Three workers from the Philippines at a construction company in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, expressed their gratitude after receiving new work permits from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Raddy Adams Manicadao, one of the workers at Brycon Construction since 2022, shared his excitement about returning to work. Previously, Adams Manicadao, along with Jafferson Palabasan and Rene Logrinio, faced the possibility of leaving Canada after their permit extensions were rejected due to missing application components, such as an employer fee and a labor market impact assessment.
Despite reapplying immediately, the men were informed that the processing of their new applications would take six months, during which they were not allowed to work, and their health cards were invalidated. Their employer, Dave Hiscock, tried to seek assistance from politicians without success. However, after their story was aired on CBC News, public support grew.
New work permits arrived on a Sunday morning, bringing relief to Hiscock and his employees. Hiscock promptly informed the workers, who were initially surprised and elated by the news. Palabasan expressed his gratitude to the Department of Immigration, while Logrinio, who supports his family in the Philippines, eagerly anticipated returning to work.
The three men resumed work on Monday, with Hiscock expressing his happiness at having them back, particularly as the company embarks on the Highway 103 twinning project. Additionally, all three workers have applied for permanent residency and aspire to bring their families to Halifax in the future.
