PhD following MSc. degree from Canada

[banana_0013]

Hi everyone,
I was referred to this forum after learning how helpful community it is.
I graduated with a MSc. degree after 2-year studying from Manitoba and followed that with a PhD degree (currently under progress "3rd year"). I got a post graduation work permit after my MSc. but never worked outside the University. My only job now is RA/TA as part of my PhD program. Does anyone have experience with applying under CEC with a history such as mine? Does working at the university, as part of my PhD, count as a 1-year of full time work experience after 2-year educational program?

Thanks for the help.

 

[banana_0013]

Any clue guys!

 

[TyrusX]

Hi everyone,
I was referred to this forum after learning how helpful community it is.
I graduated with a MSc. degree after 2-year studying from Manitoba and followed that with a PhD degree (currently under progress "3rd year"). I got a post graduation work permit after my MSc. but never worked outside the University. My only job now is RA/TA as part of my PhD program. Does anyone have experience with applying under CEC with a history such as mine? Does working at the university, as part of my PhD, count as a 1-year of full time work experience after 2-year educational program?

Thanks for the help.

Yes you can. There is also a Phd Stream that you eligible to apply.

 

[Johnny31]

I believe phD stream is under Skilled Workers, not CEC

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-who.asp

 

[TyrusX]

I believe phD stream is under Skilled Workers, not CEC

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-who.asp

I haven't said otherwise. I'm just saying he has 2 options.

 

[Johnny31]

I haven't said otherwise. I'm just saying he has 2 options.

ok, I was letting banana_0013 know so he knows where to look when he wants to make a decision.

 

[chi_1988]

Yes you can as along as you have proper documentation showing you worked full time (40hrs/week) as a RA/TA from your supervisor and department, T4/T4A slips and all. Just follow the document requirements as listed in the checklist on the CEC form.

I just did the same (Undergraduate degree in Canada and Currently working on MSc) in August. Hoping it works out

Goodluck!

 

[banana_0013]

Thanks everyone for the reply.
I am aware that I have the option to apply for Skilled Worker as well, but I thought that CEC would be much faster. The problem is, although I can get a TA/RA letter showing 40hr per week, my tax letters don't show much deductions because I receive a scholarship.
Thought someone of you might faced the same situation!

 

[jes_ON]

It all depends whether your university considers you an employee or not.

BTW, full-time only needs to be 37.5 hours per week (not 40); more is fine, of course

 

[TyrusX]

Quote from: Dani1982 on November 12, 2012, 02:25:08 pm
This is the new regulation which will be in effect from Jan 2013
http://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2012/2012-08-18/html/reg2-eng.html

Hi Dani1982, thank you for the link. I think there is passage in the amendment there that everybody thinking of applying for CEC next year must really pay attention, especially regarding what work experience would count

Quote
(3) Paragraph 87.1(3)(a) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:

(a) any period of employment during which the foreign national was engaged in full-time study shall not be included in calculating a period of work experience;

And also

Quote
(4) Subsection 87.1(3) of the Regulations is amended by adding “and” at the end of paragraph (d) and by repealing paragraphs (e) and (f).

I suppose, they want to be more stringent now in granting the work experience for CEC, and work experience that you obtain while you're also doing full-time study will NO LONGER COUNT for CEC next year. This would mean that TA/RA experience WON'T count for CEC. They're really closing the ambiguity this time. I really hope that this won't apply to FSW as well, as this would render a lot of PhD students ineligible for the PhD stream.

 

[banana_0013]

Thanks TyrusX and jes_ON for your help.
I heard about these new rules and I agree that every time they make the rules more restrictive. So I think I have a better chance applying now, than next year.

Does anyone know if the tax forms show the number of hours worked?

 

[TyrusX]

They don't. consider applying for the FSW-PHD as well. You actually fit there better.

 

[Arash322]

Thanks TyrusX for the new info. Seems that they have found a loophole here and trying to block it!!

However, as far as now:
you should be able to apply until the regulations change
1-I have pretty much the same situation and I have applied under CEC.
2-Important is you have accumulated 1950 hours of work experience in terms of RA/TA after your Masters completion .
3- I have personally asked immigration officers that If work experience listed in T4A tax slips (RA sometimes come in scholarship form) count toward CEC work experience and answer was yes!
so you need to provide a proper reference letter from your department/ supervisor to support this claim and add supporting documents (pay stubs, copy of tax slips, notice of assessment, copy of contract, record of employment, etc..).
4- One important issue is most time there is no indication of working hours for RA and instead there is only an annual amount. You need to consider at least minimum wage for your RA and then do the math to see how many hours you are actually working in a week according and ask your department/supervisor to include it in your reference letter.
5- TA is straight forward and usually taxable income so you just need to provide a letter from department showing periods of employment and other supporting documents like above.
6- Remember in your reference letters include your duration of employment, hourly rate, weekly hours, annual income, and detailed duties

All that said, I have seen cases both resulted in acceptance / rejection and I guess it is how you prepare documents.

 

[banana_0013]

Thanks very much Arach322 for all the details. I think I should go ahead and get a letter from my department indicating all these details. Do you have a template that you could share? I just don't want to miss any detail.

You also mentioned that you talked to an officer, I tried that several times before but ended up with no answer. what is the number you are calling again?
Thanks.

 

[banana_0013]

BTW Arash, did you have to get a post-graduation work permit as well? You don't technically need the work permit to work as a research assistant,isn't it?