Anyone from Canada?

[Lord Baal]

Hi, I have been looking for ways to a safe heaven from my country (Venezuela) with my own wits (for quite some years now), and so far it all efforts have come to naught. Recently (a few months ago) a neighbor somehow applied to the Canada refugee program from here, and got sponsored, dunno if it was the government through the GAR or was a sponsorship. He did not said and only sent me this pdf explaining about GAR.

In the Canadian web page it says you can either find a sponsorship or apply to GAR but not directly, but through UNHCR. I'm looking at the UNHCR web page but it says there's only two ways to apply for refugee status, either being already in Canada or at an entry point. And for that, lots of money are needed which obviously I don't have and on top of that imagine the horror of going into that adventure plunging further to debt and/or selling what little is left only to be told "lol no, go back". Also we don't have USA visas, any of us, so I guess that is a big filter already, on top of my 3yrs son not having a passport.

However in the GAR pdf the neighbor sent me it states the government of Canada can lend you the money for the tickets, which you must start to pay a year afterwards (or the moment you get a job, which I guess is way less than a year) and have up to 3 years to pay up. Also they state they will issue one use papers for you or family members without passports.

It does states everywhere that to be a refugee you must not be in your own country, which is weird because my neighbor was here and never left the country, however he is currently stuck in Orlando Florida due covid and all that, dunno if he is doing all the GAR thing from there or what. Maybe he was just trolling me? Don't think so, he always seemed like a solid guy and was in fact the best neighbor overall.

Oh for the express entry I qualify as long as I put I have a IELTS, CELPIP, TEF, TCF, which I don't have due lack of funding but could easily pass (I don't only read and write but also speak very fluidly). While the GAR states that they would cover language lessons for me or spouse if needed.

In the end I'm very confused by all this and wonder if anyone could clarify or shed some light over this. Or should I just simply give up and resign myself and my family to stay here forever?

Sorry for the hurried up writing, I must take advantage of both electricity and internet working at the same time.

I'm not some hobo or lazy jerk. Both my wife and I are college graduated IT technicians, I just want a better future for my son. In fact I have +10 years of experience on sys and networking admin, and I'm starting a CISCO certification this month. Also have experience on inventory and logistics, tractor spare parts, pharmacy, with practical knowledge of electrical installations, plumbing and construction (nothing professional per se, but see, you gotta do a lot here to survive) but I would settle with washing dishes or bathrooms if that ensures my son grow up in a place were the law actually means something and being a good citizen does not make you the center of mockery or look like a sore thumb.

Thanks for any input and sorry if this kind of post is not allowed or something.

[Jub]

I'm Canadian but I don't know anything about this subject that would be of any great help to you. What I can do is gather information for you. If there's anything you'd like to know but aren't able to find out from your end I could probably find it for you.

[Solauren]

Have you considered just contacting the local Canadian embassy?

[Lord Baal]

Thanks for the reply @Solauren, but they closed businesses here. Tried to email them but got no answer beyond automated ones. In the Canadian government site it says "The Embassy of Canada to Venezuela in Caracas has temporarily suspended its operations." and "You can obtain consular assistance and information from the Embassy of Canada to Colombia, in Bogotá." It's closed down from before covid because political issues, the same political issues I'm trying to put my family away from.

I have been threatened personally of physical violence for no agreeing with the state policies (mind you, not opposing, but merely not agreeing with them), my son was denied medicine from the public health system(phenobarbital) despite being lawful and obedient taxpayers, because we weren't, and still and aren't I must add, card carrying members of the ruling party and we had to get it thorough the black market, thankfully he got quite better and did not requires it anymore. They also have denied him his passport twice, despite us paying for it completely (which is not cheap at all) without any kind of explanation, just a "try and pay again" for answer. The building we live has been assaulted in the past with high caliber fire arms and cars were torched, and is under constant threat of violence and unlawful occupation by armed bands supported by the government. One of my wife uncle's just got murdered by FAES a few days ago.... but I digress.

The problem is for us reaching to Bogota is as hard as reaching Canada itself.

@Jub thanks for the offering, it's really kind. I'm trying to find what is of the GAR program, since currently given our economic situation is the only way I see to go forward, but I know is slow and a long shot, and requires going through UNHCR because you can't apply directly at any Canadian institution. And in UNHCR website there is no sight of the GAR program at all, so it's a catch 33 of sorts. I suspect the GAR program might be either on hold or disbanded completely. If it still works I would like to find the way to apply for it, while still trying other ways or even seeking other countries (dunno about Australia, New Zealand). I would like Canada better because I think is a better country but really any place better than here were we can go in legally would work.

I have been told in the past to try to enter illegally or under pretenses of tourism and then give a shot the papers of residence. Call me old fashion but I think that if your first act entering a country is violating it's laws it just don't give a good first impression.

[Coop D'etat]

Hi, I have been looking for ways to a safe heaven from my country (Venezuela) with my own wits (for quite some years now), and so far it all efforts have come to naught. Recently (a few months ago) a neighbor somehow applied to the Canada refugee program from here, and got sponsored, dunno if it was the government through the GAR or was a sponsorship. He did not said and only sent me this pdf explaining about GAR.

In the Canadian web page it says you can either find a sponsorship or apply to GAR but not directly, but through UNHCR. I'm looking at the UNHCR web page but it says there's only two ways to apply for refugee status, either being already in Canada or at an entry point. And for that, lots of money are needed which obviously I don't have and on top of that imagine the horror of going into that adventure plunging further to debt and/or selling what little is left only to be told "lol no, go back". Also we don't have USA visas, any of us, so I guess that is a big filter already, on top of my 3yrs son not having a passport.

However in the GAR pdf the neighbor sent me it states the government of Canada can lend you the money for the tickets, which you must start to pay a year afterwards (or the moment you get a job, which I guess is way less than a year) and have up to 3 years to pay up. Also they state they will issue one use papers for you or family members without passports.

It does states everywhere that to be a refugee you must not be in your own country, which is weird because my neighbor was here and never left the country, however he is currently stuck in Orlando Florida due covid and all that, dunno if he is doing all the GAR thing from there or what. Maybe he was just trolling me? Don't think so, he always seemed like a solid guy and was in fact the best neighbor overall.

Oh for the express entry I qualify as long as I put I have a IELTS, CELPIP, TEF, TCF, which I don't have due lack of funding but could easily pass (I don't only read and write but also speak very fluidly). While the GAR states that they would cover language lessons for me or spouse if needed.

In the end I'm very confused by all this and wonder if anyone could clarify or shed some light over this. Or should I just simply give up and resign myself and my family to stay here forever?

Sorry for the hurried up writing, I must take advantage of both electricity and internet working at the same time.

I'm not some hobo or lazy jerk. Both my wife and I are college graduated IT technicians, I just want a better future for my son. In fact I have +10 years of experience on sys and networking admin, and I'm starting a CISCO certification this month. Also have experience on inventory and logistics, tractor spare parts, pharmacy, with practical knowledge of electrical installations, plumbing and construction (nothing professional per se, but see, you gotta do a lot here to survive) but I would settle with washing dishes or bathrooms if that ensures my son grow up in a place were the law actually means something and being a good citizen does not make you the center of mockery or look like a sore thumb.

Thanks for any input and sorry if this kind of post is not allowed or something.

I'm friends with an excellent immigration lawyer. DM me and I can give you a referral.

[Solauren]

I have been told in the past to try to enter illegally or under pretenses of tourism and then give a shot the papers of residence. Call me old fashion but I think that if your first act entering a country is violating it's laws it just don't give a good first impression.

Illegal entry, absolutely.

However, tourism entry and then going 'It's the only way I could get out of the shithole, please help' is morally acceptable.


You might want to consider that 'card carrying membership' as a shield until you can get out. (Not knowing the details of it, of course, I don't know what it entails, and I apologize if that thought is morally repugnant to you)

[Lord Baal]

Hello Solauren. Well, I have heard that people subscribed to the party will lose certain helps like asking for refugee status, and while that might be untrue, it is morally repugnant to say the least as you put it.

[Coop D'etat]

By definition, its not illegal entry if you are a refugee. Under Canadian and international law a refugee is entitled to show up to the border and claim asylum then and there.

Generally speaking the IRB is pretty accepting of claims from Venezuala as legitimate (in 2018 the rate of success was about 3 out of 4, which is very high for a country in the Americas).

The rule on GAR is that the Government of Canada doesn't deal with the individuals directly, they only deal with the referring organizations (be it UNHCR or otherwise). The way to claim on your own is to show up at a port of entry and make a claim.

[Lord Baal]

Which way to Canada without making a scale in the USA? I suspect by ship? Don't know any direct flights from say, Mexico or any other central or south America countries.

[Lord Baal]

Never mind the previous post. There are flights from Panama city on Panama that go directly to Toronto.

We could cross the border and then from Colombia flight to Panama and then Toronto. We need our passports (hundreds of dollars each), we need a Canadian visa, the tourist one 185 Canadian dollars each and we need to prove we'll come back to or country, which is hard to do when you have no propriety or stable jobs, and then is the plane tickets themselves... so its lots of money.

Anyone interested on a kidney?

[Solauren]

You also would have a lot of trouble getting into Canada right now due to Covid-19 travel restrictions. (The border is still closed to non-essential travel, and even if you did make it here, you have to stay in quarintine at a hotel for 2 weeks, and they are charging alot per night)

Your best bet is to hunkerdown as best you can, save all the money you can, and once the restrictions are lifted, start to move forward.

[Lord Baal]

Also, I found this site called indeed. It is a legit place for jobs?

[Solauren]

Never heard of it.

These ones are legitimate for a start (they are either Federal Government, or provincial government of Ontario)

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/jobs/ ... ities.html
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/home
https://www.gojobs.gov.on.ca/Search.aspx
https://www.ontario.ca/page/jobs-and-employment

[Jub]

In BC we also have:

https://www.workbc.ca/Jobs-Careers/Find-Jobs.aspx

[Lord Baal]

Thanks, I will sing in as upload my cv to all of them. Was told that one migth get lucky and some company migth be interested in actually extending a job offer abroad and take people to live in Canada.

Dunno why they would do that, and to be honest the lack of human decency here makes one weary of good intentions. But even if is a long shot we will try everything within the law.

[Solauren]

I have heard of companies sponsoring immigration for individuals with a skill-set they want. And not just in Canada.
(My cousin lives in Japan, and the first company he worked for helped set up his immigration.)

[Zor]

I'm from The Peg.

Zor

[Lord Baal]

What?

[Jub]

Winnipeg is commonly known as the Peg, when it isn't being called a terrible place to live but a great place to be from.