Temporary foreign workers awaiting permanent residency approval to be sent home next week: NDP
Posted March 24, 2015 10:26 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – They’ve worked for years, paid taxes and are now getting sent home. One local NDP MP is worried about recent changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker program will result in many people awaiting permanent residency to be forced to go back to their own country.
Under the changes, as of April 1st, any temporary foreign worker who has been employed in Canada for four years or more will have to leave.
NDP Employment and Social Development critic Jinny Sims says there are a number of people who have already applied to become permanent residents, but although they are so close they won’t get that chance to stay.
“It seems unjust and cruel treatment to them to say now you’re leaving because the government has chosen an arbitrary date of April 1st.
She’s calling on Ottawa to give them an extension until after applications are processed.
“There are a number of workers who’ve given many, many years of service to this country that have paid taxes, that have had children in this country, and they’ve set roots. They qualify for permanent residency, they’ve got their applications in, they have to qualify before they take their applications, and now we’re asking the government to give them a reprieve until they’ve got their applications processed. We’re not asking for everyone to get an extension but just for those that have applications.”
She adds this policy is not only a problematic for families but also for employers who don’t want to their workers and the overall economy.
