“It’s a waiting time. And I’ve never been good at it,” said Merx, a German immigrant.
“But we’re still here and that’s a good thing.”
Last year, Merx and his five children were faced with leaving the home they’ve made in Abram-Village to return to Germany, after the maximum four-year limit of his temporary foreign workers program ended.
From there, the family was in limbo waiting for a new work permit that would allow them to stay on P.E.I. for another year.
Now they’re in the same boat.
“My permit will expire soon, and until I get a new one, I won’t be able to work.”
Merx applied for a new work permit at the end of January, hoping by applying early, his new document would arrive before his current one expired.
“Mine expires in a few days and I still haven’t received a new work permit,” Merx said Tuesday.
But that isn’t the only thing he and his children are waiting on.
“In early August, we applied for permanent residency status. I was told they received the application on Aug. 14, and it can take up to 16 months for the application to be processed.
“It’s a waiting time. And I’ve never been good at it,” said Merx, a German immigrant.
“But we’re still here and that’s a good thing.”
Last year, Merx and his five children were faced with leaving the home they’ve made in Abram-Village to return to Germany, after the maximum four-year limit of his temporary foreign workers program ended.
From there, the family was in limbo waiting for a new work permit that would allow them to stay on P.E.I. for another year.
Now they’re in the same boat.
“My permit will expire soon, and until I get a new one, I won’t be able to work.”
Merx applied for a new work permit at the end of January, hoping by applying early, his new document would arrive before his current one expired.
“Mine expires in a few days and I still haven’t received a new work permit,” Merx said Tuesday.
But that isn’t the only thing he and his children are waiting on.
“In early August, we applied for permanent residency status. I was told they received the application on Aug. 14, and it can take up to 16 months for the application to be processed.
“We’re almost into $15,000 worth of fees and still no permanent residency,” said Merx.
Since then, he has enlisted the help of Egmont MP Bobby Morrissey, who has been regularly checking on Merx’s application process.
“It’s been a huge help. They sat me down and told me that I’ve been going in the wrong direction and paying the wrong people to figure this out… It’s been incredible.”
However, Merx remains frustrated by the uncertainty his family is facing.
“For the sake of the children, I wish they would give it to us now. I wish they could look at the case and see who we are and know that we are better here.
“I don’t understand how new applications in different programs can be processed within six months whereas older applications have to wait 16 months. We’ve already been here five and a half years.”
Merx says waiting is the hardest thing for a person.
“It takes a toll on you. You wait and wait but you see nothing progressing until something happens. You don’t see the process.
“I wish there could be a phone number and an agent you could call if you have questions about your status or how to fill out an application or what fee to pay when. But I know that’s impossible.
“We’re still scared that we will have to leave. They always tell you that there is no reason to be scared but that doesn’t help.”
Through it all, Merx is thankful for the community that has helped him through the process.
“It’s amazing. It’s something that makes you feel secure even when you’re not. You feel really safe. I’ve never experienced anything like it.
“They might not even know you but they want to help, even if it’s just to see the kids do well.”
