Title: Construction Workers Face Uncertain Future Due to Permit Issues

A construction company in Dartmouth is seeking assistance for three Filipino employees who may have to leave Canada due to errors in their work permit renewal applications. Brycon Construction failed to pay a $230 employer fee in two cases and did not submit a required labour market impact assessment in another. As a result, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) rejected the renewal applications and instructed the workers to stop working immediately. They now face the choice of either starting the application process over or leaving the country within 90 days.

"I thought, 'oh my God, is this really happening?'" said Dave Hiscock, operations manager at Brycon Construction. He expressed confusion over why the IRCC did not flag the missing details in the applications. "It's an awful penalty for whether a fee wasn't paid or a piece of paper wasn't put in. You're uprooting three-plus lives," he added. Hiscock emphasized that the workers have been responsible during their time in Canada, paying taxes and contributing positively to the company.

In a statement, IRCC noted that it is the responsibility of the workers to ensure their applications are complete. If they believe an error occurred in the decision, they can appeal. Otherwise, they must reapply, a process that typically takes about six months. During this time, the workers cannot work, and their provincial health cards become invalid.

Brycon Construction recently began a significant project on the Highway 103 twinning between Hubbards and Chester. The three affected workers—Jafferson Palabasan, Raddy Adams Manicadao, and Rene Logrinio—are crucial to the project. Hiscock reached out to his local member of Parliament for assistance but was informed that nothing could be done to expedite the situation.

The rejections were unexpected for the three men, who arrived in Canada together in 2022. All have applied for permanent residency, hoping to bring their families to Halifax. Now, they are uncertain about how to afford basic necessities. "It's a dream city to me. It's a better future for my daughter," said Palabasan, who has been waiting to bring his wife and six-year-old daughter from the Philippines. "Seeing them struggling doubles the hardship I'm experiencing now."

Logrinio, who supports his wife and three daughters back home, expressed concern about his ability to wait for the new application process. "Without a job or income, I cannot survive here," he stated. Adams Manicadao mentioned that his savings are nearly depleted, making it difficult to afford his wife's diabetes medication.

Elizabeth Wozniak, an immigration lawyer in Halifax, noted that the work permit process is complex and that it is common for applications to be rejected over minor, correctable mistakes. She explained that immigration officers used to have the discretion to address missing information, but now applications are often rejected outright. "When it doesn't work, it goes really, really badly really fast, and the consequences are huge," Wozniak said.

Hiscock also highlighted the challenges of hiring local staff, stating that even when he schedules six job interviews, only one applicant typically shows up. Brycon currently employs 18 international workers out of a total staff of 120, all of whom hope to remain with the company long-term and achieve permanent residency in Canada.

Reflecting on the situation, Hiscock stated that he has learned a valuable lesson and plans to use immigration consultants in the future to ensure that applications for international employees are completed correctly. "This will never happen again under my watch, never. Lesson learned."