The expulsion notice and the administrative setbacks did not get the better of Simon Croz. The Pistolois, who is very involved in the culture of his adopted region, obtained a work permit which allows him to stay with his family and his community.
This temporary resident status, although precarious, allows him to stay one more year in Quebec and hope to reside there long term. Simon Croz also regains his rights such as access to health services.
“Everything is aligned to bounce back quickly,” he says in an interview with Duty.
The misadventures of this Frenchman began in the fall of 2022 when he was renewing his work permit after years of living in Quebec. Hiccups in the “transition to digital presentation” of immigration applications are preventing him from completing the process. The irregularities continued until Ottawa ordered him to leave the country.
His story caused an uproar. The City of Trois-Pistoles, the local deputy, but also his entire community mobilized for him. A petition with more than 13,000 signatures had circulated for Ottawa to review its case.
It was ultimately a transfer of his file to the federal offices in Montreal that made it possible to resolve the impasse. “I came across the right person, she handled my file and it happened in one go. »
He wants to highlight the journey of other immigrants like him who struggle with inconsistencies from the federal department. “Even though I’m the one who’s been in the spotlight, I’m one of many,” he says.
Once his file was in order, the municipality offered him a job as development coordinator.
Such a position “allows you to bounce back” rejoices Simon Croz, who has been without being able to work for several months. That the city of Trois-Pistoles itself offered him this job demonstrates the importance that the region attached to his immigration application.
“People showed a lot of empathy to keep me in the region. It’s going to be up to me to give back to the community. »
He hopes to be able to live the rest of his Quebec adventure more peacefully and a little further away from the spotlight.
This report is supported by the Local Journalism Initiative, funded by the Government of Canada.