Outright racism at Canadian VISA office

[Hycore]

I completely agree with you Thaihubbie, non-Canadians should not have any authority to decide on the fates of Canadians and future Canadians in Canada, it is absolutely ludicrous.

 

[smrty]

canada is a racist country... if you think the visa office is bad.. just wait until you try to find yourself a job

 

[kiwikris]

Some people like the fact that they have the power of other people's lives and abuse this authority.
Sad but true.
I hope you fiqure out a way to get through this.

 

[Hycore]

canada is a racist country... if you think the visa office is bad.. just wait until you try to find yourself a job

What job are you looking for? If you think you can just walk into management or high-level positions without Canadian work experience or having your degree equated to a Canadian degree, this might be why you are having difficulties finding a job. I graduated with a Canadian degree and worked as a waitress before moving up into a provincial govt position. I didn't walk into a white collar, high paying job without putting my time in at the bottom first. And if you think it is easy to be working as a waitress and paying back student loans think again, almost everyone has a rough start, it is not racism.

Actually, preference is given to minorities and aboriginal people because the gov't is creating a representative work force. Before you start spouting off negative things about my homeland, please check your facts and do your research.

 

[boyee6576]

Getting the "perfect" job is not that easy for those of us born here. As already said, you just dont jump into positions of nice salary and benefits until you did your time at the bottom. I have business degree and worked as a sales clerk for years and slowly moved up to management. No job security, no sick benefits. You didnt work, you didnt get paid. You can be let go without giving you two weeks notice. No retirement package or anything but its a job. It was money. I had no problem doing whatever job I could until I could get the job I wanted even if it meant scrubbing toilets to get there. A job is a job. Better to have one and earn something then be without one and earn nothing. Many people come here that have degrees or are drs but cant practice their profession. The problem is proving credentials and you have to agree with the Canadian government being a bit careful on that. I would much rather go to a dr etc that my government could prove that they actually studied and earned their degree than someone who just had some dude printing off degrees and greating fake school docs where the government has no idea if the school even existed or suddenly "closed" after obtaining their so called degree. Although I feel extremely bad for those who are legit in being drs and driving cabs since we need family drs so badly. but this is the world we live in. Just like the immigration process itself, too many of those that are not legit ruining it for the rest of those who are. I wouldnt be so quick to call Canada a racist after all, if the country you came from is better, then by all means, go back to your homeland.

 

[thaihubbie]

I think these examples of outright racism should not be ignored. They are resulting from the Canadian Government's mismanagement of its embassies overseas. Due to the fact that it's more cost efficient to hire local workers at embassies overseas the number of actual Canadian officers who are doing interviews, granting visas etc etc are very few. Isn't this just looking for trouble?? Why are non-Canadians being given the authority to determine if someone can travel or immigrate to Canada?! That is a farce! This itself seems to me highly suspect and leaves applicants very vulnerable to the opinions of potentially under-trained staff. Secondly, who is monitoring for corruption? Who is monitoring whether money is changing hands or just bank account numbers? When my husband applied and was refused a Tourist Visa twice in Bangkok, he was interviewed by a Thai female officer. She was definitely curious about our situation (white Canadian woman-Thai man), she was definitely looking at me up and down I could just feel it. How do I know if she just didn't like the fact that I was marrying a Thai man and that's why he never got a visa? Maybe if I had asked for her bank account number we would be in Canada right now..... .

I am quoting myself because some of you have lost the point. Why are local staff-non-Canadians being given the authority to give Canadian Visas? Explain this to me? How can an non-Canadian officer be impartial if they are interviewing someone from their own country? This would be like a Canadian officer,deciding if a Canadian applicant could get a visitor's visa to China or wherever... . How is that possible?

 

[angelbrat]

I am shocked at the racism but puzzled about it too. It appears that these IO's are actually being racist to the white Canadian...yes??

This is not Canada being racist, its other nationalities being racist??

Yes they represent Canada but knowing little about the Outland visa offices, are these people citizens of Canada or citizens of the Country where the visa office is located??

As for the poster that said they experienced racism in the workplace, maybe it's because you have isolated yourself. I work with many, many immigrants and I am an immigrant myself. I have and neither have my fellow immigrant work friends ever received any form of negativity at work.

But, I have worked hard to emerge myself in the Canadian work culture and embrace Canadian society.

 

[jdwhite21]

There seems to be very little understanding as to how different nationalities can get married...
I was asked at my visa office, here in Canada, why I had married a Hispanic man if I was white. I found it rather rude, why is that people of different colors can't get married? It's especially funny because I'm not really a white Canadian per se, I am metis... And even funnier, the lady was not a white Canadian either, her family must have come here at some point in time. If Canada is supposed to be such a multinational country, why is it such a big deal for different cultures to marry?

 

[robrod]

No issues here with us... My wife is white canadian of german father and I'm hispanic from Mexico. Were not contacted for interview, no funny looks at the landing appointment either. Quite a pleasant experience instead here in Ontario. Beautiful baby girl we have as a result (of course, all parents think their children are beautiful, hehehe).

 

[Hycore]

My partner and I didn't have any problems with racism or discrimination and we are a same-sex interracial couple.

 

[ditta]

My story is not related to visa offices but personal experiences inside Canada. My husband and I are great friends with a couple, the wife is Canadian-pale skin, the husband is black African from Senegal. He is in Canada for a year as PR and they told us some stories about how people starring at them on the street or whenever they travel together the authorities always check him twice carefully as normal. This fall we flew together to Montreal and I have to say I felt ashamed in the name of Canadian officers. On the arriving to the airport at home they were asking for several identification at the check-in desk from him, however it was an inland flight...The security officer was extremely rude to him and when we had a stopover had supper in a restaurant where the waitress did not even acknowledge he was there with us. Never straightly questionned him, she was asking his wife to order. This man is more educated than most of us, has a Master in chemistry and was working for prestigious, word-wide companies. He is from a developing country, that's right but he is from an above-average family. Don't get me wrong, race, education-level, age should not matter how we treat people, especially if they are Permanent Resident and future Citizen of this country. On the other side, I'm not even a PR but I'm white, not looking any different than Canadians- I work in public and meet a lot of people each day, most of them assume I'm Canadian or French Canadian. If I tell that I'm from Europe and I live in Canada for only 3 years they are shocked. I was always treated equally in any way but sometimes do wander would it be the same if I look obviously different...

 

[hello8888]

We experienced the same thing with New Delhi. My husband is indian and I am white canadian. He was told that no Indian should marry a canadian. That indians only chase after white skin so that is the only reason he married me. She had alot to say and I emailed the High Commissioner himself. he responded and an investigation was done.

investigation does nothing, your word vs her/his, the same union they belong to is the biggest union in the country.

 

[HoneyBird]

My story is not related to visa offices but personal experiences inside Canada. My husband and I are great friends with a couple, the wife is Canadian-pale skin, the husband is black African from Senegal. He is in Canada for a year as PR and they told us some stories about how people starring at them on the street or whenever they travel together the authorities always check him twice carefully as normal. This fall we flew together to Montreal and I have to say I felt ashamed in the name of Canadian officers. On the arriving to the airport at home they were asking for several identification at the check-in desk from him, however it was an inland flight...The security officer was extremely rude to him and when we had a stopover had supper in a restaurant where the waitress did not even acknowledge he was there with us. Never straightly questionned him, she was asking his wife to order. This man is more educated than most of us, has a Master in chemistry and was working for prestigious, word-wide companies. He is from a developing country, that's right but he is from an above-average family. Don't get me wrong, race, education-level, age should not matter how we treat people, especially if they are Permanent Resident and future Citizen of this country. On the other side, I'm not even a PR but I'm white, not looking any different than Canadians- I work in public and meet a lot of people each day, most of them assume I'm Canadian or French Canadian. If I tell that I'm from Europe and I live in Canada for only 3 years they are shocked. I was always treated equally in any way but sometimes do wander would it be the same if I look obviously different...

when my hubby comes to vist me in my home country, they do the opposite. he is white. they treat him like god..seriously the treatment i get with him when we go out is so different than if i went out by myself or with someone darker. i guess people have not lost the slavery mentality and the white man is massa as yet in the caribbean.