A slap in the face for those of us taking the "correct" route

[LCS]

Just out in the news today:
"The federal government is changing some of the guidelines to the temporary foreign workers program to help ease some of the labour pains for short-staffed employers in Alberta.
A pilot project announced Monday by Human Resources Minister Monte Solberg will fast-track foreign workers from 12 specific sectors, such as construction and tourism and hospitality.
Now, employers wanting to hire someone in those sectors from other countries will only have to wait a few days instead of months for government approval.
"The time process to go through and have them reviewed and finalized was still taking up to about four months. This is huge, with reducing it to three to five days," said Dave Kaiser, president of the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association.
New staff have been hired to process the applications, which is part of a pilot program available only in Alberta and B.C.
Demand for foreign workers increased by 400 per cent in Alberta in the past year alone."

This is unbelievable, why are the rest of us who have taken months and sometimes years to apply for our family member to come here to Canada, made to wait so long when this news article states that some workers could be approved in mere DAYS. What kind of risk is the Government taking with possible security issues and flight risks of these people? I was told that a group of people who were at one time approved in the full landed immigrant process turned out to be terrrorist risks so the Government was taking even more time and precautions. I have also already read of many instances of temporary foreign workers disappearing after working only a short time. What kind of effective checks and background searches could POSSIBLY be made on these people?
Why are we getting delayed and ignored when we've gone the long, time consuming expensive route of a proper application as these temporary foreign workers rush in past those of us still waiting? Once here, those people get to start their lives in Canada and while working and living here, they will be allowed to start the landed immigrant process after an initial wait time. Yes it may be after some years but they are already HERE and earning a living after having been approved to come here in only days. How much sense does that make.
This is a double standard and huge insult to those us following the standard process. What are our options to demand we get our applications attended to before these fast tracked temporary foreign workers. This is making me just furious.

 

[mikelingen]

You have not mentioned who you are sponsoring and from where. I take it someone close. It's just that you have to keep persisting and having faith in CIC. It not "a slap in the face for those taking the correct route" You are looking at things very negatively. The two routes into Canada in your comparison are entirely different. And does not mean an "incorrect route". The people coming to Canada in 'days' are one's needed here immediately to work. It makes economic sense to approve these applications, as these people's skills are in demand.
Cheer up and don't worry too much. Your application should be through anytime soon. I will say a small prayer for you.
All the Best !!!!!


Ps. Every form of Immigration/foreign Workers will have it downsides, like undesirable elements, and should not stop Canada from amending their immigration policy - which is one of the best in the world.

 

[LCS]

I am a second generation Canadian, sponsoring my husband from Peru. His personal history has no other complications affecting our application such as any children, an ex-spouse or common-law wife, no personal illnesses, no legal or police problems, no other family members being included on our application. He served an obligatory 2 years in the military in a clerical position administering sending clothing and other supplies out to various locations, he was never in any active combat whatsoever and Immigration was told this. This is what they have stalled on is the simple confirmation of this.

I don't really care that people being brought here in days are needed immediately for work. My husband ALSO could be employed immediately in a couple of places I know of, including the construction sector that was quoted. I think it also makes more sense that a person who will be remaining in Canada be placed in a job who will stay with that job and not be a temporary band-aid fix for a company’s needs, and after the time and training invested in them, may be forced to leave again leaving the company in the same dilemna. Therefore, it makes MORE sense to get a Family Class person here before a temporary employee.
When I questioned a person I know who is employed in hotel and tourism recruitment and training, she confirmed to me the Hotel and Tourism sector, amongst others, had lobbied to put pressure on the Government and have forced the change in the temporary foreign workers entry times to accommodate their needs.
The only economic sense it makes is that the government can take money quickly from those people by allowing them to come here to work so fast, they have given in to the pressure of big business . It does NOT make economic sense that these companies may lose those workers because they ARE "temporary" while permanent residents are waiting on the long route.
The whole fast tracking process completely bypasses the same grueling security and background checks that we Family Class applicants have had to go through. How is it that temporary foreign workers can be cleared of any possible threat to Canada’s national security in only a few days?
Yes, there sure are two ways to come to Canada. And your Family Class method is not the one being given preference to.

 

[Canadian-loyal]

LCS:

I understand how you feel exactly right now. Please read my original thread and let me know how you think:

This is the link:

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/undertaking-illegal-allien-interpretation-of-feb-2005-change-of-law-t5723.0.html

 

[Gotchaa]

Dear LCS, How are doing and how is your process going up till now? I have posted my comment on "Time After Interview". I feel you and I both are frustrated with the way CIC handles the cases of genuine couple. They do not give you any indication how long and why the process is taking more than necessary time. Their online time frame is still showing more than 80% of the cases are finalized in 8 months in Pakistan, Islamabad. Mine has crossed that limit and yet no positive or even negative response from them. Wish you all the best.

 

[LCS]

I'm sorry for the delay, I have not looked in on the site for awhile. As I stated in another post, it is now almost 14 months since the application was started in Lima AFTER I had been approved for sponsorship here in Canada in August 2006. It's at the same stand still since last February when the additional military info. (superior officer's names and posting location) was given to them. As far as I know this is the ONLY thing holding up the application. No other concerns have been indicated to either of us. Anyone in the military that they may have tried to contact to confirm my husband's non-combat clerical supply office duty would no longer be in the military since his service was 10 years ago. I'm sure no one is responding to the requests, and the Embassy is clearly doing NOTHING to be proactive and forceful about getting an answer to complete this.
It was suggested to me to contact my MP, and I wrote a long detailed letter with all the facts and timelines, and their office telephoned me the day she received my letter. She did not seemed surprised and offered immediately to start investigating. She has now sent a SECOND request (first was not answered after a week) to the Embassy office in Lima to 1) request a status and 2) find out why this one detail has not been finished off and our case completed. I also sent a copy of the letter to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. I will give my MP's office time to see what they get as a response, they have been very helpful, and hopefully that will be enough to wake the Embassy up and start doing their jobs. If that doesn't work and even the MP gets the run-around, I will be going to the news media. There has been MUCH publicity about Temporary Foreign Workers swarming into Canada, but our side of the immigration story has not been exposéd in the news where our Family Class applications are not being processed in reasonable times and Embassies are not obtaining information on their side, while they are inviting TFW's to apply and can possibly be processed in times counted as days, not months and years like us.
I would urge everyone who has waited far too long past the published processing times (as long as there is no actual known problem that your case is being held up on) to do the same and bombard your MP's with your stories and the news media if necessary. The inefficiencies and ineffectiveness of the Immigration process has to be told. It works great if you are a TFW, but not if you want your spouse to get here.

 

[Gotchaa]

LCS, I wish you all the best, I know how you feel. Could you please tell me if you are from Quebec Province. Since my wife is from there and I may advise her to contact the MP and write a letter to that office too. Although my case has not been as long delayed as yours uptill now but its better to be prepared before its get too late. And how will you approach the media? Why would they be interested to cover your story? I am just curious, dont mean any offense. take care

 

[LCS]

Gotchaa,
No, I'm not in Quebec. But I would not have your wife write her MP until after your maximum processing time has run out.
The processing time for us 'should have' been the 8 months posted on the website. I waited until a full year since the application started at the Embassy offices. I think that was long enough to become puzzled and impatient as to why the additonal information they had been looking into for the previous 9 months still had not been obtained by them.
If I have to go to the media because my MP cannot even get something done, I will choose a news source that has previously reported immigration issues and especially the report at the end of September that TFW would be processed into Canada in "days". I'm sure they'd be interested in covering how there's a side to legal spousal applications that is being delayed, possibly even because we are being displaced by immigration being too busy processing TFW on the demands of certain business sectors. And that MP's offices can not even get something done about it.
take care

 

[Gotchaa]

OK, thanks for the information LCS. I hope you wont have to go to the news media since you will have your husband with you soon. I am impressed with the way you know how to push the right buttons in the system there. I might be asking your advise from time to time about my case. Wish you all the best. Take care you too

 

[LCS]

I thought about going to my MP, and it also was strongly suggested to me by a relative who is involved in their local political area and told me to go to my MP. Then a couple of other people said go to the news channels, after all, if you want injustices to be uncovered out in the open, talk to the news.
I am first going the route of my MP since they are your representatives in the system that have the authority to question and demand answers of other departments, in this case immigration. Hopefully this is all that will be necessary.
Thank you for your post on the other topic about your intuition that I will have good news soon.

 

[Learan]

This just infuriates me beyond belief. I am in the process of being sponsored by my wife, a Canadian citizen, and have been waiting for 9 months already - only to find out today that our paperwork has been sent to our 'local office' and the wait time THERE is 12-18 months. I do reside with her in Canada, so at least we get to be together, but I have been unable to work since I arrived - and that has been the hardest part! I'm 23 years old, from the United States, and have been working since I was 16 - I speak the language, have a high school (and some college) education, and I can't drive a block without seeing a 'Now Hiring' sign!

Now to find out that they are fast-tracking employment applications just to get people into jobs? When Family Class sponsoree's, like myself, who are completely capable and ready to work are being forced to wait years?

This entire system is handled so poorly. I'm so disenchanted with the whole process that if I thought for a second I could handle being apart from my wife for the 6 months it would take for me to re-enter the country on a work visa, I would.

Good people are being punished for doing things the right way and it's just so sad.

Good luck to everyone.

 

[LCS]

Learan,
You are in the same position I am as stated in my long rant. How is it that we are getting slow service/ no service and yet TFW's that have been matched up with an employer who needs someone, so then sponsors them, are coming here in droves, and we are seemingly put on the back burner with our Family Class status?
The Canadian Immigration process is disgusting, infuriating and pathetic.

 

[Gotchaa]

I received AOR in late January 2007 had an interview late September 2007, I havnt heard any decision about our application yet. According to published waiting time for Islambad, 80% of the cases are being finalized in 9 months, our time has gone beyond that. Should I start digging through CAIPS? The guy called me two weeks ago about information that he asked me which I had sent one month ago. He must have got the information last week since I faxed it again. Should I wait thinking that they might be working on our application? Dont know what to do.

 

[Frustrated Canadian]

LCS,
If you indeed go to some media please let us know! Myself included -- I have been pondering the idea for quite some time now!

Best of Luck!

 

[LCS]

Gothcaa, your situation is starting to sound like mine. Have the interview, then get asked for more information, and then sit and wait. In our case it was interview in Nov 2006, asked for more info in Feb 2007 and it has been doing nothing since then. See from that how long a wait you might be in for?