213 posts 4/1/2015 3:12 pm
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Hotel rooms won't be cleaned, double-doubles won't be poured
The temporary foreign workers in Canada packed their bags, but they're not ready to go. Tens of thousands had their permits expired on April 1, 2015. A mass exodus of them is on the horizon as low-skill employees who have been in Canada at least four years are forced to leave whether they like it or not.
In 2011, the federal government changed the rules — giving TFW in low-skilled jobs the option to apply to become permanent residents or leave the country after their permits expire. But many of those who wish to stay are still waiting for the paperwork to be processed leaving them in limbo.
Most of those workers are employed in the agricultural and fishing industries. Bill Stevens, the CEO of Mushroom Canada, is pushing for a reprieve. "Frankly, it's crisis with us because we're losing workers who don't want to leave, who have proven themselves to be valuable and deserve an opportunity to apply for citizenship," Stevens said. He says the $900-million mushroom industry relies on temporary foreign workers to do jobs it can't fill with Canadians. He says Highline Mushrooms in Kingsville, Ontario and Rol-Land Farms near Blenheim are both facing major decreases in production, if the deadline is upheld.
"The whole thing amounts to a major decrease in the production of our commodity, and they're going to suffer from it, they're going to lose markets, and especially now when the markets are really very strong," Stevens explains. He is pushing for a moratorium on the April 1 deadline and for new avenues for low skill temporary foreign workers to achieve.
Windsor Immigration lawyer Maria Fernandes says,“I would like to see a reprieve. Give these people two more years so we can create a program that leads to permanent residency. We don’t have a mechanism to allow them to obtain permanent residency in Ontario. Under the old rules which were changed in 2011, workers could simply reapply to continue working for their Canadian employer.”
Now, after a temporary foreign worker has reached their four-year cumulative duration limit, they will not be granted another work permit for an additional four years. After that time has elapsed, the worker will again be permitted to work in Canada. Fernandes mentions she has one who has worked 17 years in Canada and must now leave for four years before being able to apply again.
"The temporary foreign workers we’re talking about are doing jobs Canadians don’t want to do," says Fenandes. She claims employers tell her there is a very high turnover of Canadian employees in those types of jobs. She also mentions a higher wage isn't the solution and that by allowing temporary foreign workers to stay, it increases productivity at the businesses and creates spinoff jobs. They work at fisheries, on farms and as ethnic cooks - all jobs she said Canadians don't want. She claims a higher wage isn't the solution and that by allowing temporary foreign workers to stay, it increases productivity at the businesses and creates spin off jobs.
Hotel rooms won't be cleaned, double-doubles won't be poured, and the workers themselves will have to give up the dream of a better life in Canada.
"We're relying on the anecdotal stories from our members," says Mark Von Schellwitz of Restaurants Canada. "We don't have accurate numbers how many are leaving, but we know we're losing quite a lot of people as of Wednesday."
According to Employment Minister Jason Kenney in a letter to Conservative MPs obtained by CBC News, “1,000 temporary foreign workers in Alberta who had applied for permanent residency in Alberta were offered a one-year reprieve while they waited for their applications to be processed.”
Mary-Ann Salilican moved to Canada from the Philippines six years and six months ago, and she hoped to live out her life here. “I'm scared. I don't know what will happen...I don't want to go home for good,” she said. “ I don’t think I’ll be able to find a job in the Philippines, which would mean the family I have been supporting for years will suffer. I always cry, because I don't know what will happen to my life, and my niece and nephews who I support to go to school.”
The government has not revealed how many people have to leave by the deadline but some advocacy groups estimate it could be as many as 70,000 countrywide. "Those dreams of staying in Canada are all gone," said Marco Lucinao with Migrante Alberta.
Lucinao's group has been trying to keep temporary workers informed about their rights, including health-care options if they decide to stay illegally. He said many are confused about the rules and what steps are needed to become permanent residents. "These are also people. It's our responsibility as human beings to help others."
One extreme case involves Maria Victoria Venancio who came to Canada from the Philippines in 2011 to work at McDonalds. Two years ago, she was hit by a car while biking to her job. The accident left her in a wheelchair and unable to work. She could not renew her work visa because of her injuries and is now living in the country illegally and without health care.
Venancio said she's still holding out hope the government will make an exception because she was hurt while working here. "This not fair for the people who work hard for this country," she said.
Grizel Marron has lived in Edmonton for five years and gave birth to her , Ghian Zach nine months ago. She's afraid to go back to the Philippines where she won't be able to afford the same quality of health care for her baby. "I need to stay for my baby's future," she said at an information session for temporary foreign workers on March 31.
Clarizze Truscott was at the session to answer questions as a spokeswoman for the Temporary Foreign Work Support Coalition. She has been touched by countless stories about workers. Her group is lobbying the government to provide permanent status for all temporary foreign workers and their .
She said the TWF program as it stands now treats people as disposable. "It makes victims of innocent migrant workers and their who are caught in this mess."
In September, then finance minister Jason Kenney said the changes to the program were necessary to make sure Canadians get first access to available jobs. Despite the deadline, Salilican refuses to give up her Canadian dream.
She's now appealing to the federal government on humanitarian grounds, because she said going back to the Philippines will be more like leaving home than going back meaning she considers Canada as her home.
— Summarized and edited from the CBC News
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Once in a while, someone comes along to put you on top of the world.  
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1221 posts 4/1/2015 5:31 pm |
hi chester...
This totally killed the Canadian DReam!
this news saddened me. Many people will really be left hanging especially their dreams for families..
It is just like here in my place there is no security of tenure since every 6 months, ENDO,, One needs to reapply. too saddening..
but life goes on..
I pray the Canadian govt will still give chance to our people and other people of the world for permanency there so they can uplift other lives.
I pray too that our govt find a way to address thi problem. But I doubt!
have a blessed n peaceful Easter Holidays Chester! hugss
susan
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2458 posts 4/2/2015 12:22 am |
I'm saddened by the comments I've read so far. Instead of empathizing with our kababayans, they are made to feel that they are to blame. They steal the jobs of the locals, they don't file their application on time, they remit money to the Philippines, in other words they didn't do anything right. And the sad part is these comments are coming from fellow kababayans. I don't where the latter are now. They must be kababayans who don't remit money to the Philippines, who don't contribute to the welfare of their relatives there. One even thinks Filipinos are parasites who live on the kindness of the Canadian Government without the hardships of the menial jobs that is offered to them even showing her ignorance of economics.
I work hard for my money; let nobody tell me where to spend it. And to all those Filipinos who are affected by this law, there are legal ways to fight it. And to those who are not affected by it, help our kababayans instead of faulting them. Let's show our unity.
And to those who have nothing better to say, just keep your mouth shut.
I'm a senior citizen . Don't expect me to remember anything 
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2458 posts 4/2/2015 12:23 am |
By the way, Chester, a great and timely blog
I'm a senior citizen . Don't expect me to remember anything
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