Craig
11-05-2002, 11:45 PM
http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=feature&id=339
Japanese illegals thrive in Canada
D Gordon Hilton
VANCOUVER — Yuki Kojima is no criminal.In fact, the only time she remembers breaking the law was when she was caught speeding one evening last spring, just outside of Sapporo. Driving a rental car from Wakkanai to the resort town of Rusutsu she was in a hurry to make it to a dinner party.
"I got a speed ticket," she explains, laughing. A hotel manager by trade with a polite smile and friendly nature, Kojima has always had a great deal of respect for the law. Her uncle was a police lieutenant in Sapporo for almost 30 years, and when she was a young girl she used to dream about becoming a member of the police force herself.
In many ways, Kojima is the last person anyone would expect to break the law, especially one as serious as this. But with a surprising willingness she is ignoring the risks and doing just that by working illegally overseas. For almost six months Kojima has been working as a waitress at a Japanese restaurant, putting aside her respect for the law to earn some extra cash and extend her stay in Canada.
When her working holiday visa expired, Kojima went to the Canadian Consulate in the United States and obtained a student visa. Although not permitting her to work, the student visa extended her stay in Canada by six months.
As for earning income, that turned out to be much easier than she expected. After just three days she found a Japanese restaurant willing to hire her "under the table" and a few days after that a local Japanese bar offered her a job slinging drinks and clearing tables. No questions asked, no records of employment, no taxes, and no worries.
But as with any illegal activity that generates an income, there are also significant risks associated with such work, especially for student-visa holders. In many countries, temporary visa holders caught working illegally face possible deportation, fines, a criminal record or even jail time. They may also be banned from returning to the country, be unable to obtain visas for other countries, and in some cases face prosecution at home.
Even between countries with traditionally amicable relations such as the United States and Canada illegal casual workers can find themselves sitting in prison without warning for up to 3 months. For many Japanese nationals living or studying abroad, working under the table is as much a part of the foreign travel experience as shared accommodation and English conversation lessons.
"I know at least 15 other Japanese working under the table," says Kojima. "It's kind of common. Some girls come to Canada to work under the table, and then go to other countries like Australia and do under-work there."
Since it can be extremely difficult to obtain a work visa after age 30, the option of working illegally is often the only way to extend an overseas visit. Although most countries have laws that aim to discourage illegal "casual" workers, they are rarely enforced. This lack of enforcement may explain why some Japanese nationals feel working illegally overseas is an accepted practice.
When asked how she feels, Kojima is unusually candid. "Many of my friends in Canada and the United States also work this way," she says. "It's easy to find under-work, especially as a waitress or hostess. It's not so bad and we can stay longer."
As for the possible consequences, Kojima is not so sure. Asked what might happen if she is discovered, Kojima appears unworried. "I don't know what might happen," she says "but I don't think it's such a problem."
She may be right. Recently while working the lunch shift, two officers from Immigration Canada came to her restaurant, promptly ordering a tempura special and getting into a heated discussion about the recent hockey game. They've since become regular customers. "I used to worry more, but not so much now," she says with a grin.
It's not just the workers who face the possibility of criminal charges, but also the businesses that hire them. Any company convicted of hiring illegal workers faces a gauntlet of fines and charges, but there's no shortage of businesses who are willing to bend a few laws to save a few bucks.
Sandra Chong, a manager at a local hostess-style bar with a large Japanese clientele, thinks the informal systems works well. "I have over 20 Japanese girls working for me now, and maybe half have a work permit." says Chong. "They want to come to Canada and work, and we need Japanese girls. They do a good job and can make money."
When asked about the risks of criminal charge and fines, Chong is nonchalant. "We've been here for more than eight years and never have a problem. Some of the girls have a work permit, just not all. It's too hard for them to get one," she explains.
From Chong's perspective, the illegal worker trade is a win-win situation. Businesses have access to an inexpensive and willing labor pool, Japanese nationals living overseas have the option to earn some income, paperwork is avoided, and the local economy gets boost. But this is one economic boost few governments want to see. Illegal workers and the companies that hire them pay much less tax, no employment benefits and no employee insurance.
Many governments have started to take notice, as evidenced by job site raids in the United States to an anonymous phone-in tip line in Canada that pays $1,000 for every successful arrest.
But even with the increasing risks, many foreign nationals - Japanese or otherwise - are still making the decision to work illegally while living or studying overseas. Whether due to lax enforcement of the laws, encouragement from others, or the ability to make some easy money, the cottage industry of illegal casual workers shows no signs of slowing down.
What else motivates a normally law abiding Japanese woman to willingly break the law in another country? "I just don't want to go back to Japan. I feel like living overseas is the real me," explains Kojima.
When asked about her future, she's not so clear. "I don't know what's going to happen," she says "but there's always Australia."
Japanese illegals thrive in Canada
D Gordon Hilton
VANCOUVER — Yuki Kojima is no criminal.In fact, the only time she remembers breaking the law was when she was caught speeding one evening last spring, just outside of Sapporo. Driving a rental car from Wakkanai to the resort town of Rusutsu she was in a hurry to make it to a dinner party.
"I got a speed ticket," she explains, laughing. A hotel manager by trade with a polite smile and friendly nature, Kojima has always had a great deal of respect for the law. Her uncle was a police lieutenant in Sapporo for almost 30 years, and when she was a young girl she used to dream about becoming a member of the police force herself.
In many ways, Kojima is the last person anyone would expect to break the law, especially one as serious as this. But with a surprising willingness she is ignoring the risks and doing just that by working illegally overseas. For almost six months Kojima has been working as a waitress at a Japanese restaurant, putting aside her respect for the law to earn some extra cash and extend her stay in Canada.
When her working holiday visa expired, Kojima went to the Canadian Consulate in the United States and obtained a student visa. Although not permitting her to work, the student visa extended her stay in Canada by six months.
As for earning income, that turned out to be much easier than she expected. After just three days she found a Japanese restaurant willing to hire her "under the table" and a few days after that a local Japanese bar offered her a job slinging drinks and clearing tables. No questions asked, no records of employment, no taxes, and no worries.
But as with any illegal activity that generates an income, there are also significant risks associated with such work, especially for student-visa holders. In many countries, temporary visa holders caught working illegally face possible deportation, fines, a criminal record or even jail time. They may also be banned from returning to the country, be unable to obtain visas for other countries, and in some cases face prosecution at home.
Even between countries with traditionally amicable relations such as the United States and Canada illegal casual workers can find themselves sitting in prison without warning for up to 3 months. For many Japanese nationals living or studying abroad, working under the table is as much a part of the foreign travel experience as shared accommodation and English conversation lessons.
"I know at least 15 other Japanese working under the table," says Kojima. "It's kind of common. Some girls come to Canada to work under the table, and then go to other countries like Australia and do under-work there."
Since it can be extremely difficult to obtain a work visa after age 30, the option of working illegally is often the only way to extend an overseas visit. Although most countries have laws that aim to discourage illegal "casual" workers, they are rarely enforced. This lack of enforcement may explain why some Japanese nationals feel working illegally overseas is an accepted practice.
When asked how she feels, Kojima is unusually candid. "Many of my friends in Canada and the United States also work this way," she says. "It's easy to find under-work, especially as a waitress or hostess. It's not so bad and we can stay longer."
As for the possible consequences, Kojima is not so sure. Asked what might happen if she is discovered, Kojima appears unworried. "I don't know what might happen," she says "but I don't think it's such a problem."
She may be right. Recently while working the lunch shift, two officers from Immigration Canada came to her restaurant, promptly ordering a tempura special and getting into a heated discussion about the recent hockey game. They've since become regular customers. "I used to worry more, but not so much now," she says with a grin.
It's not just the workers who face the possibility of criminal charges, but also the businesses that hire them. Any company convicted of hiring illegal workers faces a gauntlet of fines and charges, but there's no shortage of businesses who are willing to bend a few laws to save a few bucks.
Sandra Chong, a manager at a local hostess-style bar with a large Japanese clientele, thinks the informal systems works well. "I have over 20 Japanese girls working for me now, and maybe half have a work permit." says Chong. "They want to come to Canada and work, and we need Japanese girls. They do a good job and can make money."
When asked about the risks of criminal charge and fines, Chong is nonchalant. "We've been here for more than eight years and never have a problem. Some of the girls have a work permit, just not all. It's too hard for them to get one," she explains.
From Chong's perspective, the illegal worker trade is a win-win situation. Businesses have access to an inexpensive and willing labor pool, Japanese nationals living overseas have the option to earn some income, paperwork is avoided, and the local economy gets boost. But this is one economic boost few governments want to see. Illegal workers and the companies that hire them pay much less tax, no employment benefits and no employee insurance.
Many governments have started to take notice, as evidenced by job site raids in the United States to an anonymous phone-in tip line in Canada that pays $1,000 for every successful arrest.
But even with the increasing risks, many foreign nationals - Japanese or otherwise - are still making the decision to work illegally while living or studying overseas. Whether due to lax enforcement of the laws, encouragement from others, or the ability to make some easy money, the cottage industry of illegal casual workers shows no signs of slowing down.
What else motivates a normally law abiding Japanese woman to willingly break the law in another country? "I just don't want to go back to Japan. I feel like living overseas is the real me," explains Kojima.
When asked about her future, she's not so clear. "I don't know what's going to happen," she says "but there's always Australia."