A Scottish midwife who has been practicing in Victoria is in limbo after her work permit was unexpectedly denied.
Heather Gilchrist moved to Canada from the U.K., looking for a fresh start after her husband passed away.
However, earlier this month, Immigration Canada denied her post-graduate work permit application due to a missing English language test.
Gilchrist told Global News that she completed a test, despite English being her first language, but could not find a way to upload it.
“I thought, well, it says on the site they’ll contact you if they need any more documents and then 250 days later, a refusal letter to say you haven’t demonstrated your level of English,” Gilchrist said.
“I’d much rather be looking after my moms and babies and just getting on with the day’s work.”
An immigration lawyer told Global News that Gilchrist is not alone in this issue.
Get weekly health news
“I have several cases in federal court with the same issue, so do my colleagues across the country, with such a large intake of cases with the same issue, that got the attention of Ottawa,” Richard Kurland said.
Immigration Canada says it is aware of the issue and is updating the system to allow language tests to be uploaded.
However, it won’t comment on specific cases.
Kurland said that in the meantime, those seeking reconsideration have been able to send their language tests via webmail directly to Immigration Canada.
However, Gilchrist says that is not an option for her, given the length of her studies here; the clock has already run out on her post-graduate work permit.
She said she is now out of pocket for almost $60,000 and her work and life in Canada are now in limbo.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the B.C. government as denying the application, when it was Immigration Canada that denied the application.
–with files from Ben O’Hara-Byrne
Good. There’s already too many white people in North America
The PGWP is the same foe everyone and everyone has to submit the test. Common sense says if you know this (and you’d better I’d applying for it), then if you can’t figure out how to upload it you get help BEFORE you submit the application. This all could havr been avoided if ahes done that. There’s also a possibility that this can be fixed but again, what immigration professional has been contacted who has this experience? Rather than bringing rhe drama, perhaps using the brain power would be a better choice.
That’s a joke so many people I work with can barley say 1 sentence in English and they all have work permits but the people we need in this country the government kicks them out.
Thats life i work with a few guys from Cameroon and its the same for them
Kinda sounds like work if you dont show you dont got a job
And just to put this out there these guys I work with during the summer we are working 140 every 2 weeks and they dont miss class
They kick out a wonderful Scottish woman so they can make room for 60,000 more Indians to not go to school and do crime, extortion, and murder
Trust the feds, what a crock of 5hit. Why doesn’t every immigrant in the medical profession have to pass the same test?
That’s guberment workers for you.
Just apply as a truck driver.
You don’t need to speak or understand English, traffic laws and rules don’t apply to you and if you hit an overpass,the taxpayers will cover it