FAQ: All you need to know about applying for PR with NOC 4012 (RA/TA) work experience.

[Secman1]

Hello,

My Case is a bit different and would appreciate it if anyone can advise me better. I finished my M.Sc in Canada and on Ph.D. now. I'm working as an RA/TA as a Ph.D. student. Since am applying using my M.Sc degree (and not claiming this RA/TA from M.Sc program), can I claim my RA as my work experience? Will it count at all? If yes, will that qualify me for a Canadian experience class or just FSW (please note that I still have a valid open work permit). I also have one-year of work experience from my home country too.

Thanks

 

[ivicts]

Hello,

Does the field study need to be the same as the field of research for NOC 4012?
My bachelor's degree is in Physics with a second major in Mathematical Science, but I have been working as a full-time research assistant in Computer Science focusing on the intersection between Artificial Intelligence and Chemistry after I graduated from my Bachelor. My previous major and my current work is not that related, I taught myself Computer Science and AI. Would this be a problem in applying NOC 4012?

I was worried since this site:
https://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p3VD.pl?Function=getVD&TVD=122372&CVD=122376&CPV=4012&CST=01012011&CLV=4&MLV=4
stated that "Post-secondary teaching and research assistants specialize in a subject matter based on their field of study." and my subject matter and field of study are two different subjects.
Is there anyone who has experienced a similar situation?

I know in general the work experience that you claim does not need to be the same as the field of study.

 

[siddharthee]

Hello all,

I am a graduate student pursuing my PhD in the US, I have been working as a GTA/GRA for 4 years (continuous, without a break) ending Aug 2016 - Aug 2020. I am an F1 student, and hence I work 20 hrs/ week for 39 weeks of the year (during semester) and 40 hrs/ week for 13 weeks of the year (during summer).

I have calculated my work experience hours as follows : 20*39 (for semester) + 30*13 (for summer) = 1170 hours per year (which is 0.75 years in full-time work experience). Using this calculation, my total work experience to date is 3 years + a few weeks.

Is this a legitimate way to calculate total hours? Or do they use some other method to calculate the number of years of full-time work experience?

Any insights would be greatly appreciated!

P.S. I am surprised that no one has answered this (or a similar) question yet (or perhaps I missed it).

 

[willapp]

Hello all,

I am a graduate student pursuing my PhD in the US, I have been working as a GTA/GRA for 4 years (continuous, without a break) ending Aug 2016 - Aug 2020. I am an F1 student, and hence I work 20 hrs/ week for 39 weeks of the year (during semester) and 40 hrs/ week for 13 weeks of the year (during summer).

I have calculated my work experience hours as follows : 20*39 (for semester) + 30*13 (for summer) = 1170 hours per year (which is 0.75 years in full-time work experience). Using this calculation, my total work experience to date is 3 years + a few weeks.

Is this a legitimate way to calculate total hours? Or do they use some other method to calculate the number of years of full-time work experience?

Any insights would be greatly appreciated!

P.S. I am surprised that no one has answered this (or a similar) question yet (or perhaps I missed it).

It’s fine as long as you can prove it. Check with whoever is going to give you your reference letter.

 

[Linalin]

Hello all,

I am a graduate student pursuing my PhD in the US, I have been working as a GTA/GRA for 4 years (continuous, without a break) ending Aug 2016 - Aug 2020. I am an F1 student, and hence I work 20 hrs/ week for 39 weeks of the year (during semester) and 40 hrs/ week for 13 weeks of the year (during summer).

I have calculated my work experience hours as follows : 20*39 (for semester) + 30*13 (for summer) = 1170 hours per year (which is 0.75 years in full-time work experience). Using this calculation, my total work experience to date is 3 years + a few weeks.

Is this a legitimate way to calculate total hours? Or do they use some other method to calculate the number of years of full-time work experience?

Any insights would be greatly appreciated!

P.S. I am surprised that no one has answered this (or a similar) question yet (or perhaps I missed it).

If you're pursuing your PhD in the US, I don't think you can claim 40 hours/week for summer as your visa doesn't allow that (for graduate students school is in session all year long rather than 2 semesters/3 quarters depending on the university system you are in. If you register for research credit over the summer, school is in session for you). At least, this is what my university in the US told me for my hour calculations for the same purpose. Ask your department about how they count hours for international students. For instance, mine is 17.5 hours/week for TAing and 15 hours/week for RAing.

 

[hamid123456]

My RA during my Master studies (in Canada) was 10 hours/week. Any idea for one year of RA, how much work experience will I get for the Express Entry FSW? I want to know whether it's worth focusing on this or not.
Plus, any idea what documents I need as a proof my RA experience in Canada?

 

[willapp]

My RA during my Master studies (in Canada) was 10 hours/week. Any idea for one year of RA, how much work experience will I get for the Express Entry FSW? I want to know whether it's worth focusing on this or not.
Plus, any idea what documents I need as a proof my RA experience in Canada?

RA in Canada while on a study permit does not count as your work experience in express entry.

 

[hamid123456]

RA in Canada while on a study permit does not count as your work experience in express entry.

But I thought the first post in this thread says that RA in Canada counts toward FSW?!

 

[willapp]

But I thought the first post in this thread says that RA in Canada counts toward FSW?!

Under work permit, yes. Under a study permit, you get no points.
To qualify for the FSW program, you need one-year of continuous work experience. But RA in Canada gives you no CRS so it's pretty much useless.
You can find it on IRCC website (it is stated clearly there).

 

[hamid123456]

Under work permit, yes. Under a study permit, you get no points.
To qualify for the FSW program, you need one-year of continuous work experience. But RA in Canada gives you no CRS so it's pretty much useless.
You can find it on IRCC website (it is stated clearly there).

Thanks.

I'm referring to the this part from the first post in the thread:

Q3:

How many CRS points will I be awarded for this NOC 4012 work experience?
A: If you worked as RA/TA outside Canada, you will be awarded regular CRS points for that experience.
If you worked as RA/TA in Canada under your work permit, you will also get regular CRS points.
But, here is the catch, if you worked as RA/TA in Canada when you were a student, you won’t be awarded any CRS points. Nevertheless, the work experience will be surely counted as “Foreign Experience”, which will make you eligible for Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) stream of Express Entry system, as minimum one year’s work experience is a must for the EE system.

Maybe my English is not that good, I don't know! But from my understanding, this says that your RA/TA experience during your studies in Canada counts toward your FSW. Am I wrong?

 

[willapp]

Thanks.

I'm referring to the this part from the first post in the thread:




Maybe my English is not that good, I don't know! But from my understanding, this says that your RA/TA experience during your studies in Canada counts toward your FSW. Am I wrong?

Express entry has two parts. First part, you calculate your initial score with at least one-year work experience. If you get more than 67 or something, you are eligible to apply. Your experience under a study permit counts here.
Second part, you need to get a competitive CRS to get drawn from the pool. Since your RA in Canada doesn't give you any CRS, it's meaningless.

If you work in Canada on a work permit and has less than a year of experience so you are not qualified for CEC. You can claim the work experience and get CRS, but not on a study permit.

"But, here is the catch, if you worked as RA/TA in Canada when you were a student, you won’t be awarded any CRS points."

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=394&top=29

 

[Linalin]

If I have experience under NOC 4012 that's alternating TA and RA for the past 6 years - does it count as continuous experience?
Like this:
September 15, 2014 – June 14, 2015: 17.5 hours/week (as a Teaching Assistant)
June 15, 2015 – January 3, 2016: 15 hours/week (as a Research Assistant)
January 4, 2016 – March 20, 2016: 17.5 hours/week (as a Teaching Assistant)
March 21, 2016 – September 25, 2016: 15 hours/week (as a Research Assistant)
September 26, 2016 – June 10, 2017: 16.25 hours/week (as half-TA/half-RA)
June 11, 2017 – Ongoing: 15 hours/week (as a Research Assistant)

 

[willapp]

If I have experience under NOC 4012 that's alternating TA and RA for the past 6 years - does it count as continuous experience?
Like this:
September 15, 2014 – June 14, 2015: 17.5 hours/week (as a Teaching Assistant)
June 15, 2015 – January 3, 2016: 15 hours/week (as a Research Assistant)
January 4, 2016 – March 20, 2016: 17.5 hours/week (as a Teaching Assistant)
March 21, 2016 – September 25, 2016: 15 hours/week (as a Research Assistant)
September 26, 2016 – June 10, 2017: 16.25 hours/week (as half-TA/half-RA)
June 11, 2017 – Ongoing: 15 hours/week (as a Research Assistant)

Yes, in schools in the US, usually the assignment is both TA and RA. But it's easier to combine all these in a single entry if they are from the same place.
Search the NOC website and see the list of duties and responsibilities. You need to provide a letter that shows your job matches with the NOC description.

Also, to claim points these cannot be from Canada while you are on a study permit. Outside Canada you are good to go.

 

[Linalin]

Yes, in schools in the US, usually the assignment is both TA and RA. But it's easier to combine all these in a single entry if they are from the same place.
Also, to claim points these cannot be from Canada while you are on a study permit. Outside Canada you are good to go.

Thank you! Yes, I'm getting my PhD in the US, and all of my experience comes from the same university. I am kind of concerned about combining all of them in one entry as I have different hours/week for TA-ship and RA-ship, and I have these odd 9 months when I'm half-TA/half-RA. Should I be specifying for each period (however many my department puts in the letter) what this position is? As in - should I be putting what I have in brackets now for the time periods?

 

[willapp]

Thank you! Yes, I'm getting my PhD in the US, and all of my experience comes from the same university. I am kind of concerned about combining all of them in one entry as I have different hours/week for TA-ship and RA-ship, and I have these odd 9 months when I'm half-TA/half-RA. Should I be specifying for each period (however many my department puts in the letter) what this position is? As in - should I be putting what I have in brackets now for the time periods?

What I did is to put them together as I can claim 3 years however the hours are calculated.
I think either way it works so it's up to you. Check with your department and see what kind of letter they are willing to give you and you can fill out your application to match the letter. Even though you don't need the letter to enter the pool, it makes it much easier after you get the ITA.

No need to worry about different duties in different periods because the NOC 4012 is for both RA and TA, you can go check this out yourself on the website with the NOC descriptions.