LMO ALBERTA PROCESSING TIME TAKING TOO LONG or am I being scammed?

[moniqueespino]

Hi, I just want to share my (current) experience as I am getting really anxious and frustrated about what is happening with my application. I have read on many threads here and on other related forums that the processing time for Alberta is 14 weeks max. I also inquired with an immigration consultant who is a friend of a friend and she said the same thing. My application was submitted October 2011 (no definite date) and I haven't heard any clear updates up until now. So here's the rest of my story:

We hired an immigration lawyer who is based in Alberta but comes to the Philippines from time to time, he was recommended by one of my Aunt's close friends so we decided to put our trust in this guy. We met up with him for the first (and last) time Oct 2011 to conduct a short interview and turn over copies of my documents (TOR, diplomas, certificates, etc. & he has my passport too). He informed us his client/friend is an executive at West Edmonton Mall so that's where he will be submitting my papers, he also asked me to fill up a Walmart form as he will also be sending my application there and since he will be flying back to Alberta, he'll hand over my papers personally to the establishments mentioned. I am a Hotel and Restaurant Management graduate with work experience, so we assumed he will be placing me somewhere related to my field of study. Actually, anywhere will do as long as it is a legal, decent, paying job in Canada. Then we didn't hear from him until my Dad asked me to send an email to ask for updates during the 1st week of December, which he REALLY took the time to answer because we received a reply around 2 weeks after. Everything is just weird and this does not feel like it's the "normal" way of having LMOs and work permits processed. He never emails us first like what a lawyers is supposed to do to assure us and inform us any news he might have, we always have to be the ones to contact him first and like I said, it takes weeks for him to email back. Here's the catch: I don't even know what position he applied me for. He just gives vague responses. He did not give us any contact information, except for his email address and home phone number here in the Philippines. He did not give us a receipt of any kind for the services we paid for (which I have to say IS NOT CHEAP). In his last email, he said my Walmart application has been processed and would depend on personnel turnovers. It has been approximately 20 weeks and counting. I have not received any call yet for a job offer or anything. I really need to be able to leave within the year because right now, my family needs financial support and it falls on me since I am the eldest.

I searched for our lawyer's name on Google, he has many online profiles and there isn't anything posted about him that he's a scammer. The company he is under is also affiliated with a UK immigration company. I will not state his name or the name of the companies for confidentiality purposes.

If anybody else experienced this, please let me know!

 

[scylla]

I vote scam.

You don't know what the job is. You've paid someone a lot of money for the visa (it would cost you almost nothing if you were working directly with a real employer). I assume you've never spoken with your employer (What employer doesn't interview a candidate before hiring them? I can guarantee you that Walmart doesn't.). I also sincerely doubt that Walmart hires foreign workers this way.

It's like they say, if it sounds too good (and too easy) to be true - then it probably is.

 

[tryagain]

my friend got approval from hrsdc after 7 month from alberta. he applied in 2010-feb,on that time his lawyer did not provide any job offer until he got positive approval of lmo.its big story i can't explain you .overall he got pr in alberta last year. may be it is scam or may not. IN WORK PERMIT HRSDC DOES NOT TAKES TOO LONG AND DEPENDS ON TRAFFIC. I KNOW IT/S VERY HARD TO GET DIRECTLY JOB FROM CANADIAN EMPLOYER BUT IT IS SAFE AND RIGHT WAY.
GOD BLESS YOU

 

[Man415]

From what I know when I signed my contract, everything should be there , position salary, place of work , even my off day and work schedule is there, so you should be able to know it.

I am too before a little skeptical as my Canadian employer only communicates via email and we haven't talked yet but what I like is that when I email him about any concerns, he replies very fast and you can really feel that he is concerned as well.

Look at the job sites if that Wallmart is really hiring. If you can't find any ( As it is one on the major requirements in submitting of LMO ) then it is something that you should be concerned of.

 

[lovely20]

It's a scam. First there is no Walmart within West Edmonton Mall. I have not heard of Walmart hiring foreign workers. Establishments who hire foreign workers are in the food and beverage business (Tim Horton's, McDonalds, A&W, Dominos, Wendy's to name a few) or hotels (room attendants).
The process of working here is not as easy as he wants you to believe. First there should be a positive LMO (Labour Market Opinion) acquired by the employer, which means they can't find any Canadian or resident who can do the job/or willing to the job. The job has to be advertised for a couple of weeks and they have to prove that they are finding it hard to hire locals. There are times it can be an open LMO (meaning they can just write down the name of the worker). The employer will then send the LMO to the prospective employee and then the work permit application will be submitted where the employee is (in your case, it will be processed in Manila). An employer will never ask for your passport, they might ask for a copy of it. And how the hell can Walmart process your paper if they haven't even interviewed you yet? I live in Alberta if that helps and if you want to send me a message about that person I can ask around.

 

[tryagain]

guys if he is registered agent then he can complaint to immigration department