It doesn't rain but it pours!

The title for this latest blog posting has a bit of a double meaning.  Despite both of us getting rather sunburnt last weekend, in true Alberta style, the weather changed dramatically and since then we have had torrential rain and a number of thunderstorms.  Whilst we were glad of a some rain, to water in our patched lawn seed we put down the other week, we felt like we were back in the UK.  One of our candle holders on the deck had nearly 5 inches of rain water in it!  Yet again the weather has changed and today it has been rather muggy and warm, with it set to stay nice over the weekend.

The other meaning for the post title is more bad news on the work permit/visa front.  After waiting some time to hear back from the Private nursing job I applied for, they requested my references last week and I anxiously waited a phone call.  I thought that they might have started the process to get me a work permit, so that if for some reason they couldn't, they were then able to offer the position to another candidate that didn't require one.  I recieved an e-mail this afternoon to say that they had offered the position to someone else. Both Nige and I thought it was strange that they had taken so long to get back to me and were wondering if they had spoked to Service Canada about likelihood of them getting me a permit, and had decided that it was too much hassle.  This seemed even more likely after the phone call I had later about 2 hours later.  My manager in the OR where I used to work, contacted me the other week and advised me to apply for some upcoming maternity leave positions.  She was then going to approach the HR department and request a work permit for me.  I applied for the 5 jobs that were listed and was feeling pretty confident that with my manager on my side, Alberta Health work be willing to apply for one for me.  However, after speaking to my manager and the lady at HR that deals with work permit applications, this was not to be the case.  It transpires that Service Canada (the department which, amongst other things, decides which occupations Canada wants to bring from other countries) have made the decision that no more temporary work permits are required for nurses in Canada.  As a result they are refusing all Registered Nurse work permit applications.

This gives us one of two options.......keep every possible body part crossed that the immigration lawyer working for Nigel's boss is successful and that Nige will a work permit (thus allowing me to get an open work permit) or pack up and head back to the UK and wait for our Permanent Residency to come through.  So we've gone from some hope to one hope....Nige, the pressure is on for your boss!!!