Applying as a postdoctoral fellow

[pfse]

Thanks very much for the reply.

I am co-supervising PhD students and give occasionally group talks as part of my postdoc duties. Do you think that counts as Teaching?

That what I did in my postdoc. Make sure every piece of teaching activity is mentioned in your letter. If you published any papers, it would also help (as it is one of the duties in the NOC). You can also submit your group profile (when I ordered GCMS notes, I noticed that they indeed checked that my professor had graduate/undergraduate students in the group). Also, I would use word lecture instead of "group talks".

 

[pfse]

The job duty of 4011 includes conducting research and publishing in journals. So I think 4011 is also good for PDF even without teaching experience.

Not good enough. My first application has been refused because my reference letter mentioned only research and publishing. They refused it because it is "matching only one duty out of 9 duties in NOC 4011". The Act says that CEC applicant must perform "substantial number" of duties to be eligible.

 

[samanta60]

That what I did in my postdoc. Make sure every piece of teaching activity is mentioned in your letter. If you published any papers, it would also help (as it is one of the duties in the NOC). You can also submit your group profile (when I ordered GCMS notes, I noticed that they indeed checked that my professor had graduate/undergraduate students in the group). Also, I would use word lecture instead of "group talks".

Thanks very much. I have been working on few research projects and we have submitted one paper to a conference but there are other research works that will be submitted in a months or more.
I am a bit worried about this as well. Do you think submitted conference papers and also papers that we are currently writting also counts or I rather try to pick another NOC (where I face similar problems!)?

 

[Martin_Tony]

Not good enough. My first application has been refused because my reference letter mentioned only research and publishing. They refused it because it is "matching only one duty out of 9 duties in NOC 4011". The Act says that CEC applicant must perform "substantial number" of duties to be eligible.

Thank you so much.

 

[samanta60]

Not good enough. My first application has been refused because my reference letter mentioned only research and publishing. They refused it because it is "matching only one duty out of 9 duties in NOC 4011". The Act says that CEC applicant must perform "substantial number" of duties to be eligible.

Hi
Did you use another NOC the second time, rather than 4011?
Thanks.

 

[pfse]

Thanks very much. I have been working on few research projects and we have submitted one paper to a conference but there are other research works that will be submitted in a months or more.
I am a bit worried about this as well. Do you think submitted conference papers and also papers that we are currently writting also counts or I rather try to pick another NOC (where I face similar problems!)?

Anything which is published is good enough. All papers which are in works can be mentioned in the reference letter, it may help.

 

[pfse]

Hi
Did you use another NOC the second time, rather than 4011?
Thanks.

No, I went with NOC 4011 again but this time I had better reference letter (2 pages) mentioned every bit of activity I done as postdoc. My WP mentioned "postdoctoral fellow" position, so I didn't want to be refused on the NOC mismatch although I haven't seen any postdoc (personally and on this forum) who choose different NOC (not 4011) and have been refused because of that.

 

[samanta60]

No, I went with NOC 4011 again but this time I had better reference letter (2 pages) mentioned every bit of activity I done as postdoc. My WP mentioned "postdoctoral fellow" position, so I didn't want to be refused on the NOC mismatch although I haven't seen any postdoc (personally and on this forum) who choose different NOC (not 4011) and have been refused because of that.

Thanks.
Did you guys use "Postdoctoral Fellow" as the job title, or "Postdoctoral Scholar"?
I think my position is "Postdoctoral Scholar". Under NOC 4011, "Postdoctoral Fellow" is listed and not "Postdoctoral Scholar". Do you think it may be a problem if I use "Postdoctoral Scholar" in my Express Entry profile with NOC 4011?

Also, do you guys receive T4 or T4A slip? Specially the ones who already received PR by using their Postdoc as Canadian work experience?

 

[samanta60]

Postdocs who got PR using NOC 4011, I have two questions.

- Did you guys use "Postdoctoral Fellow" as the job title, or "Postdoctoral Scholar"?
My position is "Postdoctoral Scholar". What is listed under NOC 4011 is "Postdoctoral Fellow" (and not "Postdoctoral Scholar"). Do you think it may be a problem if I use "Postdoctoral Scholar" in my Express Entry profile with NOC 4011?

- Also, do you guys receive T4 or T4A slip? Specially the ones who already received PR by using their Postdoc as Canadian work experience?
I have both T4 or T4A and I know that T4A is usually for self-employed which doesn't count toward Canadian work experience. Obviously I am not self-employed but am wondering if this will be fine.

Thanks in advance for any help and advice!

 

[pfse]

Postdocs who got PR using NOC 4011, I have two questions.

- Did you guys use "Postdoctoral Fellow" as the job title, or "Postdoctoral Scholar"?
My position is "Postdoctoral Scholar". What is listed under NOC 4011 is "Postdoctoral Fellow" (and not "Postdoctoral Scholar"). Do you think it may be a problem if I use "Postdoctoral Scholar" in my Express Entry profile with NOC 4011?

- Also, do you guys receive T4 or T4A slip? Specially the ones who already received PR by using their Postdoc as Canadian work experience?
I have both T4 or T4A and I know that T4A is usually for self-employed which doesn't count toward Canadian work experience. Obviously I am not self-employed but am wondering if this will be fine.

Thanks in advance for any help and advice!

T4A counts, as long as you can demonstrate employer/employee relationship (which is not really required in case of postdoc especially that you also have T4) and can provide NOA.
I can't comment on "Postdoctoral Scholar".

 

[drajay]

Can post-docs use the NOC 4012?

 

[Janaki Iyer]

Can post-docs use the NOC 4012?

Depends on if you can get a reference letter from your supervisor and that matches the duties given under 4012. To me it looks like 4012 is more of a teaching assistant position and job duties. I'm a postdoc myself and I'm using 2121 which is the NOC code for biologists but my job duties match that exactly. What faculty are you from?

 

[prijap]

Depends on if you can get a reference letter from your supervisor and that matches the duties given under 4012. To me it looks like 4012 is more of a teaching assistant position and job duties. I'm a postdoc myself and I'm using 2121 which is the NOC code for biologists but my job duties match that exactly. What faculty are you from?

HI

I'm doing paid guest lecturership along with my postdoc.Is it necessary to have teaching experience of 30 hours/week to apply in NOC4011.
Being a guest lecturer I could only teach for max. 6 hours/week.I don't have teaching experience of one year as
I was appointed for only one semester (4-6 months).I have also conducted workshops for undergrad students can it be included in the duties for NOC4011.

 

[StonicStone]

The context of being a PDF under NOC 4011 in Express Entry is still very much a subjective issue

Majority of the job description in 4011 fit 'teaching' more as a core duty/responsibility aside from publication or other Admin duties

The job scope as a PDF in Canada is not clearly defined/demarcated- either independent research/publications/conference attendance etc./PhD/Master supervision, with/without teaching or mixture of all these with varying degrees of tasks delegated by Advisors

In general, choose the NOC which match about 60-70% of your JD as a PDF as that's the main reference which IRCC follows to determine whether a candidate JD matches the relevant NOC (it does not have to be 4011).

 

[samanta60]

HI

I'm doing paid guest lecturership along with my postdoc.Is it necessary to have teaching experience of 30 hours/week to apply in NOC4011.
Being a guest lecturer I could only teach for max. 6 hours/week.I don't have teaching experience of one year as
I was appointed for only one semester (4-6 months).I have also conducted workshops for undergrad students can it be included in the duties for NOC4011.

Hi

As far as I know, to apply as postdoc using NOC 4011, it is not necessary to have something like 30 hour/week teaching. Many postdocs in Canada do not even have teaching duties. The thing is in some cases 4011 is the closest or the only match among the NOCs for postdoc, while the description of NOC 4011 involves teaching a lot. From my point of view, here the problem is not postdoc job duties, but lack of a suitable NOC (I hope CIC resolves this in future).

To deal with this, many postdocs mention the duties such as (co-)supervision of grad (or undergrad) students, giving lectures/seminars in group or whatever level, conducting lab sessions or discussion groups, mentoring students, advising students in their technical and/or theoretical study or research matters, etc.
(If you look at NOC 4011 description, you may see duties similar to these there, listed as expected duties. If you can have enough or many of the duties mentioned in your NOC, then the officer will look at that and at your reference letter and will say mmmm, looks good).

So depending on what you are doing in your postdoc, find the closest NOC and try to have a reference letter from your supervisor that matches say 70% (or more or less) to the NOC description.
Your supervisor may ask you (or you may suggest them) to prepare a draft letter for them to review and sign, which would be great. because then you can describe your duties well to show it matches the NOC pretty well.

Good luck!