Applicant from PhD program after 5 Nov, 2011 connect here to get status

[climate_modeller]

After 442 days waiting, we got the visa today, thanks all in this forum for invaluable discussion.

I wish all of you are the best for the immigration application

After my PhD. defense on Aug, I will move to Halifax city, working as a data scientist at a IT company. I am looking for guys who are heading to this city or are studying there.

Please feel free to contact me!

Congratulations, and nice to have a job lined up afterwards, too.

 

[climate_modeller]

I received my latest GCMS notes: they were dates 7 May 2014 so no news on whether my reference letters were acceptable, …. but these notes included something the previous notes did not include: a report (list of dates and such) from my first application in Oct 2012 that was rejected because the cap had already been met.

I'll order a new set of GCMS notes soon to confirm the validity of my reference letters.

 

[tandysony]

The GCMS notes file is sent to you by email after 30 days of your application, right? I applied one on May 15th, about the get it soon. Another question, the notes will be dated as the same day you applied, or the date the Officer created? Thanks in advance.

I received my latest GCMS notes: they were dates 7 May 2014 so no news on whether my reference letters were acceptable, .... but these notes included something the previous notes did not include: a report (list of dates and such) from my first application in Oct 2012 that was rejected because the cap had already been met.

I'll order a new set of GCMS notes soon to confirm the validity of my reference letters.

 

[sgtrigger]

I received passport request two days ago, but my online status is still in process, is it normal?

Thanks

yes its very normal...i got my passport request even though my status hadnt even shown my medicals as received...

 

[climate_modeller]

The GCMS notes file is sent to you by email after 30 days of your application, right? I applied one on May 15th, about the get it soon. Another question, the notes will be dated as the same day you applied, or the date the Officer created? Thanks in advance.

Yes, it's by email; and usually 30 days to the day. Once it was 3-4 days late. I inquired during that time and they apologized in a separate email.

They have consistently been dated the date I've applied and have only contained information up to that date. It appears (I've done this 4 times) that the report is run the day you apply, and they sit on the report for 30 days, and then they send you 30 day old information.

 

[chakri264]

Hi chakri264, at my university, everyone's RA is 40 hours. Say that if I just submit my supervisor's reference letter (my supervisor is ok with that), could I just claim 25 hours?

Hi, Yeah all of us work 40 hours per week in lab. We may spend the whole time working in the lab on our own projects but most, if not all, of us work on other projects too helping our supervisors. CIC calls this extra work as research assistantship. For us to be called full-time students we have to spend 15 hours per week at least towards our own projects that lead us to receive PhD degree. So the remaining 25 hours you can count towards the "real RA". We all have different definitions for RA but we have to follow CIC version to get our work done. So I would suggest to claim at the maximum of 25 hours per week.

 

[neuron]

Congratulations, and nice to have a job lined up afterwards, too.

thanks and best wish to you, too

 

[neuron]

I received passport request two days ago, but my online status is still in process, is it normal?

Thanks

maybe it will change soon, just send them your passport. Please use Canada Xpress and a prepaid empty envelope (again Canada Xpress) inside and send documents to that courier mail address, not that PO Box address.

otherwise, it will delay and they may send us by regular mail if we use other express such as DHL...

 

[chenying3612]

Hi, Yeah all of us work 40 hours per week in lab. We may spend the whole time working in the lab on our own projects but most, if not all, of us work on other projects too helping our supervisors. CIC calls this extra work as research assistantship. For us to be called full-time students we have to spend 15 hours per week at least towards our own projects that lead us to receive PhD degree. So the remaining 25 hours you can count towards the "real RA". We all have different definitions for RA but we have to follow CIC version to get our work done. So I would suggest to claim at the maximum of 25 hours per week.

Hi, thanks for replying. I mean it was stated 40 hours/week on the letter from our HR department... So I shouldn't submit that one, and just submit my supervisor's reference letter (to claim 25 hours), right?

 

[vn82]

Hello all,

I received my passport request yesterday at late night. I would like to thank you all for your valuable helps. I hope the rest of the members in this forum get their PR very soon. The date I was sent the passport request is 11 June.

 

[quhsam]

Dear all

I am a PhD student in Sweden. I have a question regarding the work experience which you might help with. I will appreciate your feedback.
I am facing a serious problem with my work experience. I am a research student (leading to PhD), performing research in the areas of civil engineering. However, i am employed by the department, working full time (40 hours/week), and receive holidays/other benefits. My duties follow the specification provided by NOC for Civil Engineers. My question is, is my work experience valid for FSW application? In the FAQ file it is stated that 'Your work experience must have been full-time (or the equivalent in part-time hours), worked continuously and paid, for over at least one year in the same occupation. Often, jobs as teaching, research or lab assistants at post-secondary institutions are part time, only for the academic year, not the full year and would not count toward the work experience requirement for this program.'
However, since I am employed full-time (as a research student) and receiving salary, will my work experience be valid? Please share your ideas/experiences.

 

[vivi]

Hi, Yeah all of us work 40 hours per week in lab. We may spend the whole time working in the lab on our own projects but most, if not all, of us work on other projects too helping our supervisors. CIC calls this extra work as research assistantship. For us to be called full-time students we have to spend 15 hours per week at least towards our own projects that lead us to receive PhD degree. So the remaining 25 hours you can count towards the "real RA". We all have different definitions for RA but we have to follow CIC version to get our work done. So I would suggest to claim at the maximum of 25 hours per week.

In my work experience letter, which I got from my supervisor, it is mentioned that I have worked 40 hours per week. I submitted my application on February 2014. Does it get my application rejected?

 

[albaik]

Hi quhsam,

The PhD stream under FSW is only for PhD students in the Canadian Universities. I'm afraid that you are not eligible to apply as you are pursuing a PhD from Sweden.

Regards,

Dear all

I am a PhD student in Sweden. I have a question regarding the work experience which you might help with. I will appreciate your feedback.
I am facing a serious problem with my work experience. I am a research student (leading to PhD), performing research in the areas of civil engineering. However, i am employed by the department, working full time (40 hours/week), and receive holidays/other benefits. My duties follow the specification provided by NOC for Civil Engineers. My question is, is my work experience valid for FSW application? In the FAQ file it is stated that 'Your work experience must have been full-time (or the equivalent in part-time hours), worked continuously and paid, for over at least one year in the same occupation. Often, jobs as teaching, research or lab assistants at post-secondary institutions are part time, only for the academic year, not the full year and would not count toward the work experience requirement for this program.'
However, since I am employed full-time (as a research student) and receiving salary, will my work experience be valid? Please share your ideas/experiences.

 

[quhsam]

Hi quhsam,

The PhD stream under FSW is only for PhD students in the Canadian Universities. I'm afraid that you are not eligible to apply as you are pursuing a PhD from Sweden.

Regards,

Dear albaik

I will not apply for the PhD stream. I will apply for FSW as a Civil Engineer. I am just using my research experience as the employment history. However, I am not certain if my research experience will be counted as the required work experience. Since everybody in this thread are familiar with the type of work we perform, I assumed somebody might know whether the research experience can be used as the required work experience for FSWP. Thanks

 

[TyrusX]

Dear albaik

I will not apply for the PhD stream. I will apply for FSW as a Civil Engineer. I am just using my research experience as the employment history. However, I am not certain if my research experience will be counted as the required work experience. Since everybody in this thread are familiar with the type of work we perform, I assumed somebody might know whether the research experience can be used as the required work experience for FSWP. Thanks

I believe research experience will be hard to qualify as experience for a professional engineer. Phds are professional researchers and they have a hard time using research experience as work experience by themselves.But you should try anyways.