax: 780-427-xxxx

dbd33

That doesn't read that they have to return, it looks as if he has to pass the high school equivalency exam. Surely that can't be too difficult.

Gremmie

no where is it mentioned on the CIC/AINP that you need 5 GCE's

dbd33

This:

"In light of this circumstance, the AINP declined Mr. XXXXX’s application for not meeting the minimum high school education criterion"

suggests that there is a requirement for a high school education. IQAS must think that 5 O levels is what constitutes graduating from high school. That doesn't seem shocking.

He has the option to take a Canadian high school equivalency exam, why doesn't he just do that? If he can drive a lorry and work out whether or not he's been paid correctly he should be able to cruise through it.

Gremmie

They returned to UK

karen31

I hear what your saying I too didn't quite understand but I saw how let down he was, He never cries and was in tears, the emotion was too much for him, he was still required to be away 7-10 days at a time (as per his contract) and study???

He has been a trucker for 24 years (He's 41 re-take at his age = insult to injury) he had his own TPT business in uk for over 5 years 15 HGV's 7 Rigids and over 27 employees FT & PT, and he's not qualified Canada don't recognise O Licenses needed to run a business (a 5 day course which is a pass at A Level in English and Math) and a certificate of Competence in road Haulage.......Now you see why he felt so betrayed?? if thats the right word!

karen31

Oh and the other thing is when he closed his business down (due to rising fuel costs was a huge factor) he thought he'd let "the family" down me and his son then when the canada thing happend he really thought he was a faliure at providing for his family and thought I would leave him....Thats how bad he felt

iaink

I dont quite see the connection between that and high school graduation, which is what the government was looking for.


Its not fair of course if he was here doing the job, but on the other hand if he had taken some advice when this came up he could have had a go at the high school equivalency exam, even without extra studying.

Is there anything to stop him getting a couple of GCSEs and trying again if he really wanted to go through it all that again?

As I said, it may not be fair, but government immigration rules seldom are to everyone...

dbd33

Betrayed seems strong. Canadians love their bureaucracy and their pieces of paper. It's just nonsense you have to deal with. Humilating nonsense, granted.

ireland2canada

As a Candidate in the Semi-Skilled Worker Category, you must:

Be currently working in Alberta on a work permit for an eligible AINP Semi-Skilled Occupation (see list above)
Show that you have completed a minimum of high school education.
In the Foodservices Industry (pilot project) your high school education must be equivalent to Alberta standards.
Make sure you meet additional criteria required for your industry:

That letter seems to indicate that the applicant applied through an immigration representitive. If so, they did a really shabby job of reading the criteria and failed to notice that the applicant has 2 passes at high school level. They should have known that this would not be equal to graduation from high school.

I hope the applicants get their money back from the person who represented them.

karen31

He could re-take them, we are back in the UK now so would have to do the whole process from scratch we just dont have the funds anymore
Even our immigration officer said there was nothing else we could do hence my on going fight with the federal government!! Its easy for people to say do this or should've done that, but unless it happens you'll never understand the pain and hurt.....my quote on the operators license was to show he isn't stupid and yes we all messed around in school, unfortunatley some more than others!

Gremmie

What did his employer ( H&R Trans ) and the immigration experts VAR do, was their any help forth coming. I know of Brits working at H&R who infact have taken their exams in Alberta and passed and older than 41. Sounds to me like, and this will sound harsh, your OH gave up pretty easily.

iaink

I get the pain and hurt, and I dont think anyone is suggesting hes stupid, but without some sort of framework of rules immigration just doesnt work. Its very unfortunate that he came a cropper on the high school education criteria, CIC could maybe do more to spell out exactly what is considered an equivalent to that, although I think they delegate qualification equivelency to other bodies if I recall correctly. A professional adviser should certainly have picked up on it.

karen31

He did give up easily, something I think he regrets, but I wont dig at him about it he's been through enough.

He worked for Bison Not H&R, Bison were great but they were just the employer so couldn't help.

Gremmie

Well you can kiss that $7000 good bye. Did they offer any help or guidance