Raise in Unemployment Benifits makes some ineligable for food stamps

[thetreble 19]

It's really a shame that people abuse systems put into place to help, especially when these programs are mostly funded by tax payer dollars.

Also, I agree that it depends on where you live. While living in the most densely populated state in the US, there are TONS of jobs still out there. They may be more selective in who they hire now because of the number of applicants, but there are still jobs out there to be had. If you live in a small town in the mid-west, this may not be the case! There literally may be no jobs. It's scary to think about it.

[bowflex 0]

How so? Explain how you feel it's preferential treatment.

This one is actually easy. If my wife's grandparents want to come visit from Serbia, they need to go through a process to obtain their visa, pay quite a bit of money for it, wait for it to actually be processed, then come over. If a friend from Windsor wants to come check out my house, they grab their passport and drive over the border that afternoon. There are some "perks" given to folks who live in Canada that are not given to other countries.

I think you would find that Canada is at the bottom of the list when you see couples who have gone from visitors status to AOS. Not to mention, I'm one of those people that DID do that and I was unemployed and sitting on my #### for 10 months...went through the process like everyone else. I believe MOST canadians do not do this, however, and think you would find it more common for those who are on visitors visas from other countries, feel they might not be able to take another trip back to their home country, and end up overstaying and adjusting.

Oh I have no doubt that Canadians go through this process far less than other countries, but the fact remains that it would be much easier for a Canadian to do this than someone who had to apply for a visitor's visa. Heck it's been seen many time on this very board, even a case quite recently as I remember posting to the person, where someone sees nothing wrong with purposely stating they were just going to visit the States and then going for AOS a few months later. While I know these are isolated cases, I was just stating that it would be far easier for a Canadian to do this than someone trying to visit from another country. The amount of evidence that someone would need to show for a visitor visa from Serbia (I've researched this and even helped with the process) is far greater than someone from Canada needing to show a few paychecks and a lease payment on an apartment to show their ties.

Do you have facts on that you can show us? Can you show us the processing times of a Mexican national VS a Canadian national who have chosen to immigrate legally to the US? Again, this is all opinion based. You have no facts to back this up, and even if something has hit you specifically, it's one instance. There are Canadians here on this form who have been waiting for YEARS for a green card. It's not easy for each and every one of us.

This was just more of a statement that I made out of experience of crossing the Canadian border hundreds of times as opposed to crossing the Mexican border. I wasn't stating it was easier for Canadians to actually immigrate here, only visit. The lines and time it takes to get over the Mexican border is typically FAR greater than it is for the Canadian border. As stated at the beginning that I posted here I was not just looking at family-based immigration but all types of immigration/visiting.

Doesn't every country look out for the interests of it's own people first before someone else's? Sorry I just thought this was kind of a funny statement. I don't expect Japan, South Korea, Great Britain, etc. to look after any one else's interests but their own. That is their job.

I'm not thinking that I was clear enough on this one. I was just stating that when it's more advantageous for the States, or any country for that matter, to give certain countries more perks that they usually do it, which explains Canada and the lack of having to go through the visitor visa process as stated earlier.

This makes no sense. What do you mean that the US puts people who want US Citizenship ahead of those who don't want citizenship? Please clarify.

I personally think that if someone is immigrating to the United States on a family-based immigration visa and doesn't plan to apply for US Citizenship, they should be placed behind those that are planning on it. While I know it is a great expense to go through this process and money matters and all that could change throughout their lives, if someone has no intent of ever going for citizenship, they should be placed behind someone that does show that intent when applying at the same time. My wife's family moved to the States during the ethnic cleansing period of Yugoslavia's final years and fought like all ####### for 15 years to be able to stay. When the garbage government decided that it was long enough and denied their case for unbelieveable reasons, her family was forced to pack up and start all over again. For this reason and many others I feel that if someone is willing to commit themselves to the country that they're moving to and want a voice in how that country is run and what decisions are made, that should be viewed as something very special and noble. This is of course a very personal and opinion-based stance and I don't expect anyone to agree with me or anything, it's just how I view the process now after seeing the very dark side of immigration as well as the light.

I find your statements vague, full of speculation and it seems as though you are trying to base them on facts but let's be honest, none of us have actually facts on this. We are simply arguing that no preferential treatment be given to any nation. But you are saying that Canadains already get special preferential treatment. Ask any one of us here...and we will all tell you we don't feel we got it! We went through the process like every one else does, we paid the same money, gave the same documents... I don't see how I got preference at all.

Actually most of what I was talking about wasn't based on statistics or anything like that, just common-sense type stuff. If someone from Canada doesn't need to apply for a visitor visa, then they are receiving preferential treatment over a country that does. On the family-immigration front, the process is nearly the same for all and that's pretty much what I said from the start. I did say that I don't find anything wrong with someone going through the process thinking or wishing that they'd get preferential treatment as it's already done in other areas of immigration, including visiting and working visas. Professional sports players and celebrities would obviously get a working visa easier than others, and that's been seen time and time again with the NHL, NBA, MLB, etc... While someone who's coming over to be a computer programmer would most likely be able to get a visa unless there's something in their past, it is not the same week or two process that happens in pro sports. Immigration and US law is filled with inequity and it always will be, and I personally don't think it should be either. I was just surprised at the number of people throwing out the word ignorant at someone who's just going through the process and wishing things were unequal in their case too so they could be with their SO faster, that's all

[Sprailenes 47]

Amanda - I really applaud your work ethic I think it is great that your parents raised you to always work, no matter what the job. Where I live now, it is really sad to see the towns where the mills were. You drive through the town and can feel the sadness and loss there. I have known many amazingly hard working people who worked for the mill for 20 plus years and then lost their job. They have tried to find any job possible, and due to the influx of workers, even places like WalMart or McDonald's were not hiring. I know that not everyone shares the philosophy that they should find any job, no matter how menial .... but I have also seen that there are many times where someone might, on the surface appear to not be seeking any employment, but the reality is that there is really not any employment to be found.

Nev - Awesome about your mom! What kind of work does she do now? I hate feeling money-driven, as I have almost always worked for nonprofits. This is the kind of work I prefer to do, but with my current situation, I am starting to look for jobs that would pay more. I even had a scary moment where I thought about losing my soul and applying for a job for an insurance company to be the clinical reviewer who basically determines whether someone qualifies for insurance paying for more clinical sessions. Personally, that would be my idea of living hell and ultimately, for now, I decided not to apply.

I do think the welfare programs really need to be overhauled. When I used to provide in-home therapy, it would frustrate me to work with amazing people who truly wanted to be off welfare, yet the system kept them on it. Then I would see other people who were definitely using the system. Their homes had more electronics that my home had (big screen tvs, etc.)

She's a program manager at a healing lodge in Ontario. So mostly dealing with aboriginal peoples in a holistic manner. People come to her work and stay for a week at a time and deal with issues they have. It's a great place.

[thetreble 19]

Actually most of what I was talking about wasn't based on statistics or anything like that, just common-sense type stuff.

I'm actually pretty good at common sense, logical thinking. It's sort of what I have to do in my line of work. But you are stating something that isn't a fact, you are simply stating that it's your opinion that Canadians get preferential treatment on visitor's visas.

I don't agree. It's as simple as that. Mexicans, for one, don't need visitor's visas either. So, it's not just Canadians.

Secondly, we share borders. If you lived in any countries in the EU, you would be able to go from border to border within those EU countries without visitor visas. Do you think then that that is also preferential treatment?

Don't you think that it's just a process those countries set up for themselves to make everyone's lives easier?

Imagine if Canadians had to get visitor's visas to go to the US? Imagine how many people you would have to employ to issue those visas and make sure people meet the criteria?

Imagine how much money both countries would lose over processing times and denials for stupid reasons. Imagine how much business we would all lose at the end of the day.

I mean you really should take a look at it from a perspective of supply and demand. Say 100 people a day come into the US from Bosnia and Herzegovina. How many Canadians come into the US per day? 10, 0000? 100,000? For work? For Visiting? For immigration? By sheer numbers alone, the US could not process visitor's visas for Canadians. There would be almost a chaotic confusion over the whole thing.

It's not preference, it's about what works for certain countries.

Professional sports players and celebrities would obviously get a working visa easier than others, and that's been seen time and time again with the NHL, NBA, MLB, etc... While someone who's coming over to be a computer programmer would most likely be able to get a visa unless there's something in their past, it is not the same week or two process that happens in pro sports.

Again, it goes back to demand! Most sports teams get visas for their players and they are not inolved in the process at all. Most computer programmerse are involved in their process in some way, probably slowing down the process from not knowing how to do everything step by step. Pro organizations have lawyers and other people who are experts and getting things finished.

Oh and just so you know, both of my brothers have had visas to go to the US for hockey, and they've both had NOTHING but problems with them as well. It's not a smooth process for some and not for others, which is how you are really making it sound.

I was just surprised at the number of people throwing out the word ignorant at someone who's just going through the process and wishing things were unequal in their case too so they could be with their SO faster, that's all [/b]

You don't think it's ignorant to imply Canadians should get through the family based immigration process faster than other citizens from other countries? Well, I guess none of us see eye to eye with you on that one and I will tell you why. Because Moni's answer to the question, although not provided to us because she/he knew it would probably be EXTREMELY offensive, of why Canadians should be processed faster, is probably full of bigotry and racism. I don't see how it wouldn't be.

Again, I think you are seeing preferential treatment, where many of us just see processes put into place to try to rid out mistakes in the already "ridden with mistakes" immigration process.

Edited June 17, 2009 by thetreble

[bowflex 0]

I'm actually pretty good at common sense, logical thinking. It's sort of what I have to do in my line of work. But you are stating something that isn't a fact, you are simply stating that it's your opinion that Canadians get preferential treatment on visitor's visas.

Just wanted to make sure you knew I didn't mean anything by my comment, I was just saying I wasn't using statistics like 99% of all statistics are made up

I don't agree. It's as simple as that. Mexicans, for one, don't need visitor's visas either. So, it's not just Canadians.

Then both Mexicans and Canadians have preferential treatment over other countries in the world. Regardless of the reasons of the sheer magnitude of effort that it would take to include those two countries, they are outside of the system that the rest of the world has to go by. That in itself is preferential treatment as one group is given perks that another is not. It does make complete logical sense that Canada and Mexico would not have to go through the same process, but it still is something they get that others do not.

I mean you really should take a look at it from a perspective of supply and demand. Say 100 people a day come into the US from Bosnia and Herzegovina. How many Canadians come into the US per day? 10, 0000? 100,000? For work? For Visiting? For immigration? By sheer numbers alone, the US could not process visitor's visas for Canadians. There would be almost a chaotic confusion over the whole thing.

It's not preference, it's about what works for certain countries.

This actually still is preferential treatment

Professional sports players and celebrities would obviously get a working visa easier than others, and that's been seen time and time again with the NHL, NBA, MLB, etc... While someone who's coming over to be a computer programmer would most likely be able to get a visa unless there's something in their past, it is not the same week or two process that happens in pro sports.

Again, it goes back to demand! Most sports teams get visas for their players and they are not inolved in the process at all. Most computer programmers are involved in their process in some way, probably slowing down the process from not knowing how to do everything step by step. Pro organizations have lawyers and other people who are experts and getting things finished.

This is a very good point but it's also a little naive in my opinion to not also consider that money plays a roll in this.

Oh and just so you know, both of my brothers have had visas to go to the US for hockey, and they've both had NOTHING but problems with them as well. It's not a smooth process for some and not for others, which is how you are really making it sound.

Yes, the process is actually very smooth for some and not for others, just as everything is

I was just surprised at the number of people throwing out the word ignorant at someone who's just going through the process and wishing things were unequal in their case too so they could be with their SO faster, that's all [/b]

You don't think it's ignorant to imply Canadians should get through the family based immigration process faster than other citizens from other countries? Well, I guess none of us see eye to eye with you on that one and I will tell you why. Because Moni's answer to the question, although not provided to us because she/he knew it would probably be EXTREMELY offensive, of why Canadians should be processed faster, is probably full of bigotry and racism. I don't see how it wouldn't be.

If one part of the immigration process is already allowing for perks to be given to certain countries, it is not illogical to wish that other parts would as well. Again, I don't think any country should have any perk that another doesn't have, but there are inequalities in place everywhere.

Again, I think you are seeing preferential treatment, where many of us just see processes put into place to try to rid out mistakes in the already "ridden with mistakes" immigration process.

I believe we can just agree to disagree on this which is completely fine. I'd personally like to see a complete overhaul of the system as many others would

[thetreble 19]

Yep. I guess we just don't agree. I really don't see how putting processes into place equals preferential treatment. If that were the case, everything in the world would be preferential treatment.

I don't think the system needs a complete overhaul, either, unless you want to pay for it of course. I don't think any of us can afford to pay more taxes so that some people can spend years coming up with a better process. I also don't think it's that bad of a process either!

Also, it's not naive of me to think that money isn't thrown at USCIS for pro sports players. They pay the same fees every one else does. Don't you think that would be a HUGE scandal if certain groups of people or organizations were paying tens of thousands of dollars for visas to get them faster? I don't know for fact, but I would assume that's against the law. Unless you meant something else....

[Krikit 1,164]

I'm guessing we have a spammer due to the link in the post..... Even if it is broken.

I've removed some posts and have reposted the responses with the link edited out. You're hilarious, Flames.

Bye bye kellyhayes.

You'd be surprised how many Canadians we have seen ask about section 8 and food stamps in the Canadian forum. Just because someone comes from a developed nation does not mean that they are not going to "milk" the system.

regards,

kelly

Guess ur an expert in the Cdn forum, you have a whole 6 minutes under ur belt now,lol (joined today 0610) lol Welcome to VJ. And yes a lot of people, including cdns milk the system!

You'd be surprised how many Canadians we have seen ask about section 8 and food stamps in the Canadian forum. Just because someone comes from a developed nation does not mean that they are not going to "milk" the system.

regards,

kelly

I've been a member of this forum since 2006, and I don't know if I've ever seen someone ask about food stamps and section 8 here in the Canadian forum. And even if they did, how is this milking the system?