Refused permit while flagpoling!

[Conormca303]

Hello I need some advice please. Last month I travelled from Edmonton to the Montana border with my LMO and job offer for a 2 year work permit. I was on IEC in 2011, before it expired I extended my stay with a visitors and was flagpoling with the visitor record. When I got through the US side and re-entered Canada my hell began, before leaving the car an officer told me if any of my documents were not right I could be going home there and then. I then went inside and was interrogated and grilled with questions like " how can you prove to me you will go back to Ireland after the 2 years when you are not married and do not have property there? " I'm 21 years old and could only answer with " because it is my home and my family Is there " this was not accepted by the officer and the aggressive questioning continued, I was so afraid I could barely speak. Eventually I was told I was not getting my permit and that I have to go home and apply from Ireland. I was heart broken and stunned. I just landed back in Ireland today and plan on sending my application away on Wednesday. I'm just worried that now do I have to write on my application that I have been rejected a permit before? I'm also worried that if it is approved I will fly back to Canada and have the same horrible experience again at the airport. Any sort of input, advice or even experiences would be much appreciated. Thank you

 

[SenoritaBella]

Wow... shocking... sorry you went through that experience. Is the reason for refusal that you did not satisfy the officer that you will leave at the end of your authorized stay?
There is a question on the application form asking if you have ever been denied temporary status(i.e. visitor/worker/student) or permanent residence or refugee status in Canada or any other country? You would have to answer "Yes" and explain the reason for refusal. It's not that big a deal(especially b/c you weren't denied for things like fraud, misrepresentation, etc) and shouldn't affect subsequent applications.

If they approve your work permit in Ireland, you should hopefully not have to deal with such questions. It's really sad what happened to you, but try not to let it affect you and remember you will meet a different officer when you come in again.

On further inquiry, it seems it is no longer possible to change status from visitor to worker inside Canada. See this: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/extend-stay.asp
"Working or studying in Canada

Most visitors to Canada are not allowed to work or study in Canada without permission.

You must apply for a work permit or a study permit before coming to Canada. If you are visiting Canada and you want to work or study, you must leave Canada and apply from your home country. However, in some cases, working or studying without a permit is allowed. For more information, see:
•Studying in Canada
•Working in Canada"

 

[Conormca303]

Thank you for responding. Yes it seemed like it, he always grilled me about a white out mistake my employer made on the job offer but it was a simple date mistake and he initialed it, he may also not have liked that I was stuttering and shaking like a leaf but that was before I wasn't expecting to be so aggressively questioned. The officer simply seemed like he had no intention of letting me stay from the moment I got there. I hope it does not affect my application. I hope so, the experience has left me so afraid of facing the Canadian border control again as I am just so frightened that they will be very hostile towards me and wont let me in. My family are in Canada and two oldest brothers were born there, I think its a ridiculous system that everybody's futures are all at the mercy of a border officer who may refuse you because he hasn't had is morning coffee yet. I'm very grateful for your response

 

[jondebaser]

Hi Conormca303,

I feel sorry for what happened to you, hopefully this will not happen to me, as I will be travelling by the end of the month and will apply for work permit by airport of entry under Alberta pilot program.

Regards,

Jon

 

[Conormca303]

I would not wish that upon anyone, I hope you're successful! Good Luck jondebaser

 

[james0011]

Not the worst" or the"best" thing that could happen. But certainly very sorry for what the"CBSA" official did to you. Mind you both cic and cbsa are independently working bodies of the govt. i have had this happen to my friend where he was rejected for a real stupid way for a permit from inside canada, when we went to cic local office their head officer met us both and said the staff is not "properly trained" and had the decision changed within a week, paid no fees nothing, but in your case i would say the officer brought up the only excuse without an evidence " you wont return to your country", without exercising any due diligence .

But on the flip side of it the fact that you were a visitor now and a worker BEFORE made the case stronger for him to think that you were not genuine worker under the IRPA provisions, all in all i really feel bad about you, coz i am a foreign national myself and know how it would feel if that would have occurred to myself personally