Archive for category: Work Permits

You are here: / Work Permits

Success: OPEN WORK PERMIT (30 days)

/in , , , /by

We do our best to share our cases with the public. We know that many people are trying to get information on IRCC processing times. Many people come to CIL and they want PR as quickly as possible. Or they want a Work Permit as quickly as possible. We do our best, of course, to prepare quality packages on behalf of everyone who retains our law firm. I have to highlight that we focus on QUALITY over speed. I have heard too many stories of an agent or an immigration consultant who gets an IRCC refusal and then they immediately send off another application. Sometimes they send off the same application with the hope of a different result. They do not put in the time and effort to improve the application or address the IRCC Officer’s concerns. IMHO, that is bad practice and it is not what we do at CIL.

In this case, we had an urgent situation. Our client needed to support his family. Here is the timeline to show how our client’s Work Permit was approved after only 30 days:

  • OCT 2024              Prepared supplementary document checklist, collected and reviewed documents;
  • OCT 2024              Reviewed full package, submitted OWP application;
  • NOV 2024             OWP Approved.

We have reported quick decisions before. We know that our applications seem to be processed much faster than average processing times. We have reported many past cases and we have seen the evidence.

Notwithstanding the above, we cannot guarantee that all our Open Work Permits will be processed in 30 days.

Currently, IRCC is reporting that AVERAGE processing times for this application is 169 days. We cannot guarantee that our applications are faster than average. Every case is different.

Temporary Status and PR Status

You can read past cases where our clients get PR status much faster than other applicants:

Each one of these applications is processed by an Officer at IRCC. It is important to focus on quality.

Triple Check System

CIL’s triple check system ensures that all applications submitted by our office have the best chance at success. Applications prepared and submitted by Team Members at CIL must follow our “triple check” system. This system ensures that every application is checked and confirmed by at least three people: the Case Worker, the Client and the Manager. The Case Worker prepares the initial draft and works with the client and supporters. All documents are provided to the client to confirm the information is 100% correct. The Manager reviews all the information to triple-check every detail before we submit. All applications submitted by CIL go through the triple-check system – including all packages to IRCC, CBSA, the IRB (all divisions), ESDC (Service Canada) and Federal Court.

The triple-check system requires significant time and attention. Most law firms do not put in as much time and effort. Our system, however, is designed to ensure that our clients are 100% fully aware of every document, every detail and every legal argument that is being made on their behalf. This system also ensures that the work product of each Case Worker is properly supported and CIL adheres to our team approach. This “triple check” system has proven to result in high quality work, a high rate of positive decisions, and a high degree of confidence with our clients.

 

 

 

WFP: Manitoba Prepares for Trump

/in , , , , /by

Alastair Clarke was recently interviewed by the Winnipeg Free Press Tyler Searle regarding the potential impact of future Trump policies on Manitoba. We have been following the events in the USA closely. If you have read Mr Clarke’s background information, his mother was born and raised in the USA.

As noted in the WFP, CIL assisted many individuals immigrate to Canada from the USA after Trump was elected for the first time. We are seeing a similar flood of calls again in 2024:

The Canadian Border Services Agency said it will continue to closely monitor trade and travel at the border.

“The agency works in an operating environment that changes on a daily basis and we are ready to respond and adapt as needed,” spokesperson Luke Reimer said in an email.

Winnipeg immigration lawyer Alastair Clarke said his office has already begun fielding calls from potential clients south of the border.

“My first thought was that we are going to need to hire more people,” he said, describing the moment he learned Trump won the election.

Clarke said his office engaged with “hundreds, possibly thousands” of migrants after Trump last took office, including refugee claimants, skilled workers and international students.

Some American citizens also reached out to inquire about coming to Canada, citing fears of a potential civil war and a feeling the incoming administration did not represent their values, he said.

“We are going to have to see which policies are implemented, which of (Trump’s) campaign promises actually lead to changes in legislation or executive orders. At this point, I would caution people not to make any rash decisions,” the lawyer said.

As reported, we have assisted many individuals, families and businesses. Every case is different. 

Mr Clarke has family members in Minnesota, Virginia, California, New York, Florida and other states. He is in regular contact with many American clients to guide them on Canadian immigration matters. In our post, “Where are you from?”, Mr Clarke describes his connections to the USA:

My mother’s side is more complicated. Her parents are from Kansas, USA. Her mother was the eldest of 10 children and she grew up on a farm during the Depression. She joked that she walked to and from school uphill 10 miles every day. We would, of course, chide her that it is impossible to walk uphill in both directions.

My maternal grandparents both graduated from the University of Kansas, where my grandfather completed his medical degree. After they married, my grandfather worked at Johns Hopkins University where he did research on finding treatments for chemical weapons. During WWII, they were worried the Japanese would send balloons with anthrax and my grandfather worked on a cure. Afterwards, they moved to Red Wing, Minnesota where he had a general practice in medicine and he worked at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

Mr Clarke has many fond memories of his time in Minnesota, at his grandmother’s house overlooking the Mississippi river. As an adult, he lived in Washington DC in 2002 where he spent time at the Canadian Embassy and at the OAS. He also lived in New York City in 2004. As he described:

 I moved to Washington DC and spent time at the Canadian Embassy. I was privileged to work on issues of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and, based on my proficiency in Spanish, I liaised with the Organization of American States (OAS). At that time, I took the foreign service exam and I was on my way to join DFAIT. Then, with the Ebola crisis, we decided not to move abroad (again). After a year in DC, we moved to NYC where I connected with Global Youth Action Network (GYAN) where I worked as an Assistant Producer to TV shows. I worked on YVote 2004 and Chat the Planet, which aired on MTV. I also worked on contract with the United Nations to further the Millennium Development Goals. Then law school…

If you would like assistance by CIL, the first step is to book a consultation to discuss your potential options. 

Success: Work Permits (15 days only)

/in , /by

Many clients who come to CIL have two (2) requests: 1. positive results; and, 2. fast processing time. We know that we give our clients the best chance at a positive decision. By law, we cannot guarantee positive results. For the 2nd request, we cannot claim that our applications are processed faster; however, it seems clear from our files that we get fast results.

Work Permit Application Summary

Today, we can share 2 Work Permit applications that were approved in only 15 days. Here is a summary:

  • SEP 2024              Client requested our services for two (2) Open Work Permit (OWP) applications;
  • SEP 2024              Prepared supplementary document checklist, collected and reviewed documents;
  • SEP 2024              Reviewed full package, submitted OWP applications;
  • SEP 2024             Both OWP applications Approved in 15 days;
  • OCT 2024             Open Work Permits arrived.

Congratulations to our clients. They have not been able to work while they were out of status. They have been suffering while waiting to get their work permits. The Team at CIL made this file a priority as we know how important it is for this family to pay their bills.

Average processing times for a Work Permit from inside Canada is 130 days. This figure is based on all the applications submitted to IRCC and it is regularly updated on the IRCC website. When we meet clients, we regularly quote the average times posted by the government and we cannot guarantee faster processing. That said, if you look at our application history, it seems our temporary document applications as well as our permanent resident applications are processed much faster than average. In this case, for example, our WP applications were approved much (much!) quicker than the average applications submitted to CPC Edmonton.

Again, we have to stress that we cannot guarantee that new clients will get a Work Permit within 15 days.

How to get Fast Processing?

The simple answer to this question is to contact CIL and we can help you with the application. As we have said on CBC News and in many other interviews, the decision to hire a representative is the most important decision you will make.

If you decide not to contact our office for help, here are our top 3 points to get fast processing:

  1. Hire a professional
  2. Use our triple-check system
  3. Make sure that all relevant issues and all potential issues are addressed in the application

 

Success: SCLPC (Out of Status)

/in , , , /by

International students come to Canada for education. They must submit a Study Plan along with their Study Permit application. In most cases, the student will graduate, get a PGWP and then apply for PR status. For most foreign students, this is their goal and they spend $$$ to achieve this immigration goal. In some cases, however, the student’s immigration path does not go according to plan and there is no way to get back on track. They need another plan. The case that we are sharing today is along those lines.

Our client is a citizen of the beautiful country in Asia. She was granted a Study Permit. She completed her Canadian study program. For some time, things were going well. Then her application to IRCC was refused. Then she hired an agent who gave her bad advice. Then another application was refused. She was ordered to leave Canada. She lost her passport and she did not know what to do.

In this case, thankfully, our client connected with a PR during her studies. He wanted to help. They decided to take the plunge. This was not an easy decision. She wanted to get PR through her Canadian studies and based on her skills and experience. The bad advice that she followed by the agent, unfortunately, eliminated that option. She no longer qualified for a Work Permit and she was outside her Restoration period. The agent really messed up her case.

CIL has helped 1000s of clients in this situation. We work with CBSA Officers and IRCC Officers to ensure they understand our client’s situation. These cases are not easy. SCLPC applications cannot be appealed to the IAD. The applicant may have to go through a difficult interview with a CBSA Officer to explain what’s going on. Those interviews are never fun. CIL supports our clients are every step, going with them to CBSA interviews and making sure they understand their legal rights.

Here is a timeline for this SCLPC Class application:

  • JUN 2023      Initial Consultation with Applicant and Sponsor
  • AUG 2023     Client requested our services, signed contract, ATIP online request
  • AUG 2023     Submitted ATIP application on behalf of client
  • SEPT 2023    Prepared Document Checklist, reviewed GCMS Notes, including IRCC Officer’s reasons for past refusals
  • NOV 2023     Collected and Reviewed documents
  • DEC 2023      Initiated PR application, prepared Supplementary Document Checklist based on Client’s limitations
  • JAN 2024      Reviewed package, submitted PR application to IRCC
  • FEB 2024      Received AOR and request to update forms
  • FEB 2024      Submitted updated forms
  • FEB 2024      Request for medicals, done
  • JULY 2024   Recieved Approval In Principle (AIP) from IRCC
  • AUG 2024     Client requested our services to submit OWP while PR application is being processed. Submitted Work Permit for Client
  • SEP 2024      Request for biometrics, done.
  • SEP 2024      PR Approved

As you can see from the above, the SCLPC Class application was approved after only 9 months. This is much faster than IRCC average processing times. Our client did not expect a decision until JAN 2025 – at the earliest. She actually expected that IRCC would take even longer based on her complex immigration history and the fact that she was in Canada without status.

You can also see that we submitted the Open Work Permit in AUG 2024. With the SCLPC Class application approved, that application become void. She no longer needs a Work Permit as she is now PR!

It is unfortunate that we had to do the work to apply for the OWP in AUG 2024. We did not know, at that time, her PR application was going to be approved so quickly. If we had known, we would have advised our client in JULY 2024 that she could just wait to get PR rather than apply for the OWP.

Congratulations to this couple! We wish them all the best!

Success: PGWP approved

/in , /by

Over the past 6 months, IRCC has been making it much more difficult for int’l students and foreign workers in Canada. I published a comprehensive commentary on Slaw.ca on all the changes. We may repost this commentary on this site in the future.

We were retained by a graduate of the University of Manitoba. He had a difficult time during his studies. He was a part-time student for multiple semesters. He try, on his own, to get a PGWP and it was refused. He came to us and he thought he did not have a future in Canada. He thought that he would be forced to return to his family in India. He was extremely frustrated and worried that his family would be ashamed by his failures. His family spent $$$$ on his Canadian education and he told the team at CIL how his family would be very disappointed if he was forced to leave Canada.

He made the decision to hire CIL. We worked with him to prepare a package for CPC-Edmonton. It was a lot of work. We got it!

Here is our client’s feedback:

Dear Mr. Clarke and Team,

I hope this email finds you all in good spirits. I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to you and your team, especially Jaspreet, for your exceptional assistance in helping me obtain approval for my Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

Your dedication, expertise, and unwavering support throughout the entire process have been truly invaluable. From navigating the complex paperwork to providing invaluable advice and guidance, I have felt confident and supported every step of the way.

Jaspreet’s attention to detail and thorough understanding of the immigration process were instrumental in ensuring a smooth and successful application. I am incredibly grateful for her professionalism, patience, and responsiveness to all my inquiries.

Securing approval for my PGWP opens up numerous opportunities for my career and future endeavors, and I owe a significant part of this achievement to your diligent work and commitment to excellence.

Please extend my heartfelt thanks to the entire team for their collective efforts and dedication to my case. I am deeply appreciative of everything you have done to help me achieve this milestone.

Thank you once again for your outstanding service and support. I look forward to continuing our partnership in the future.

Warm regards,

We need to keep our client’s ID confidential. Immigration matters are extremely personal and we respect his privacy.

As noted above, our client worked with Jaspreet and she spent many hours on this file.

IRCC Miller recently commented on the increase in the #s of int’l students who are filing refugee claims in Canada. I strongly agree with my colleague and friend Richard Kirland:

Immigration lawyer Richard Kurland said a lot of international students had been promised by consultants working abroad that a study permit was a route to permanent residence, which is not always the case.

“Where does that leave them? Return home poor and in embarrassment, or claim refugee status, which gets them another three to four years,” he said, adding that they could then qualify for a work permit.

In the future, we expect more PGWP refusals. We expect more Study Permit refusals. We expect (and hope) that shady agents and unscrupulous immigration consultants are put out of business.

If you want professional help, please contact our office.

Success: Spousal Open Work Permit

/in , /by

Our client came to us with a messy situation. He hired a shady Consultant who messed up his case. The Consultant sent documents to immigration without telling our client. The Consultant did not give him copies of the documents so our client has, to this day, no idea what information the Consultant gave to IRCC. This is, of course, terrible practice and we recommended that our client file a complaint against the Consultant.

Our client is in Dubai, UAE. As you may know, the laws in UAE are not strong in this type of situation and there is little that our client could do against the Consultant. Our client was afraid to go to the police. He is not a citizen of UAE. He only has worker status.

We agreed to do our best to help our client and he let him know that he had a very difficult case. We got a copy of his immigration file and we learned that the Consultant actually filed multiple applications on his behalf. He had no idea. He had multiple IRCC refusals on his file. He had no idea. The Consultant seriously messed up his situation.

We worked with this client for a few months to get his immigration file, gather data and make sure we put together strong supporting documentation.

As you can see from the image, our client’s application was APPROVED. He was, of course, ecstatic and overjoyed that he was granted worker status in Canada.

We love positive decisions and we love to celebrate. I can tell you that there is laughter at CIL almost every day. We stop deportations. We win appeals. We help our clients get PR status – quickly. We win judicial reviews at Federal Court. We are extremely fortunate that we have many things to celebrate.

When we told our client, he said he was not surprised by the approval. He said:

I know I had a tough case but you guys worked so hard for me. I knew we would win.

Our philosophy: hope for the best and plan for the worst. We never expect to get easy approvals. We never expect that we will not have to work hard on behalf of every client. Thankfully, the methods and systems at CIL have proven to be a model for successful results!

If you have an immigration problem and need to hire the best, contact our office.

Success: Admissibility Hearing @ Immigration Division

/in , , , , , , /by

Clients come to CIL for all types of situations. We help clients apply for Passports. We help them apply for Police Clearance Certificates and Work Permit. We handle many applications for temporary status. Typically, those files are, relatively straightforward and the work is predictable. Then, there are complex, messy cases that take turn after turn. This was one of the latter cases.

Our client came to us more than one (1) year ago, after his Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) was refused. As you may have read from our Google Reviews, we have been successful with many international students who have had their PGWP refused and we were able to get them back on track to PR status. At the beginning, we thought that was one of those cases. We did the PGWP and Restoration application. Soon thereafter, CBSA got involved and the situation became serious. CBSA made the determination that our client was inadmissible based on A38 – Medical Inadmissibility:

  • 38 (1) A foreign national is inadmissible on health grounds if their health condition

    • (a) is likely to be a danger to public health;

    • (b) is likely to be a danger to public safety; or

    • (c) might reasonably be expected to cause excessive demand on health or social services.

In legal terms, we call the above test the “excessive demand” test. At that time, we got the disclosure package from CBSA and we knew this was going to be a tough case.

At the same time, our client let us know that he got married to a Canadian citizen. They had been living together and they seemed to have a genuine relationship but they were reluctant to get legally married with everything going on. They decided to make their commitment to each other, to try to ensure that our client would not be removed/ deported from Canada.

We then assisted them with an SCLPC Class application and submitted the package to IRCC. As per above, CBSA has already referred our client to the IRB based on A38 – Medical Inadmissibility. So our job was to give the IRCC Officer as much time as possible to make a decision on the SCLPC Class application. We needed to ensure our client was not removed from Canada. SUCCESS! We got a positive decision from the Immigration Division!

We have provided a rough timeline of events below. I want to give credit to Naomi for spending hours (upon hours, upon hours) on this file, making sure the client and his family understood every step.

Date Action

 
1 SEP 2022 Client met Alastair for consultation regarding PGWP refusal

 
8 SEP 2022 Client retained our services for PGWP and Restoration

 
12 OCT 2022 Our office submitted application for PGWP and Restoration

 
2 NOV 2022 Client met Alastair for consultation regarding Admissibility Hearing and Spousal application

 
21 NOV 2022 Client retained our services for Spousal application

 
6 DEC 2022 Client retained our services to post-pone and represent Admissibility hearing scheduled for 19 DEC 2022

 
7 DEC 2022 Our office submitted a request to the ID to post-pone client’s admissibility hearing

 
7 DEC 2022 The ID responded with alternative Hearing dates and we re-scheduled for 8 FEB 2023 @ 11:00 am CST

 
23 JAN 2023 Submitted SCLPC application

 
8 FEB 2023 Admissibility postponed to 25 APR 2023 @ 10:30 AM due to not having enough time for witnesses

 
21 FEB 2023 IRCC provided temporary application number for SCLPC application

 
1 MAR 2023 IRCC sent Medical Examination instructions

 
28 MAR 2023 IRCC sent a letter confirming Sponsor meets the eligibility requirements as a Sponsor

 
5 APR 2023 IRCC sent a letter about reassessing clients eligibility requirements

 
12 APR 2023 Our office submitted a webform to IRCC to put PR application on hold

 
14 APRIL 2023 IRCC sent a letter confirming PGWP and restoration application was transferred to IRCC office in Edmonton

 
25 APR 2023 Admissibility hearing postponed due to member availability

 
13 JUN 2023 ID reached out to our office to re-scheduled Admissibility Hearing for 11 SEP 2023 @ 10:30 CDT

 
29 JUN 2023 IRCC sent a letter confirming client meets eligibility requirements as a Principal Applicant but still needs to pass the medical, security and background checks to become a PR

 
6 JUL 2023 IRCC sent a letter to confirm his PR application is being transferred to the IRCC office in Etobicoke for further assessment

 
8 AUG 2023 IRCC refused clients PGWP and Restoration application

 
9 AUG 2023 Client retained us to submit a Spousal Open Work Permit based on SCLPC application in process

 
10 AUG 2023 Our office submitted Spousal Open Work Permit via the Representative Portal

 
11 SEP 2023 Date of Admissibility Hearing

 

Our office and the ID did not know if client is a member of the Family class and resumption of Admissibility Hearing was scheduled for 2 NOV 2023

 
20 SEP 2023 Our office submitted a webform requesting if client has been determined to be a member of the Family Class

 
3 OCT 2023 Our office sent an email to CBSA requesting if they know if client has been determined to be a member of the Family Class
5 OCT 2023 CBSA provided GCMS notes and let us know that he sent 2 emails to IRCC

 
5 OCT 2023 Our office provided a copy of the SCLPC and OWP application to the ID and CBSA for their consideration by email and portal

 
19 OCT 2023 Our webform that was submitted on 20 SEP 2023 was added to the file

 
19 OCT 2023 Clients received a cold call from IRCC – Interview regarding genuine marriage

 
26 OCT 2023 Received VERY GOOD NEWS! IRCC Officer provided confirmation that client is a member of the Family Class

 

Success: PGWP & Restoration

/in , , , /by

We love helping international students. They make so many sacrifices, both emotional and financial, to come to Canada to study. They pay more tuition than other students. They may suffer difficulties from being far from family. It can be quite difficult for them to settle into a new place and there are inherent stresses on this experience. Then, when these students finally graduate, they apply for a Post Graduate Work Permit. Most applicants try to do it themselves. The IRCC guide stresses how they do not need a lawyer or an agent. And, unfortunately, this can lead to a refusal. They may be asked to leave Canada “immediately” or “forthwith”. They do not know what to do so they come to us for help.

We have been able to help many international students get back on track to PR status. This is one of those cases. We have published other cases on our website as well. You can imagine that we do not publish every decision or every client’s story. We have too many files and we are simply too busy to do that. I wanted to share this story.

2016 – Client came to Canada to study

2020 – Client had difficulties with her studies and she took a semester off

2022 – Client had academic issues and she was a part-time student

2023 – Client consulted the Course Counselor at the University of Manitoba who advised that her academic issues would not impact her immigration

2023 – Client applied for PGWP – refused

2023 – Client retained CIL to do PGWP and Restoration

2023 – CIL submitted applications on her behalf – approved

 

The key to getting the above approval was all the work that was done to explain her circumstances. Staff at CIL spend hours (and hours and hours) to make sure all the language in the applications addresses all the potential issues.

For these applications, the IRCC generally does not give the applicant a chance to address issues. They simply make a decision based on the documents in the package. If the applicant fails to address a potential issue (even if they do not even know about the issue), the IRCC Officer may determine that the student is trying to hide or mislead.

In many cases, the international students are simply trying to do their best. They have been told the PGWP is “easy”. We have heard from many students that they thought, “I thought I could just do it myself”.

Of course, so much of the above does not make sense. International students may spend +$30,000.00 CAD on all the tuition and living expenses in Canada. Despite that investment, they take the risk to do one of the most important applications without a professional. We do not speak to the many international students who get successful results on their own, of course. For those students, we wish them all the best.

For international students who need help, we would like the chance to get you back on track to PR status.

 

WFP: Applicant Sues Imm Consultant

/in , , , , /by

The Winnipeg Free Press (WFP) has recently posted an article regarding a frustrating, and common, situation involving an MPNP applicant. CIL is not involved in this matter and we have never represented either the worker or the employer. WFP contacted CIL for a legal opinion and commentary on this mess. As reported:

Gill applied to the provincial program and got an acknowledgement of the application in September 2022, then applied for a work permit — but he alleges Jasra failed to pay a standard compliance fee of $230, and his work permit was refused two weeks later.

The immigration consultant submitted a request for a new support letter from the provincial program and a new work permit application to restore Gill’s status as a legal worker in the country, the lawsuit alleged.

Gill said the consultant told him he could continue to work while the federal government considered his application.

Winnipeg immigration lawyer Alastair Clarke told the Free Press that is incorrect.

Indeed, based on the evidence provided, when the applicant received the refusal letter from IRCC, he lost his status as a worker and he was required to immediately stop working. Any work done after the IRCC refusal letter would be unauthorized work and could lead to disciplinary action by CBSA.

As noted by WFP, we have handled many of these situations and we do our best to fix the mess.

The WFP article continues:

While Gill — his employment and potential immigration status in the balance — seeks damages in court, Clarke said he gets an almost identical case every month.

“Unfortunately, this is very common. I deal with many, many of these situations,” said Clarke, who is not involved in Gill’s case.

“In terms of this particular work permit, and agents or immigration consultants not properly submitting the requested documents, we have seen it many, many times.”

CIL dealt with another matter and we were able to help the worker. Recently, Alastair Clarke went to POE Emerson with another worker in a similar situation. In that case, the representative also told the worker that his Work Permit had been submitted, when in fact, it had not. The representative completely lied to her client.

Alastair Clarke spent many hours at POE Emerson with our client, explaining the situation to the Officer. Based on the working without authorization, our client was given a TRP and a WP.

Our client is now back on track to get PR status, despite the mistakes of his former representative.

PSAC Strike & Immigration

/in , /by

As reported, the union that represents +100,000 workers in Canada has taken strike action. This is within their right, as part of their negotiation process. Clarke Immigration Law has no direct or indirect contact with any members of the union; however, we support unions and Alastair Clarke recently gave a presentation to UFCW. We support all workers, including foreign workers in Canada. We are all in the same boat.

The PSAC strike will have a significant impact on immigration. Here are a few points that may relate to your situation:

IRB

  • The tribunal has announced that hearings may be affected.
  • Members (Adjudicators) are not unionized and they will continue to hear cases.
  • The tribunal has some workers on contract who may be filling positions.
  • Expect delays.

IRCC

CBSA

  • These Officers are considered essential services and border crossings will continue to operate
  • Flag poling may be available, depending on the individual POEs.

Service Canada

  • Inland biometrics seem to be closed.
  • LMIA applications may be affected and we expect significant delays.

We are in contact with our colleagues from across Canada. We have heard reports of RPD matters have been canceled, without notice. Clearly, this strike is going to have a significant negative impact on many people. We urge both sides to negotiate in good faith.