Have 2 year temp work permit, got laid off after 5 months, cant get back to work

[joe schmoe]

Have 2 temp work permit, got laid off after 5 months for reduction in avaliable work. i want to live in canada, my wife is canadian, my work visa says i can only work for the company that applied for my LMO, and imigration says that i cannot work for another company until they apply for new LMO for them. New jobs must first have advertised for 2 weeks in a selected place, the position must not be able to be filled by a canadian resident. I have invested in a vehicle for my previous job because i was lead to believe that it would be the job to start my new life here, so now have a $12,000 debt that i cannot get back to work to pay for. My wife works but cannot cover everything of course. dont know what to do. cant afford to even pay for flight to go home. need help/advice. immigration wont tell me anything and hrdc and cic only want to talk to emplyers about LMO temporaty work visas.

I am a french polisher, cosmetic furnature repairer, funtature finisher and spray finisher. so not just an everyday skill

 

[Leon]

I am sorry but I see no short term solutions to your problem.

A long term solution would be to apply for immigration, with your wifes sponsorship would probably be the fastest way. It depends on where you are from how fast the outland application is, it is usually faster than inland to get PR but with inland, if all goes well, you could have an open work permit in 6 months and be able to take any job. However, if you can't afford a flight ticket home right now, how will you afford the immigration fees?

 

[joe schmoe]

exactly, if i cant get work,cant claim EI ,(and dont want to spunge really anyway), all job employers would prefer a canadian citizen rather than submiting paper work and waiting. i feel like i am on the bottom run of the ladder. I am skilled, i want to work, i want to live in canada.
Its really frustrating that temporay skilled foreign worker can bring siblings over after 3 years to live and work, but i cannot get an open work permit being married to canadian.

I think i even have to leave the country for 4 months to renew my temp work visa when it expires.

Is it really that cut and dry?

 

[Leon]

I have never heard that TFW's can bring siblings over after 3 years. You can't even do that as a PR or a citizen unless you live in AB, SK or MB and you and your sibling both qualify under PNP family stream in that province. A PR or a citizen can sponsor parents too under the federal system but it takes forever, at least 3 years.

Other TFW's have had exactly the same thing happen to them. Get laid off, can't get EI, need to find another job and get a new LMO or hope that the old employer calls them back or go home. There was somebody posting on here about a couple who sold their stuff in old country and went to Canada on the husbands work permit and he even lost his job before he started. By the time they came over, the employer said he couldn't take him on right away, told them 3 months, later he told them another 7 months or so. IMO the system needs to be faster and maybe more lenient for LMO's for somebody who is already in Canada. I don't think it would be good to forbid employers to lay off TFW's because that would cause problems when employers have to lay people off and only lay off the Canadians.

If you are a low skilled worker and have to go home after 2 years for a 4 month period, you should be more protected. Your employer probably has to pay for your flights so you should look into that. Look for Service Canada where you live and ask them, they might be able to help. If you can get your employer to pay for your flight home, at least then you can work and save up money to apply for your sponsorship.