(Below is a transcription of this video)
Hi, This is Michael Niren, immigration lawyer and founder of visaplace.com. It’s April 1st, 2015. Normally I would make an April fool’s joke, but today is, unfortunately, a sad day for a certain class of people in Canada, temporary foreign workers.
Approximately 70,000 Temporary Foreign Workers Will Be Forced to Leave Canada
The government has imposed a deadline on the time that these temporary foreign workers can stay in Canada, can remain in Canada, and can work in Canada and the expiry of their work permits, many of them, are today. Approximately 70,000 temporary foreign workers will be forced to leave Canada. This is a tragedy, a tragedy for Canadian employers who rely on the hard work of these temporary foreign workers, for Canadian consumers who enjoy the benefits of their hard work, and for the temporary foreign workers themselves who have come to Canada, who are very motivated, who want to contribute, who want to ultimately become permanent residents and help Canada grow economically and socially. There’s no benefit whatsoever for anybody to have these work permits expire and force them out.
The Government’s ArgumentÂ
The Canadian government has what I would consider a pathetic economic argument in defense of this. They’re basically saying, “Well, we should allow Canadians to have these jobs and give them the opportunity first to have these jobs.” This is a protectionist argument. It’s false. It doesn’t hold up to any economic scrutiny. Basically Canadians rely on these temporary foreign workers to fill some jobs that perhaps they don’t want to do or that they can rely on to move up the corporate ladder for other jobs. These temporary foreign workers themselves may do the same. We all benefit. It’s a win-win when we open the doors to foreign workers, especially given our aging demographic. Canadian society needs immigrants to fill our labor force. We are aging and if we don’t, we’re not going to compete globally. So this argument, this protectionist argument that Canadians first, it sounds good but it’s really harmful to Canadians. It’s harmful to everybody.
Options Available for the Temporary Foreign Workers AffectedÂ
Hopefully in some cases, these temporary foreign workers do have options. They don’t have to leave. It’s a case by case situation. Some may be able to apply under the humanitarian category or other categories for permanent residence to allow them to stay. It’s going to be a fight. It’s a fight that we shouldn’t even have to fight. Unfortunately, thanks to the government in power, they don’t see it that way. I think people should realize that this is a negative thing, a negative thing for Canadians, a negative thing for temporary foreign workers, for Canadian businesses and consumers.
Thank you and have a nice day. This is not an April fool’s joke. I wish it was. Please visit us at www.visaplace.com and if you like this video, click like and share it with as many people as you can. Get the word out. Thanks.
Are You a Temporary Foreign Worker in Canada?
If you have been affected by this directive, we may be able to help you. Firstly, you should know that the decisions will be made on a case by case basis. We can help you apply under the humanitarian category, or any other category that will be relevant to your specific situation. All you have to do is fill our FREE immigration assessment form and we will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your options.
President & CEO
Michael Niren
Mr. Niren is CEO of VisaPlace LLC and the President and Managing Partner of VisaPlace Legal Canada, an immigration law firm based in Toronto, and VisaPlace Legal US a law firm registered in The District of Columbia, USA. Mr. Niren is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section, American Lawyers Association, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
