She has been waiting for three months for a work permit

Photo Matthieu Payen
Albelthe John, aged 35, arrived in Canada in march, still awaits a work permit.

Matthew Payen

Wednesday, 16 August, 2017 22:14

UPDATE
Wednesday, 16 August, 2017 22:14

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Asylum seeker arrival well before the wave of migrants is currently awaiting a work permit for three months. She has since been forced to live in a house with her husband and two children.

“I want to work, I need to work on,” said Albelthe Jean, Haitian-35 years arrival of the United States last march.

The one that has been a store manager for 10 years in Port-au-Prince is seeking asylum and can get a work permit from Ottawa.

Tired of waiting for a response on the phone, the mother of the family went to the local Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). There, we explained to him that his file was being processed, but that she should wait at least one more month.

Time

However, Mrs Jean came to Canada prior to the wave of migrants from this summer. At the time, the admissibility of his application for asylum had been granted to the border and she was able to quickly file his application for a work permit.

However, in the last month, more than 5000 migrants have entered illegally in Canada. On Wednesday, more than 3,000 of them were still housed temporarily in Montreal.

Now, it takes four to five months before you know if the asylum application is admissible. This delay is added to the application for a work permit. On the CIC website, there is talk of 16 weeks prior to obtaining this permit.

In total, migrants must wait almost eight months before working.

“This is a non-sense, laments Stéphane Handfield, an attorney who specialises in immigration. Most of these people are young and want to work. Without work, they live on social assistance and do not pay tax. “

Solutions

It emits an idea that would shorten the wait. “The minister [of Immigration at the federal level] could provide to the agents who deal with asylum requests the authority to provide work permits, adds Me Handfield. This is the same department that manages the two applications, therefore, a migrant whose application for asylum would be deemed admissible would get directly the right to work. “

When asked about this suggestion, the government has responded that it will evaluate its options.

Ms. Jean was very excited that her situation changed. She currently shares a room in a duplex with his spouse and children three and four years.

She took advantage of his appointment on the rue Saint-Antoine to get to a few metres away, in the Centre of specialized service. This employment centre is the place where the migrants are making their application for social assistance. But as it is under provincial jurisdiction, Ms. Jean has no chance to advance his case.

Despite everything, she does not regret for coming. “I love it here, it is much more welcome than in the United States, she said. There, it is impossible to have papers, you are forced to work illegally. It is for this reason that I am a part of. “

She is said to have left his country because it was not safe for his children.

“In Montreal, I feel good, I walk alone with no problem, the streets are beautiful and well indicated,” she said.

She hopes to be able to make his life in the city, work there, but also study there.

Seeing all his fellow citizens who choose to join here, she hoped that they would have much desire that it contribute to the society. “It’s good to be helped at the beginning, but we need people to help Quebec in return,” she concludes.