International Students working as truck drivers

[Jim L]

Global has reported that an international student driving a transport truck was stopped for a routine traffic stop and then arrested for violating his student visa by working more than the allotted 20 hrs per week.

read more here:

International student arrested, facing deportation for working too many hours | Globalnews.ca

An international student from Punjab, India was arrested and could be deported for overworking. Advocates say it's time for Canada to consider changing the rules.

globalnews.ca

I agree with the law - these are not Canadians and they're taking Canadian jobs. There is a provision to assist in some ways by the 20 hrs per week but if a student needs $17,000 to pay for school, they are not going to get this amount plus what it takes to live. Who are we trying to kid. This is just another way to fill the truck seats with people who should not be working.

I suggest that we enforce this law more fully.

 

[Henry]

In my opinion, it can be very hard to hire either owner operators or AZ drivers. I fell there has been a shortage of good drivers. I am all for more people getting their licenses, as long as they follow the laws.

 

[dontgetit]

so he would also have to pay for truck driving school$$$ ontop of the $17,000 for school! Another student with alot of debt!!! or did someone pay for his AZ, 20 hrs/wk how do I pay that all off??

 

[Igor Galanter]

so he would also have to pay for truck driving school$$$ ontop of the $17,000 for school! Another student with alot of debt!!! or did someone pay for his AZ, 20 hrs/wk how do I pay that all off??

I have a very strong feeling that driving school cost him anywhere from $800 to
$1500 CAD. Moreover, company he works for might pay for it and keep him working till he repay it, at least.

 

[MikeJr]

The issue here is advising the government that you are coming into the country to be a full time student and then going and working a full time job. Who pays for what really isn't relevant.

Keep well,
Mike

 

[Freight Broker]

They need to change the rules. This young man is not riffraff.. he's trying to make something of himself, and our country will be the better for it as he succeeds. Having said that, though, he needs to follow the rules as they're currently written. Hopefully he gets a slap on the wrist and can continue with his studies. We need people like him both in the trucking industry and as productive members of our society.

 

[coffeegurl]

I agree Freight Broker. Kudos to the young man trying to make money to further educate himself. Yes, there are rules that need to be followed. I know a lot of students that have to work full time to pay for expenses related to school studies. It is a necessary evil with the cost of tuition. who cares who paid for driving school as long as he took it and passed the course.! Could be worse, he could have been busted for drugs or any number of petty crimes!

 

[MikeJr]

I certainly worked near full time hours to pay for my education, but I wasn't breaking any laws doing it.
If a family sends their child to a foreign country for an education, they need to be able to afford to do that and work within the law should the student wish to work part time for' extra money'.
If someone wants to immigrate here and become a full time truck driver while also going to school, there are different sets of rules and applications that apply. So it seems.

Happy Friday,
Mike

 

[Michael Ludwig]

Global has reported that an international student driving a transport truck was stopped for a routine traffic stop and then arrested for violating his student visa by working more than the allotted 20 hrs per week.

read more here:

International student arrested, facing deportation for working too many hours | Globalnews.ca

An international student from Punjab, India was arrested and could be deported for overworking. Advocates say it's time for Canada to consider changing the rules.

globalnews.ca

I agree with the law - these are not Canadians and they're taking Canadian jobs. There is a provision to assist in some ways by the 20 hrs per week but if a student needs $17,000 to pay for school, they are not going to get this amount plus what it takes to live. Who are we trying to kid. This is just another way to fill the truck seats with people who should not be working.

I suggest that we enforce this law more fully.

And they probably pay him by Driver, Inc. ... LOL

 

[Michael Ludwig]

I have a very strong feeling that driving school cost him anywhere from $800 to
$1500 CAD. Moreover, company he works for might pay for it and keep him working till he repay it, at least.

Whoa, whoa, whoa kids ... I seriously doubt he even went to school. As an international student, he was very likely driving on an international license.

 

[Igor Galanter]

Whoa, whoa, whoa kids ... I seriously doubt he even went to school. As an international student, he was very likely driving on an international license.

And International truck...)

 

[coffeegurl]

I guess we are all entitled to our opinions.

 

[Michael Ludwig]

I guess we are all entitled to our opinions.

Kind of sounds like you're taking a shot at someone.

 

[Freight Broker]

I broke a few laws on my way.. knock on wood.. times were different and easier going, and I didn't suffer too greatly. Would sure hate to be starting out now.. the lawyers run it today.. heaven forbid you make a mistake or overstep the rules.

 

[loaders]

I cannot help but wonder what some of the comments would be if the young man had been Phil Smith from England, or Rob Scott from Australia, instead of Jobandeep Sandhu from Punjab. Just curious.

 

[coffeegurl]

Kind of sounds like you're taking a shot at someone.

No Michael, not at all. If I was taking a "shot" at someone, I would make it directly. Just curious, as with Loaders, if the comments would be the same if it was Phil Smith. Sadly, I don't think they would be. Who knows for sure what the situation is/was other than the young man himself.

 

[Shakey]

Sorry to hear a hard working person that is trying to make a better life for themselves is being sent away but he broke the rules!

Let's not get into the race game here, if it was John Smith from Chicago IL he should be sent home.

 

[Michael Ludwig]

I truly hope the comments would be the same. Unfortunately there are some that believe you take the measure of a person by the colour of their skin, and that some colours are better than others. Frankly it's a pretty disgusting belief ... yes, that's my opinion.
This tact could take a pretty nasty turn, so let's dispense with politics, and focus on the original post.
Visas the world over are very specific in what they are issued for. A work visa means you can work full time, pay your taxes, and reap the benefits.
A student visa means you are allowed in the country to get an education. You can work up to 20 hours per week (pretty common the world over) to help mitigate the cost of your education. Depending on treaty arrangements, the student either does not pay tax at all, or recovers that tax from the home country.
What is unfair in this case is the young man is working a full time job while trying to get an education. This raises some points of contention with the government. First and foremost, he's not paying his share of the tax burden. Second he is taking the job of a citizen, or landed immigrant. Third, he is skirting the rules that allowed him in the country in the first place. Fourth, how can he be successful in getting his education if he is working all the time. Fifth, and this is the one that really matters to the government, he lied to them.
The penalty would apply to everyone who breaks the rule, regardless of race, creed, colour, religion, or gender.

 

[Freight Broker]

In 1979 the QPP stopped me for driving a T/T with a class 5 license.. Officer gave me a warning and sent me on my way. Wonder what would happen today.. my career would likely be cut tragically short.. I agree about following the rules.. also agree with cutting some slack here and there. Maybe there's no room anymore for that, I don't know.

 

[Michael Ludwig]

I went back and reread that report a little more carefully and you know what? That cop is a dick with a capital D.
I'll bet the power hungry, racist bastard doesn't run an immigration check on every brown person that serves him when he's picking up his free Timmies 12 times a day.