Andrew Aigner-MuehlerLIVING OVERSEAS from my eyes.. EXTENDING OF VISA
January 26th 2008 05:21
EXTENDING OF VISA
On the 9th May 2006, my initial one-year working holiday visa had expired. By law I have to leave the country by mid night that night. I didn’t leave. The month prior to leaving on the 4th April 2006 I had sent of my renewal papers for extending my visa, which they successfully received on the 7th of April. So, unofficially I wasn’t illegal because I paid $150 for my visa and sent off all the paperwork at least three weeks before my visa expired, plus at the time of applying the average processing time was only 22 days, but, officially I was illegal, because I had no paperwork saying I was valid to stay and work in the country. If I had left the country, it would have been very hard to re-enter.
As each day goes by after the expiry date of my visa, I am checking the mailbox every day. It gets harder and harder, you can’t cement any plans, because you don’t know what future lies ahead for you, am I staying here or aren’t I staying here for another year? Can I book my trip to London in June for Steve’s and Tia’s wedding? What am I going to say to my boss if I cant stay? What would be his reaction?
The worst thing about outstaying your visa is that you start to become paranoid. You hear and see things in the media about other people who have out stayed their welcome, and what have happened to them. You start to think what would happen if they catch up with me? When will they catch up with me? What will they do? Will I be able to collect my things?
I will say I am panicking a lot more being in Canada illegal than when I was in England illegal. Firstly, there are not as many people. Secondly, on the national insurance cards in the U.K there isn’t an expiry date, on the S.I.N cards in Canada there is an expiry date.
I sought off know what its like for those immigrants who come into the country on a short holiday visa or even enter the country illegally. What do they go through? I don’t mind being sent home to my country, but a lot of those other illegal immigrants can’t go home to their country. Deep down, the world leaders want a democratic society, they want us to express our opinions freely and want it to be a free world. So, why cant people live, work and go anywhere they want? Why do you need visas?
Yes, I am illegal until my paperwork comes through, until I get a final yes or no saying I can stay, and I can leave and re-enter the country whenever I want. But, I am still paying taxes! I am not doing anything wrong! If they say no to extending my visa, I take it with a pinch of salt and leave. But, deep down I know my visa wont be rejected only because of certain relationships between certain countries around the world.
The reason for extending my visa anyway was to see if I could make it as an actor or not, the spring and summer seasons are quite good for auditions for commercials, print media, television and film. If it doesn’t look promising for me in those six months, I know I have given it a try and my best.
Anyway on the 16th of May 2006, I finally received my confirmation from the Canadian immigration department. I sought off new it was bad news only because of the thickness of the letter. It’s just like applying for a job if the envelope is thick you were successful if it is thin you weren’t successful. I wont tell you what the whole letter said, but the first paragraph went as followed:
This refers to your application for a work permit.
Your application as requested is refused.
After considering all the circumstances of your case, your application for a work permit cannot be approved as requested without a Human Resources and Skills development Canada confirmation. Your prospective employer is responsible for obtaining this confirmation.
We also wish to advise you that your temporary resident status expired on May 10, 2006.
You may apply for restoration if, within 90 days from the expiry of your temporary resident status you submit:
· A completed application form;
· Applicable fees for restoration and for the immigration document(s) in the amount of $350.00 payable at a financial institution in Canada;
· All required documents in support of your application.
There was more to the letter, even a line saying, “Please note that there is no guarantee your application will be accepted”, and also “You are a person in Canada without temporary resident status and if you do not intend to apply for restoration you must leave Canada immediately. If you do not leave Canada voluntarily, enforcement action may be taken against you”.
When I received this letter, I must say I was a little pissed off. I only wanted a extension for a extra six months to see me to the end of the baseball season, and also to the end of summer start of autumn, reason being is spring-autumn is when all the auditions happen, and as already mentioned earlier in this chapter, if nothing happens or looks promising in those six months for me, I will never make it.
I just couldn’t believe it Canada is a part of the commonwealth just like Australia is, and those two countries are suppose to have a good relationship, and many tourist travel to each country each year, and when and if those tourist do work while they travel, they do everything by the books, they get the required visa to legally work, they pay tax and file a tax return at the end of the year or when they leave. And then you have immigrants from other countries, not mentioning any, who enter the country illegally, if they enter legally, they don’t have the required working permits and they work under the table, so they don’t have to pay tax, and it doesn’t stop there. I should say its just not the immigrants from other countries, its also Canadian citizens, just like a housemate of mine, I don’t like using the word mate, because he is not a mate, who is perfectly okay, he is able to work and that but decides to stay at home all day in his room on the internet while also playing loud music and smoking joints, doesn’t work, doesn’t clean up after him etc etc and claims welfare. Sorry he tried getting a job; cash in hand one through the landlord while still accepting welfare. While I just want to stay for an extra six months to give something back to Canada experience wise and also gain experience for myself too make my resume better and stand out from everyone else. As we all know, human resource departments around the world value people more if they have gone out to receive extra training or have developed themselves overseas.
Anyway, as soon as I received the news about my extension refusal, I went and sat down with my boss, to see what to do. Tony said to me “whatever I needed to help me stay, he will try and get for me”. I wasn’t happy paying another $350 for restoration and a work permit, but it was better than paying $3000 if I went through an immigration lawyer, and I still had the same chance of getting a visa extension. So I telephoned C.I.C (Citizenship and Immigration Canada) toll free at 18882422100, like usual went straight to a telephone recording before being put through to a bi-lingual assistant, which I guarantee she (Claire) was a French Canadian. Claire was helpful and pleasant, but I will say she had a hard time understanding an Australian accent, plus it made it harder, because I wasn’t coming up on screen through my client ID. After a while she ended up giving me a local Toronto number 4169543111 and post office box number for HRSDC (Human Resources and Skills Development Canada). So, I gave that number a call and guess what, it was another voicemail recording asking me to leave my name, address, phone number clearly as well as what forms I needed. I left a message and still thinking that would be a waste of time. The next day, I ended up googling it on Google, typed in HRSDC, it came up with what I wanted, clicked on it, and I was in the website. Got the required forms I needed, read what I needed to know and also see if would be worth trying again to apply.
I passed all the information onto Tony my boss, Tony has to fill out the paperwork send it to HRSDC and they are going to send him back a HRSDC confirmation, and then I can apply for the working permit again, but that doesn’t guarantee me a workers permit. If I don’t get the HRSDC confirmation I cannot apply for a workers permit and then I have to leave. It’s a lengthy process. I don’t know why they say on their (C.I.C) website, to apply before two to three weeks before visa expires, when it surely takes much longer. With all the visas I have applied for in the pass, applying for Canadian visas and then getting accepted is the hardest by far. I can remember applying for my original working holiday visa before leaving Australia, and I received that just a day before leaving the country, and that took over two months almost three months to receive.
The couple days after receiving the refusal letter on the 16th May, I knew I had to stay in Canada working illegally for a extra month pass my expiry date, still paying tax and that, I new I sought of could stay because the letter said if it showed I was intending to stay and apply for restoration and that, I had 90 days. And if I couldn’t get a visa extension through Tony’s help, then I was going to ask Karisma Talent Agency, if there is a sought of visa I could get to stay and go to auditions and that, and if all that failed, I knew I was leaving on the 15th or 16th of June heading to London, England to attend my best mates wedding, and then head home to Australia. Not my wish for at least another six months, but when you get forced, you got no choice.
I did consider going to Accra in Ghana to do a I-to-I internship for four to twelve weeks in marketing or public relations before heading home starting the 7th July. That internship, even so it was only for a short term would give me valuable experience, and might even get me started in Australia.
Anyway on the 15th of June, I yet to receive my HRSDC confirmation, so I left for England to attend my best mates wedding. I knew I was taking a risk getting back into Canada, but I sought of knew I didn’t have a problem. I did make a telephone call to Immigration Canada before I left, and was told “on entry back in Canada, immigration would stamp my passport with a visitors visa, and would not be allowed to work until my extension comes through”. I was also told “it would be best to also have a copy of my employment agreement”.
I didn’t expect to get asked on entering the United Kingdom at Manchester airport, about my intensions after visiting the U.K, neither did I expect being asked by a security check when departing the U.K from Glasgow airport, when the female security officer checked my expired visa, and noticed it was expired, and started to ask me questions. I further explained to her the situation I was in, as well as showing her the initial refusal letter, which just confused her more, but she later said, “ I will be fine, and shouldn’t have a problem”.
I must say on our approach to Pearson airport in greater Toronto, I was feeling a bit edgy and worried. When we landed, like usual I just want to get out of the airport and get home, so I hurried to customs, the officer said “have I got anything to claim” I said “NO”. He checked my visa, I explained the situation, and then he sent me to the immigration line. After lining up for an hour and ten minutes, the immigration officer called me up to the counter. I do my usual thing, and soften them up, by talking about something. The perfect conversation was the world cup. I just asked him if he knew the score. He must have been keeping an eye on the game because he just enlarged the screen. We must have spoke about football for ten minutes or so, then he just asked me about my expired visa and why I over stayed. I quickly explained the situation, and also added I know I am not allowed to work until my extension comes through. Then he just said “that’s the main thing” closed my passport and gave it back to me. And I was on my way. He didn’t even stamp my passport or nothing.
On leaving the airport, I was going to call my boss Tony and say, “I was back in the country okay, no problems, and tell him what time I will be in tomorrow”, but couldn’t actually make the telephone call until reaching Kipling Subway station when Tony said “Andrew! You can’t work anymore! We received your confirmation two days ago and were refused. You’re not allowed to work here anymore”. I was shocked, and just said “I will come in and see you tomorrow”. That night I was so pissed. All I could either say or think off is that I am a commonwealth citizen; I have paid my taxes, filed my tax return, and worked hard for a year. I am no danger to the country, I am not a prospective terrorist or anything or about to go on welfare, and cheat the Canadian system. I just couldn’t believe thousands of people enter Canada yearly illegally, and some how later get a visa, or if they did enter legally, they would go on welfare, or not pay taxes, or wouldn’t work hard.
On going into work the next day Tony and Dan were so annoyed and pissed as well, can’t believe why I got the confirmation refused, but think it is because it is a seasonal position and come October, I would be out of work for five months. That is the only thing, they could think off. Anyway I stuck around for five hours, and using my own time (unpaid for work), I just assisted Frank who took over Baseball Media, and gave him a few tips and that. It also gave me a chance to say good-bye to all the Jays and media workers. I must say, I didn’t realize how liked I really was. Everyone could not believe I had my visa refused, along the same reasons I was thinking off the night Tony gave me the bad news. They also added “that’s the Canadian government for you”.
After receiving the news I couldn’t work in Canada any more, I just wanted to leave as soon as possible, and never return to Canada again, not even for a holiday or stop over. But! Tony, Dan, the Jays staff and all the media, all want me to return. Some how I have to figure something out when I get back to Australia, and see if I could get another permit and return for the next season. I promised them, by saying, “ I see what I could do and I will try to get back for the next season”.
I don’t know if knowing the media, and them knowing my situation, will one day add fuel to the fire, about the immigration debate or what. But I hope it does.
Anyway five days after receiving the bad news about my visa, I left Canada, and returned to Australia via Shanghai, China. I had all the intensions of extending my visa, I even telephoned the Canadian consulate over here to see what to do, as well as printing the required forms off the internet. But, all I can think off is that my visa expired, I got my extension refused, I left on good terms, and I enjoyed my job. Not to mention as well I started to like Toronto. The next time I go back, if I go back, it might be different, like it is usually the case, just like my first time I visited Los Angeles, I was a tourist, I did the touristy things, I stayed in the tourist suburb of Anaheim. I loved it. I wanted to live there. The next time I visited Los Angeles, four years later. I stayed in a fairly rough part of the city, Islington. Around where I stayed, the suburb had four murders in three nights. That was enough for me to get out of the place, so I left by Greyhound bus to return to Canada. I can also remember the shuttle bus driver wanted to drop me off at the gates of the bus terminal, I had one look out of the bus, and all I could see were little gangs. Luckily, the driver dropped me off by the front door. Since that visit I have never returned to Los Angeles, besides changing flights from Mexico, and to tell the truth, I probably unfortunately wont return either. That is why I am getting second thoughts about returning to Toronto. I don’t want to return, and then hate it and regret I returned. I think I might just stay home for a while now, and work on my next adventures, which probably wont be until I retire or in my fifties or something, and that is too teach English in Asia and South America.
On the 9th May 2006, my initial one-year working holiday visa had expired. By law I have to leave the country by mid night that night. I didn’t leave. The month prior to leaving on the 4th April 2006 I had sent of my renewal papers for extending my visa, which they successfully received on the 7th of April. So, unofficially I wasn’t illegal because I paid $150 for my visa and sent off all the paperwork at least three weeks before my visa expired, plus at the time of applying the average processing time was only 22 days, but, officially I was illegal, because I had no paperwork saying I was valid to stay and work in the country. If I had left the country, it would have been very hard to re-enter.
The worst thing about outstaying your visa is that you start to become paranoid. You hear and see things in the media about other people who have out stayed their welcome, and what have happened to them. You start to think what would happen if they catch up with me? When will they catch up with me? What will they do? Will I be able to collect my things?
I will say I am panicking a lot more being in Canada illegal than when I was in England illegal. Firstly, there are not as many people. Secondly, on the national insurance cards in the U.K there isn’t an expiry date, on the S.I.N cards in Canada there is an expiry date.
I sought off know what its like for those immigrants who come into the country on a short holiday visa or even enter the country illegally. What do they go through? I don’t mind being sent home to my country, but a lot of those other illegal immigrants can’t go home to their country. Deep down, the world leaders want a democratic society, they want us to express our opinions freely and want it to be a free world. So, why cant people live, work and go anywhere they want? Why do you need visas?
Yes, I am illegal until my paperwork comes through, until I get a final yes or no saying I can stay, and I can leave and re-enter the country whenever I want. But, I am still paying taxes! I am not doing anything wrong! If they say no to extending my visa, I take it with a pinch of salt and leave. But, deep down I know my visa wont be rejected only because of certain relationships between certain countries around the world.
The reason for extending my visa anyway was to see if I could make it as an actor or not, the spring and summer seasons are quite good for auditions for commercials, print media, television and film. If it doesn’t look promising for me in those six months, I know I have given it a try and my best.
Anyway on the 16th of May 2006, I finally received my confirmation from the Canadian immigration department. I sought off new it was bad news only because of the thickness of the letter. It’s just like applying for a job if the envelope is thick you were successful if it is thin you weren’t successful. I wont tell you what the whole letter said, but the first paragraph went as followed:
This refers to your application for a work permit.
Your application as requested is refused.
After considering all the circumstances of your case, your application for a work permit cannot be approved as requested without a Human Resources and Skills development Canada confirmation. Your prospective employer is responsible for obtaining this confirmation.
We also wish to advise you that your temporary resident status expired on May 10, 2006.
You may apply for restoration if, within 90 days from the expiry of your temporary resident status you submit:
· A completed application form;
· Applicable fees for restoration and for the immigration document(s) in the amount of $350.00 payable at a financial institution in Canada;
· All required documents in support of your application.
There was more to the letter, even a line saying, “Please note that there is no guarantee your application will be accepted”, and also “You are a person in Canada without temporary resident status and if you do not intend to apply for restoration you must leave Canada immediately. If you do not leave Canada voluntarily, enforcement action may be taken against you”.
When I received this letter, I must say I was a little pissed off. I only wanted a extension for a extra six months to see me to the end of the baseball season, and also to the end of summer start of autumn, reason being is spring-autumn is when all the auditions happen, and as already mentioned earlier in this chapter, if nothing happens or looks promising in those six months for me, I will never make it.
I just couldn’t believe it Canada is a part of the commonwealth just like Australia is, and those two countries are suppose to have a good relationship, and many tourist travel to each country each year, and when and if those tourist do work while they travel, they do everything by the books, they get the required visa to legally work, they pay tax and file a tax return at the end of the year or when they leave. And then you have immigrants from other countries, not mentioning any, who enter the country illegally, if they enter legally, they don’t have the required working permits and they work under the table, so they don’t have to pay tax, and it doesn’t stop there. I should say its just not the immigrants from other countries, its also Canadian citizens, just like a housemate of mine, I don’t like using the word mate, because he is not a mate, who is perfectly okay, he is able to work and that but decides to stay at home all day in his room on the internet while also playing loud music and smoking joints, doesn’t work, doesn’t clean up after him etc etc and claims welfare. Sorry he tried getting a job; cash in hand one through the landlord while still accepting welfare. While I just want to stay for an extra six months to give something back to Canada experience wise and also gain experience for myself too make my resume better and stand out from everyone else. As we all know, human resource departments around the world value people more if they have gone out to receive extra training or have developed themselves overseas.
Anyway, as soon as I received the news about my extension refusal, I went and sat down with my boss, to see what to do. Tony said to me “whatever I needed to help me stay, he will try and get for me”. I wasn’t happy paying another $350 for restoration and a work permit, but it was better than paying $3000 if I went through an immigration lawyer, and I still had the same chance of getting a visa extension. So I telephoned C.I.C (Citizenship and Immigration Canada) toll free at 18882422100, like usual went straight to a telephone recording before being put through to a bi-lingual assistant, which I guarantee she (Claire) was a French Canadian. Claire was helpful and pleasant, but I will say she had a hard time understanding an Australian accent, plus it made it harder, because I wasn’t coming up on screen through my client ID. After a while she ended up giving me a local Toronto number 4169543111 and post office box number for HRSDC (Human Resources and Skills Development Canada). So, I gave that number a call and guess what, it was another voicemail recording asking me to leave my name, address, phone number clearly as well as what forms I needed. I left a message and still thinking that would be a waste of time. The next day, I ended up googling it on Google, typed in HRSDC, it came up with what I wanted, clicked on it, and I was in the website. Got the required forms I needed, read what I needed to know and also see if would be worth trying again to apply.
I passed all the information onto Tony my boss, Tony has to fill out the paperwork send it to HRSDC and they are going to send him back a HRSDC confirmation, and then I can apply for the working permit again, but that doesn’t guarantee me a workers permit. If I don’t get the HRSDC confirmation I cannot apply for a workers permit and then I have to leave. It’s a lengthy process. I don’t know why they say on their (C.I.C) website, to apply before two to three weeks before visa expires, when it surely takes much longer. With all the visas I have applied for in the pass, applying for Canadian visas and then getting accepted is the hardest by far. I can remember applying for my original working holiday visa before leaving Australia, and I received that just a day before leaving the country, and that took over two months almost three months to receive.
The couple days after receiving the refusal letter on the 16th May, I knew I had to stay in Canada working illegally for a extra month pass my expiry date, still paying tax and that, I new I sought of could stay because the letter said if it showed I was intending to stay and apply for restoration and that, I had 90 days. And if I couldn’t get a visa extension through Tony’s help, then I was going to ask Karisma Talent Agency, if there is a sought of visa I could get to stay and go to auditions and that, and if all that failed, I knew I was leaving on the 15th or 16th of June heading to London, England to attend my best mates wedding, and then head home to Australia. Not my wish for at least another six months, but when you get forced, you got no choice.
I did consider going to Accra in Ghana to do a I-to-I internship for four to twelve weeks in marketing or public relations before heading home starting the 7th July. That internship, even so it was only for a short term would give me valuable experience, and might even get me started in Australia.
Anyway on the 15th of June, I yet to receive my HRSDC confirmation, so I left for England to attend my best mates wedding. I knew I was taking a risk getting back into Canada, but I sought of knew I didn’t have a problem. I did make a telephone call to Immigration Canada before I left, and was told “on entry back in Canada, immigration would stamp my passport with a visitors visa, and would not be allowed to work until my extension comes through”. I was also told “it would be best to also have a copy of my employment agreement”.
I didn’t expect to get asked on entering the United Kingdom at Manchester airport, about my intensions after visiting the U.K, neither did I expect being asked by a security check when departing the U.K from Glasgow airport, when the female security officer checked my expired visa, and noticed it was expired, and started to ask me questions. I further explained to her the situation I was in, as well as showing her the initial refusal letter, which just confused her more, but she later said, “ I will be fine, and shouldn’t have a problem”.
I must say on our approach to Pearson airport in greater Toronto, I was feeling a bit edgy and worried. When we landed, like usual I just want to get out of the airport and get home, so I hurried to customs, the officer said “have I got anything to claim” I said “NO”. He checked my visa, I explained the situation, and then he sent me to the immigration line. After lining up for an hour and ten minutes, the immigration officer called me up to the counter. I do my usual thing, and soften them up, by talking about something. The perfect conversation was the world cup. I just asked him if he knew the score. He must have been keeping an eye on the game because he just enlarged the screen. We must have spoke about football for ten minutes or so, then he just asked me about my expired visa and why I over stayed. I quickly explained the situation, and also added I know I am not allowed to work until my extension comes through. Then he just said “that’s the main thing” closed my passport and gave it back to me. And I was on my way. He didn’t even stamp my passport or nothing.
On leaving the airport, I was going to call my boss Tony and say, “I was back in the country okay, no problems, and tell him what time I will be in tomorrow”, but couldn’t actually make the telephone call until reaching Kipling Subway station when Tony said “Andrew! You can’t work anymore! We received your confirmation two days ago and were refused. You’re not allowed to work here anymore”. I was shocked, and just said “I will come in and see you tomorrow”. That night I was so pissed. All I could either say or think off is that I am a commonwealth citizen; I have paid my taxes, filed my tax return, and worked hard for a year. I am no danger to the country, I am not a prospective terrorist or anything or about to go on welfare, and cheat the Canadian system. I just couldn’t believe thousands of people enter Canada yearly illegally, and some how later get a visa, or if they did enter legally, they would go on welfare, or not pay taxes, or wouldn’t work hard.
On going into work the next day Tony and Dan were so annoyed and pissed as well, can’t believe why I got the confirmation refused, but think it is because it is a seasonal position and come October, I would be out of work for five months. That is the only thing, they could think off. Anyway I stuck around for five hours, and using my own time (unpaid for work), I just assisted Frank who took over Baseball Media, and gave him a few tips and that. It also gave me a chance to say good-bye to all the Jays and media workers. I must say, I didn’t realize how liked I really was. Everyone could not believe I had my visa refused, along the same reasons I was thinking off the night Tony gave me the bad news. They also added “that’s the Canadian government for you”.
After receiving the news I couldn’t work in Canada any more, I just wanted to leave as soon as possible, and never return to Canada again, not even for a holiday or stop over. But! Tony, Dan, the Jays staff and all the media, all want me to return. Some how I have to figure something out when I get back to Australia, and see if I could get another permit and return for the next season. I promised them, by saying, “ I see what I could do and I will try to get back for the next season”.
I don’t know if knowing the media, and them knowing my situation, will one day add fuel to the fire, about the immigration debate or what. But I hope it does.
Anyway five days after receiving the bad news about my visa, I left Canada, and returned to Australia via Shanghai, China. I had all the intensions of extending my visa, I even telephoned the Canadian consulate over here to see what to do, as well as printing the required forms off the internet. But, all I can think off is that my visa expired, I got my extension refused, I left on good terms, and I enjoyed my job. Not to mention as well I started to like Toronto. The next time I go back, if I go back, it might be different, like it is usually the case, just like my first time I visited Los Angeles, I was a tourist, I did the touristy things, I stayed in the tourist suburb of Anaheim. I loved it. I wanted to live there. The next time I visited Los Angeles, four years later. I stayed in a fairly rough part of the city, Islington. Around where I stayed, the suburb had four murders in three nights. That was enough for me to get out of the place, so I left by Greyhound bus to return to Canada. I can also remember the shuttle bus driver wanted to drop me off at the gates of the bus terminal, I had one look out of the bus, and all I could see were little gangs. Luckily, the driver dropped me off by the front door. Since that visit I have never returned to Los Angeles, besides changing flights from Mexico, and to tell the truth, I probably unfortunately wont return either. That is why I am getting second thoughts about returning to Toronto. I don’t want to return, and then hate it and regret I returned. I think I might just stay home for a while now, and work on my next adventures, which probably wont be until I retire or in my fifties or something, and that is too teach English in Asia and South America.
| 101 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
