SINP - 4021 or 4011?

[bobitza]

I have a dilemma and am not sure how to proceed. I applied for SINP with NOC 4011 (University professors and lecturers). I have a PhD in my field of study and have been an instructor at a US university for the last 6 years. As per my contract, my main duties are teaching and advising undergraduate students. I do research (publish) on the side, but it’s not required by my institution since my position is strictly teaching-based. I noticed that SK stopped issuing invitations for 4011 in February, unlike NOC 4021 which has consistently been included in draws. It’s my understanding that 4021 refers to college instructors that work at a community or technical college (and not a 4-year degree granting institution) and whose main duty is to teach.

Given that at the university where I am working right now I have only teaching and advising responsibilities, I was wondering if I can claim 4021 as my NOC instead of 4011 (despite my PhD and publications). My position at the university is “instructor” (the equivalent at similar institutions would be “lecturer”). If I claimed NOC 4021, I would have more teaching experience because I worked at a community college as well (for a year only though).

Am I eligible to claim 4021, or does 4011 already cover what I’m doing? I want to make sure I am not listing the wrong NOC (and thus will have a difficult time proving I fit the category).

Thank you for your help!

 

[thevisawhisperer]

Tough one. According to the NOC the 2 positions are mutually exclusive, but the essence of what NOC you choose is that it should reflect what you actually do in your work, and that your employer will confirm that in a work experience letter.
The NOC does appear to divide the 2 by work setting (university vs college) and by the educational requirements for each (but educational requirements are not a determinative factor in choosing a NOC), but the critical differences between the two seem to be:

• Direct research programs of graduate students and advise on research matters
• Conduct research in field of specialization and publish findings in scholarly journals or books

I don't see what you have to lose in apply under 4021 if you believe it to most closely match your job. I think that the worst you could be accused of (by any reasonable person) is a failure to correctly interpret your NOC.