Latest news with #BLS
2 days ago
- Business
Complaints pile up against only agency providing Indian consular services in Canada
Every time Prashant Vashista thinks of BLS International — the sole company sanctioned by the Indian consulate to handle services like visas and passport renewals in Canada — his mind goes back two years to his mother's death. Grief-stricken, he drove an hour to BLS's Brampton location to arrange for emergency visas so he could see his family in India. Even though he picked up the visas himself, Vashista said employees demanded he pay a $45 courier fee for himself, his daughter and his wife, totalling $135. I was in dire need. So I had to pay, he told CBC Toronto. It wasn't the first or last time BLS allegedly pushed him to pay for services he didn't need — and his experience isn't unique. CBC spoke with numerous people who described being pressured to pay extra charges at BLS, many of whom felt their ability to visit India or legally stay in Canada depended on it. Former employees at one BLS branch say they're not surprised, saying staff were encouraged to charge clients as much as possible and find minor errors in their forms or photos to sell services or reduce the backlog of applications. I knew 100 per cent that we are wrong… and we are [over]charging the clients, said one former supervisor. BLS says it has reputation for 'service excellence' BLS has locations across the country that provide services like passport renewal, police criminal record checks, and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards, which function as lifelong visas. A quick web search reveals a trove of public Facebook posts, Reddit threads and online petitions — one of which has more than 7,000 signatures — created by frustrated BLS clients. The company has also been awarded an F rating by the Better Business Bureau. In response to CBC Toronto's questions about the complaints, BLS said the company has a longstanding reputation for transparency, compliance, and service excellence. Enlarge image (new window) BLS's Brampton location, where Prashant Vashista says he was pressured to pay for unnecessary courier fees. Photo: CBC / Saloni Bhugra We remain fully aligned with the standards and expectations of the governments and authorities we work alongside, BLS communications manager Pooja Arora wrote. Where concerns are raised, we will always investigate them thoroughly and take appropriate steps to improve. For its part, the Consulate General of India in Toronto says it is committed to prompt, efficient service, adding that BLS International was selected through a competitive bidding process. Client describes 'legalized plunder' During a visit to the Mississauga location in April, one client says his OCI application ran aground when staff pressed him for extra documents not mentioned on the BLS website and found minor issues with his photos and application forms. CBC Toronto has agreed to protect his identity because he fears repercussions from BLS during future visits. In a complaint he later sent to the company, he says staff used scare tactics to push him to pay for extra fees, called his wife dumb and threatened to blacklist him when he asked to see an itemized receipt before paying. Harpreet Hora, a lawyer based in Kenora, Ont., says he had similar experiences during two separate visits to Toronto BLS locations. They forced me to take a courier service… which I had never asked for, he said. Shivam Nehra says he had to make multiple trips to the BLS offices, with new mistakes on his form being pointed out each time. Photo: CBC / Paul Smith Though he later received refunds after complaining to both the company and the consulate, he described the ordeals as obviously stressful and a sort of harassment. You see that this is legalized plunder from people, Hora said, pointing out that few people have the time or patience to pursue refunds. Another client, Shivam Nehra of Oakville, says he was pressured to pay $100 for a premium lounge service to bypass the long lineups outside while he faced down a looming permanent residency application deadline. I went there three to four times to get my documents corrected and every time, these guys will point out any different mistake, he said. The story on the inside It appears the situation wasn't better on the other side of the counter. Three former employees, all of whom worked in the Brampton location within the last five years, say they were kept on short-term contracts and felt pressured to find issues with applications or add extra charges. CBC Toronto has agreed to protect their identities over concerns about impacts to their careers. You need to find a reason where you can take out money from a client, one said. If you're not selling, you will be kicked off, they continued, describing internal staff competitions over who could sell the most services, with gift baskets going to the winners. Enlarge image (new window) An image from inside of Brampton's BLS office, shared by a former employee, that appears to show a sign displaying internal staff competitions. Photo: Submitted With little guidance on official standards, reasons to reject applications could be as minor as a missing comma or writing ave. instead of avenue on a form. They also said some mistakes were unavoidable because of how the company's own online application forms were formatted. Two employees also said they would push unwilling clients to use their courier service and charge families multiple times, despite deliveries going to the same address. 'I know what you're doing' The same employee who described looking for misplaced commas said they ultimately left the company because they were disturbed by having to lie to clients they often sympathized with. There are students who are doing their applications for their permanent residency, not having jobs… or getting minimum wage, but still BLS is charging them like two or three hundred dollars [for] a thing which could be done [for] $40. All three also say they eventually found themselves returning to BLS for services, where they or their families were charged for add-ons they didn't want. I was like, 'Man, I have worked at this location and I know what you're doing,' the same employee recalled telling a Brampton staff member, who charged them an unnecessary courier fee, which they say they had no choice but to pay. The search for accountability As a private company contracted by a non-Canadian consulate in Canada, BLS operates outside of the purview of any federal or provincial immigration ministry. Global Affairs Canada says that while it authorizes the establishment of consular posts, it has no authority over a company contracted by a foreign state, recommending instead that people with issues reach out to their local consumer protection office, or, in the event of a criminal complaint, the police. Consumer Protection Ontario, meanwhile, says it has received just one complaint related to BLS International in the last three years, but declined to comment on the outcome. An overnight lineup outside the Brampton BLS office in 2023, during a rush to apply for OCI cards following India's suspension of visa services for Canadians. Photo: Radio-Canada / Saloni Bhugra The only body with authority to fire or discipline BLS is the Consulate General of India, who said in a statement to CBC Toronto that every effort is being made — including through internal reviews, coordination with BLS, and process improvements — to ensure that service standards continuously improve. Former client Harpreet Hora isn't so sure. For the last three years, he's found himself researching BLS, including several right-to-information requests with the Indian government over how many complaints they've received about the company. Much to my surprise, the Indian consulate says they do not have data of this, he said. The consulate did not comment on Hora's claim that it had no data on complaints, when asked by CBC Toronto. I feel cheated by the Indian consulate, said Hora. Reason being… I'm making complaints to you, and you're not taking action. Naama Weingarten (new window) · CBC News · Reporter Naama Weingarten is a reporter with CBC News based in Toronto. You can reach her at or follow her on X @NaamaWeingarten.
The Hill
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hill
What's the average salary in the US?
Median weekly wages for full-time and salaried workers in the U.S. rose nearly 5 percent from last year, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In the first quarter of 2025, the median weekly wage rose to $1,194 — which translates to a monthly income of $5,174 or approximately $62,088 annually — representing a 4.8 percent increase from the same period in 2024. Gender pay gap persists Women earned $1,096 per week, about 83.9 percent of the median weekly wage of $1,307 for men, according to data. The wage gap varied by race and ethnicity: Black women: 96.8 percent of Black men's median earnings Hispanic women: 88.7 percent of Hispanic men's earnings White women: 82.2 percent of White men's earnings Asian women: 79.9 percent of Asian men's earnings What is the average US salary by age? Age remains a significant factor in earnings, with pay generally increasing with age until mid-career, then declining near retirement: 16-19 years old: $648 weekly or $33,696 annually 20-24 years old: $792 weekly or $41,184 annually 25-34 years old: $1,125 weekly or $58,500 annually 35-44 years old: $1,332 weekly or $69,264 annually 45-54 years old: $1,376 weekly or $71,552 annually 55-64 years old: $1,302 weekly or $67,704 annually 65+ years old: $1,222 weekly or $63,544 annually Men aged 45 to 54 earned the most at $1,512 per week, according to the data, while women's earnings peaked slightly lower, with those aged 45 to 54 earning $1,233 weekly. Young workers aged 16 to 24 had the smallest gender gap, with women earning 92.2 percent of what men earned. The gap widened with age, at 84 percent for workers aged 25 to 54, and just 77.1 percent for those aged 55 and older, according to BLS data. What is the average US salary by education level? Education also plays a significant role in earning potential, the data showed. Here's what the median salary for U.S. workers looks like by educational attainment: Workers with a bachelor's degree earned over 68 percent more than those without any college education, or about $33,800 more per year. Among top earners with advanced degrees, 10 percent of men made $5,079 or more per week, while women in that tier earned $3,528 or more.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Tech Jobs Dry Up While Healthcare And Trades Boom: How To Pay For School
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations. An April report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York revealed the most employable college majors, which may come as a surprise to 'starving artist' types. Contrary to the stereotype about a creative's unemployability, the study's findings revealed that prospects with a humanities degree, such as English, art, and history majors, are looking up, and increasingly so, while formerly lucrative fields, like tech and finance, may be on the downturn. For college students, it means that humanities degrees are viable, and with a proper strategy to minimize college loans, financing your education doesn't have to put you in debt. New graduates are fighting an increasingly hostile job market. While the headline numbers from the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report show the unemployment rate holding steady at 4.1% for June—compared to 4.2% in May—a separate report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows unemployment for recent grads at 5.8% for the first quarter of 2025, the highest rate since 2021. What's worse, underemployment, defined as the percentage of college graduates working in jobs that typically don't require a college degree, had risen to 41.2%, according to the New York Fed report. Fields that used to be lucrative five years ago now appear to be locked in job deserts. A separate February analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York revealed that tech jobs, which boast high salaries, are much harder to come by in 2025 than a few years prior. BLS projections predict that from 2023 to 2033, computer programmers will see a 10% decline in job prospects. Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, one of the companies at the forefront of generative AI, told Axios in May that he predicts AI will wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs, as well as increase unemployment to 10-20% over the next five years. Tech layoffs in 2025 have been abundant, with 150 companies laying off approximately 74,400 workers by July, according to a tech layoff tracker. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, said on 'The Joe Rogan Experience' podcast in January that the company plans to automate tasks formerly carried out by midlevel engineers, making the roles redundant. 'Probably in 2025, we at Meta, as well as the other companies that are basically working on this, are going to have an AI that can effectively be a sort of midlevel engineer that you have at your company that can write code,' he said. Other high-earning fields, like finance, saw lower unemployment rates than humanities majors. According to the NY Fed's most recent numbers on the labor market for recent college graduates, finance majors sat at a steady 3.7% unemployment rate, compared to performing arts majors (2.7%), ethnic studies majors (2.6%), and social services majors (1.7%). Economic majors also ranked high on the list of unemployment (4.9%), alongside industrial engineering (4.6%) and business management (4%). Meanwhile, majors like philosophy (3.2%), art history (3%), and elementary education (1.8%) fared better. The most employable majors were, by far, those in healthcare and the sciences, as well as trade engineers. Electrical Engineering (2.2% unemployment), chemical engineering (2%), aerospace engineering (1.4%), and civil engineering majors (1%) saw healthy employment after graduation, as well as earth science (1.5%), nursing (1.4%), early childhood education (1.3%), and nutrition science majors (0.4%), which came out on top as the most employable field of study. The employment industry pivot marks a culture shift in the perceived value of a humanities degree. Barthélémy Kiss, CEO of Powder, an AI-powered video clipping system for gamers, said that new hire priorities have changed in the face of the AI boom. Kiss has hired an architect-turned-front-end-developer who brought 'unique' skills to building app interfaces, as well as a former film director who leads product vision and social media for Powder. 'As the developer of an AI video editor that automates and assists creativity for gaming creators, we need to develop a product that is very human-centric,' he explained. 'The two main skills [we're looking for] are curiosity and adaptability. There is a sense that if you rate high with both of these characteristics, it's even more important than your credentials. The best indicator of success on our team isn't what you studied, but how fast you learn and how deeply you think.' Smart planning for a prospective student's college education can take a lot of pain out of the process. Consider putting earnings into a 529 savings account, which allows contributions to grow tax-deferred. Withdrawals from a 529 account meant for education are tax-free when used for qualified education expenses. Contributions to 529 plans are seen by the IRS as gifts; in 2025, you can gift up to $19,000 per child for single filers or $38,000 for joint filers without the gifts counting toward your lifetime gift tax exemption. If you have the funds and want to catch up on any missed contributions, 529 accounts can be funded for up to five years at once, meaning that an individual can contribute up to $95,000 per child in a single year to a 529 plan in 2025. After maxing out the five-year contribution cap, funds will start to count against an individual's lifetime gift tax exemption, which caps out at $13.99 million in 2025. States offer various 529 account offers, with residents often offered additional benefits. Compare 529 plans by state and get the most out of your contributions.
Axios
3 days ago
- Health
- Axios
Richmond ranks among top metros with most gyms
Metro Richmond has one of the highest rates of gyms per a capita in the nation. Why it matters: Gyms offer city dwellers a way to get and stay healthy, and can serve as excellent "third places" — a spot to hang out and connect outside home or work. By the numbers: The Richmond metro has 17 gyms for every 100,000 residents, far more than the national average of 13.6. Richmond ranked No. 15 among big metro areas with the most gyms per capita. Bridgeport, Conn., Boston and San Diego take the crown with at least 20 gyms per 100,000 residents. How it works: These figures represent "fitness and recreational sports centers" in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data for Q3 2024. Axios looked at metro areas with at least 500,000 residents, for which BLS had sufficient data.
Axios
3 days ago
- Health
- Axios
The metro areas with the most gyms
Bridgeport, Connecticut; Boston; and San Diego have the most gyms per 100,000 residents among big U.S. metro areas, per government data. Why it matters: Gyms offer city dwellers a way to get and stay healthy, and can serve as excellent "third places" — a spot to hang out and connect outside home or work. By the numbers: The Bridgeport metro's got 27.5 gyms for every 100,000 residents, Boston has 20.6 and San Diego has 20.4. San Juan (4.3); Lakeland, Florida (6.2); and McAllen, Texas (6.6) have the fewest gyms for every 100,000 people. How it works: These figures represent "fitness and recreational sports centers" in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data for Q3 2024. Axios looked at metro areas with at least 500,000 residents, for which BLS had sufficient data. What's next: The latest crop of high-end gyms are setting themselves up as both a place to pump iron and take work meetings — though hopefully not at the same time.
