My name is Glenn Needham. I am the farmer referred to in Trina's thread - Dominican obtaining work visa for Canada? I now believe that the thread started by Trina needs a new name and thus have done jsut that.
I have not been contributing to this forum and this thread to this point but now feel I must - to try and correct the injustice in this work visa system.
Before reading any further please read Trina's thread on our attempts in 2006 to hire foreign workers. You will be astounded as to the amount of frustration that has been administered to us to this point. But wait it gets even "better" this year.
First off - I want to thank Trina for all the time she has given to fight this issue which I now believe after going through 2007 attempts is showing the signs of an out right scandal in the embassy in Santo Domingo and right up the chain of command to the office of Citizens and Immigration Canada here in Ottawa.
Ok - where do I start??
I will summarize "round 2" 2007 and state our findings and suspicions, At some point I will put together a website to document everything - including scanned documents received and all correspondence.
Early this spring I again applied to HRSDC for permission to hire foreign workers. This time I explained on the application that I travel to the DR yearly, that I know all the people that I have applied for, can communicate with them fine and that I do not want someone else deciding for me that the applicants language would be an issue. I was approved again this year and
immediately sent down HRSDC approved contract to the 4 applicants.
Betania was the first to go back to the embassy to reapply for this season. You will recall that Betania was the person that was encouraged to reapply after the fiasco that happened last year and told that she would almost certainly be granted the visa this year. Like last season Betania again gave up the funds for applying - $130 usd and told to come back in 2 weeks. Her
medical from last year was still valid so we assumed that she may be on a plane to Canada in time for the garden season.
Two weeks went by and Betania again made the all day trip across the island - her fifth trip and fifth day lost since this process began last spring. This time Betania was even more prepared, had more securities in the DR including a car, land and money in the bank. We were stunned to learn that she was again denied this time for a different excuse - I will use the word
excuse not reason because it is in fact a excuse - nothing that can be proven by anyone down at the embassy. They denied her
because they felt that she would not return! OK????
About 2 weeks later candidate 2 and 3 had accumulated there plethora of essential documentation to apply for a work visa.
Anyone familiar with the process knows that this is a long list of required documentation that in itself requires more money and time to assemble. C2 and C3 then made the all day trip by bus across the island to forfeit their 130 $usd to the Canadian government. Then again were told to make another all day trip back in 2 weeks.
I got the call from C3 that afternoon, she was in tears when she called saying that she and C2 were both denied for the same excuse as C1(Betania) - that the embassy staff felt that they might not return. At this point I dropped what I was doing in the fields and left the farm to drive home to get on the fax machine and demand answers from CIC.
Here is my fax sent to the office of Diane Finley - Minister of Immigration. I also cc'd Trina, Merv (another friend helping in the fight) PM Mr. Harper and my Member of Parliament - Cheryl Gallant.
The Fax
Good?? Morning all
Once again I find myself driving home from the farm to deal with this nightmarish ordeal with Immigration Canada, instead of getting some work done at the farm ? where I seem to fall further and further behind as the days go by due to lack of help.
Our strawberry crop (4 acres) is going to be ready in a matter of days and as a result of my recruiting efforts I now have 3 potential strawberry pickers available through the week until schools close for the summer (not until late June). I need help now or again a portion of my crop will rot in the fields as last year. So you can imagine my mood when I receive the phone call from one of the Dominican people crying - saying that she and another were both denied work visas for no rational reason. That makes 3 now ? of the 4 that I have applied for that all have been denied - # 4 is yet to go to the embassy.
SO - - I have just about had enough ? and I now demand answers!!
The reason given to the first 3 denied has basically been the same ? they are unsatisfied that the worker will return to the Dominican Rep. at the conclusion of the work contract.
This is just absurd! How can they determine that??
One of the candidates denied yesterday has worked before overseas in Italy and Spain!!
Ms Laura Diaz at the embassy in Santo Domingo tells me that no decisions are made there ? that all are made in Haiti where the applicants passports, application and paperwork are sent. So am I to believe that someone in Haiti looking at this paperwork can determine which candidates will return home to the DR?? HIGHLY UNLIKELY!!
I have requested Ms Diaz provide me with details as to what approx. percentage of Dominican Citizens (assuming no criminal or health reasons to hold them back) receiving HRSDC approved labor contracts are granted work visas? She replied that she can not give out that info. I asked what they look for in a candidate that might result in a approval of a work visa ? same
answer ? sorry can not tell you that. We talked on the phone for 5 minutes and I got NO answers. I have absolutely NO idea what qualities they are looking for (if any) or if they just flip a coin to determine the answer. Should I not be entitled to the answers to those very basic questions?
I am told that there is a preset limit for visas to Canada from the DR.
If this is true ? if there is any quota ? no matter what the number ? what they are doing by charging 130 usd to apply for a work visa would be illegal. If everyone ?rich or poor - is not given the same chance something is seriously wrong.
I am still left with the BIG QUESTION?
Is there any point sending applicant #4 to the embassy?
So here is what I want from you?
Ms Finley?
1 ? I want the name and phone number of a contact in the office in Haiti that speaks English that I can talk to. Again Ms Diaz refused to give me this ? top secret I guess???
2 ? I want to know the answer to those questions asked above..
-what % of able Dominican citizens offered HRSDC approved job contracts are granted work visas??
? How is approve/deny determined for these applicants? What are they looking for. How do they know who will and will not return to the DR?? Are they psychic?
? I would wager that the % rate for applicants in Jamaica and Mexico presented with the same HRSDC approved contract are dramatically higher ? I want the data on work visas approved from those 2 countries.
? Canada likes to call themselves the land of equal opportunities ? so I am assuming these numbers will be similar for Jamaica, Mexico and the DR ? right??? The facts should speak for themselves.
? I have sent these people money to cover the expenses of passports, visa applications, medicals, transportation back and forth 4 hours each way across the island totally more than one thousand dollars. The amount of money it takes for each of them to try ? is the equivalent of one or two months wages for these people. Should I not have the right to the facts ? if
there is little chance of approval ? why bother trying ? is this a fair system?
? I am not satisfied with the ?excuse? given for refusal of these first 3 applicants and I DEMAND THEY BE GIVEN AN APPEAL AND ANOTHER CHANCE.
I expect this second chance will not include starting over again and paying the fees again. After all ?unsatisfied the applicant will return? is not a reason but an excuse ? as how can anyone determine that ?? it is just an opinion ? nothing else.
What do they expect from me ? to lock up these people when not working to ensure they get back on the plane in the fall?? I THINK NOT. I will however promise to do everything in my power to ensure that they return to their country when the work contract is over.
Ms Burgos..
For the time being hold off on doing anything with the media ? lets see first if this can be resolved ASAP. Call me one my cell when you receive this.
Ms Gallant.
Please do anything you can to see that this unjust situation/system is looked at, and advise me please if there is anything else I should be doing.
Thanks all ? back to the fields for another long day.
Glenn Needham
Manager
White Pine Farms
Arnprior, Ontario
End of fax
I have not been contributing to this forum and this thread to this point but now feel I must - to try and correct the injustice in this work visa system.
Before reading any further please read Trina's thread on our attempts in 2006 to hire foreign workers. You will be astounded as to the amount of frustration that has been administered to us to this point. But wait it gets even "better" this year.
First off - I want to thank Trina for all the time she has given to fight this issue which I now believe after going through 2007 attempts is showing the signs of an out right scandal in the embassy in Santo Domingo and right up the chain of command to the office of Citizens and Immigration Canada here in Ottawa.
Ok - where do I start??
I will summarize "round 2" 2007 and state our findings and suspicions, At some point I will put together a website to document everything - including scanned documents received and all correspondence.
Early this spring I again applied to HRSDC for permission to hire foreign workers. This time I explained on the application that I travel to the DR yearly, that I know all the people that I have applied for, can communicate with them fine and that I do not want someone else deciding for me that the applicants language would be an issue. I was approved again this year and
immediately sent down HRSDC approved contract to the 4 applicants.
Betania was the first to go back to the embassy to reapply for this season. You will recall that Betania was the person that was encouraged to reapply after the fiasco that happened last year and told that she would almost certainly be granted the visa this year. Like last season Betania again gave up the funds for applying - $130 usd and told to come back in 2 weeks. Her
medical from last year was still valid so we assumed that she may be on a plane to Canada in time for the garden season.
Two weeks went by and Betania again made the all day trip across the island - her fifth trip and fifth day lost since this process began last spring. This time Betania was even more prepared, had more securities in the DR including a car, land and money in the bank. We were stunned to learn that she was again denied this time for a different excuse - I will use the word
excuse not reason because it is in fact a excuse - nothing that can be proven by anyone down at the embassy. They denied her
because they felt that she would not return! OK????
About 2 weeks later candidate 2 and 3 had accumulated there plethora of essential documentation to apply for a work visa.
Anyone familiar with the process knows that this is a long list of required documentation that in itself requires more money and time to assemble. C2 and C3 then made the all day trip by bus across the island to forfeit their 130 $usd to the Canadian government. Then again were told to make another all day trip back in 2 weeks.
I got the call from C3 that afternoon, she was in tears when she called saying that she and C2 were both denied for the same excuse as C1(Betania) - that the embassy staff felt that they might not return. At this point I dropped what I was doing in the fields and left the farm to drive home to get on the fax machine and demand answers from CIC.
Here is my fax sent to the office of Diane Finley - Minister of Immigration. I also cc'd Trina, Merv (another friend helping in the fight) PM Mr. Harper and my Member of Parliament - Cheryl Gallant.
The Fax
Good?? Morning all
Once again I find myself driving home from the farm to deal with this nightmarish ordeal with Immigration Canada, instead of getting some work done at the farm ? where I seem to fall further and further behind as the days go by due to lack of help.
Our strawberry crop (4 acres) is going to be ready in a matter of days and as a result of my recruiting efforts I now have 3 potential strawberry pickers available through the week until schools close for the summer (not until late June). I need help now or again a portion of my crop will rot in the fields as last year. So you can imagine my mood when I receive the phone call from one of the Dominican people crying - saying that she and another were both denied work visas for no rational reason. That makes 3 now ? of the 4 that I have applied for that all have been denied - # 4 is yet to go to the embassy.
SO - - I have just about had enough ? and I now demand answers!!
The reason given to the first 3 denied has basically been the same ? they are unsatisfied that the worker will return to the Dominican Rep. at the conclusion of the work contract.
This is just absurd! How can they determine that??
One of the candidates denied yesterday has worked before overseas in Italy and Spain!!
Ms Laura Diaz at the embassy in Santo Domingo tells me that no decisions are made there ? that all are made in Haiti where the applicants passports, application and paperwork are sent. So am I to believe that someone in Haiti looking at this paperwork can determine which candidates will return home to the DR?? HIGHLY UNLIKELY!!
I have requested Ms Diaz provide me with details as to what approx. percentage of Dominican Citizens (assuming no criminal or health reasons to hold them back) receiving HRSDC approved labor contracts are granted work visas? She replied that she can not give out that info. I asked what they look for in a candidate that might result in a approval of a work visa ? same
answer ? sorry can not tell you that. We talked on the phone for 5 minutes and I got NO answers. I have absolutely NO idea what qualities they are looking for (if any) or if they just flip a coin to determine the answer. Should I not be entitled to the answers to those very basic questions?
I am told that there is a preset limit for visas to Canada from the DR.
If this is true ? if there is any quota ? no matter what the number ? what they are doing by charging 130 usd to apply for a work visa would be illegal. If everyone ?rich or poor - is not given the same chance something is seriously wrong.
I am still left with the BIG QUESTION?
Is there any point sending applicant #4 to the embassy?
So here is what I want from you?
Ms Finley?
1 ? I want the name and phone number of a contact in the office in Haiti that speaks English that I can talk to. Again Ms Diaz refused to give me this ? top secret I guess???
2 ? I want to know the answer to those questions asked above..
-what % of able Dominican citizens offered HRSDC approved job contracts are granted work visas??
? How is approve/deny determined for these applicants? What are they looking for. How do they know who will and will not return to the DR?? Are they psychic?
? I would wager that the % rate for applicants in Jamaica and Mexico presented with the same HRSDC approved contract are dramatically higher ? I want the data on work visas approved from those 2 countries.
? Canada likes to call themselves the land of equal opportunities ? so I am assuming these numbers will be similar for Jamaica, Mexico and the DR ? right??? The facts should speak for themselves.
? I have sent these people money to cover the expenses of passports, visa applications, medicals, transportation back and forth 4 hours each way across the island totally more than one thousand dollars. The amount of money it takes for each of them to try ? is the equivalent of one or two months wages for these people. Should I not have the right to the facts ? if
there is little chance of approval ? why bother trying ? is this a fair system?
? I am not satisfied with the ?excuse? given for refusal of these first 3 applicants and I DEMAND THEY BE GIVEN AN APPEAL AND ANOTHER CHANCE.
I expect this second chance will not include starting over again and paying the fees again. After all ?unsatisfied the applicant will return? is not a reason but an excuse ? as how can anyone determine that ?? it is just an opinion ? nothing else.
What do they expect from me ? to lock up these people when not working to ensure they get back on the plane in the fall?? I THINK NOT. I will however promise to do everything in my power to ensure that they return to their country when the work contract is over.
Ms Burgos..
For the time being hold off on doing anything with the media ? lets see first if this can be resolved ASAP. Call me one my cell when you receive this.
Ms Gallant.
Please do anything you can to see that this unjust situation/system is looked at, and advise me please if there is anything else I should be doing.
Thanks all ? back to the fields for another long day.
Glenn Needham
Manager
White Pine Farms
Arnprior, Ontario
End of fax