It didn害羞草研究所檛 take long for Namneet Singh to find full-time employment again, after a fire in Jasper, Alta., last week destroyed the hotel he had worked at for more than a year.

Singh, who was among hundreds of temporary foreign workers earning a living in the picturesque Rocky Mountain town, was on shift when the community was ordered to evacuate the night of July 22.

All 25,000 people in Jasper National Park, including 5,000 residents of the townsite, were given five hours to get out when flames began cutting off roads and escape routes. Two days later, fire destroyed a third of the town害羞草研究所檚 buildings, leaving Singh and others in limbo.

Now staying in Edmonton, Singh, who was raised in India, is working at the Jasper Employment and Education Centre to help other displaced foreign workers get new passports and other documents in order to get employment insurance or look for new jobs.

He helps them better the odds of getting work by helping them apply for open-work permits rather than permits that are employer-specific.

It害羞草研究所檚 also providing a distraction for Singh, as he害羞草研究所檚 had trouble sleeping since the fire.

害羞草研究所淎t night when I try to sleep, I害羞草研究所檓 having nightmares,害羞草研究所� Singh said in an interview.

害羞草研究所淓ven if I don害羞草研究所檛 have my documents, I want other people to get their documents as soon as possible, so that they can have hope they can get a new work permit, so that they can start working and getting back to their normal life.害羞草研究所�

The employment centre is in a temporary office inside All Saints害羞草研究所� Anglican Cathedral in downtown Edmonton.

The centre害羞草研究所檚 executive director, Heidi Veluw, who employed Singh part time before the fire, said it害羞草研究所檚 likely her organization will be operating for a while out of the church.

Veluw said the centre is seeing 90 people per day, many of whom were previously using the organization害羞草研究所檚 services in Jasper.

害羞草研究所淭heir places of employment, or both their house and their employment, has burned,害羞草研究所� she said.

Veluw said Jasper is home to about 1,500 temporary foreign workers in retail, food service, hospitality and many other industries.

Workers on permits that only allow them to work in specific jobs face the biggest hurdle, she said, especially if their employer害羞草研究所檚 business was burned in the fire.

She said the goal is to get them open work permits, but applying for the documents is complicated and lengthy.

害羞草研究所淛ust like any government form, some questions are just confusing for anybody,害羞草研究所� she said.

Immigration Canada is trying to make it easier. It has temporarily waived the fees for foreign workers to apply to have their personal documents replaced and their work permits changed.

The City of Edmonton has set up an evacuation centre for those from Jasper with no place to stay. There are also reception centres in Calgary and Grande Prairie.

Jasper officials have yet to provide a timeline for when evacuees can go back. Singh said his return is uncertain.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 even have a home there now,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淚t will be just ashes.害羞草研究所�

Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press