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

[kg.jadu]

Greetings fellow forum users:

I wanted to share a neat trick for the address change with you.
When I entered Canada, I provided the border control officer with my new address in Canada. Later, when I checked my eCAS, I noticed that the home address was updated but the mailing address was not. I tried contacting CPP-Ottawa office to get my address changed but they simply ignored my emails. The online address change tool also did not work for me. On top of that, I could not call the CIC help line, because I live in the U.S.

What I did then, I simply called my port of entry (airport) and asked to be connected to the border control division. I described my problem and the officer promptly said that yes, she can update the information for me. She then took my new address and now, two days later, I can see that the eCAS has correct information.

Hope that this will help somebody else in a similar situation.

Cheers!

 

[Parkinson]

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

The problem is that the duties of a PhD researcher (in any field) is very different from duties of a civil engineer. If you select the Noc code for civil engineer, you should mention in your ref. Letter that you performed a substantial number of main duties and also actions described in the lead statement of that NOC code. So listing your duties as a researcher in the field of civil engineering does not help and proves that you are a phd researcher NOC code 4012, not a real civil engineer.

 

[salem10]

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

In my opinion, your experience should be considered for FSW application. I thought you may consider not to consider your study for PhD only with Msc and experience for points.

 

[quhsam]

In my opinion, your experience should be considered for FSW application. I thought you may consider not to consider your study for PhD only with Msc and experience for points.

Hi
Thanks for the feedback. I will claim points for my M.Sc only and use the research work as experience. However, this issue is bit confusing since CIC only mentioned what they will reject (part time RA), not what they will accept.

 

[Parkinson]

Hi
Thanks for the feedback. I will claim points for my M.Sc only and use the research work as experience. However, this issue is bit confusing since CIC only mentioned what they will reject (part time RA), not what they will accept.

I don't understand. You are selecting NOC code for civil engineer and you are concerned about RA ( part time or full time)! These issues are related to NOC code 4012 which is for RA and TAs. For NOC 4012, one of the requirements is that you should be a PhD student.
However, in your case there is still a concern that because you are a full time PhD student, they might not believe that you worked full time as a civil engineer.

 

[Parkinson]

Congratulations to guys who got passport request recently. I have a question for you:
Was the security "started" in your last GCMS?

 

[sgtrigger]

Hi
Thanks for the feedback. I will claim points for my M.Sc only and use the research work as experience. However, this issue is bit confusing since CIC only mentioned what they will reject (part time RA), not what they will accept.

I somehow feel you are not eligible to apply under FSW stream as you are a full time phd student...although you are employed by the department, it will be very difficult to prove that you are working as a civil engineer and not doing your thesis work under a supervisor...your work-experience letter will definitely state that you are currently doing a phd (incase you try to avoid showing that you are currently doing a phd, then that would be wrong and if they find out then you'll definitely get into trouble)...if you were doing a part-time PhD and working part time as a civil engineer, then maybe you could show it...but you need to officially be enrolled in a part-time phd program to prove that....

anyways ask everyone else...but i personally feel its not possible...

 

[PhdStream]

Some off-bit things:

I submit an application to renew my student permit on June 06. Yesterday I received a letter saying that it is approved and a new permit valid till November 2014 has been issued (Just for 5 months) though University letter clearly mention that I will be graduating on June 2014. I called their help center, this morning, and was told that the officer misunderstood that I am enrolled till August 2014 (because tuition fee was paid only until August 2014 but not till June 2016, !! yes he was expecting me to pay tuition fee for whole study period in an advance!!) and suggested me to resubmit the application again, even though it was a mistake from their side. Further, I was told to provide explanation letter stating the detail of my enrollment/registration at the University, anticipated graduation date (which is there in the letter from University) and request for fee-waived (but this may not work). I applied it again and yes paid fee again.

So has anyone faced similar problem? if yes how did you solved the issue or if it was not solved. For future applicant do take this in mind and take enough precautions (I dont know what we can do as precautions)

 

[chakri264]

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?

Yeah try to mention only 25 hours in your RA letter.

 

[chakri264]

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?

I am not damn sure that it is a problem since a few of the applicants who mentioned 40hrs per week got it through but others had a problem. It depends on how your supervisor classify that 40 hours in the letter. If your supervisor say that you work 40hrs per week, out of that 20 hours at least is toward projects other than your own PhD project.. then it works I guess.

 

[quhsam]

I don't understand. You are selecting NOC code for civil engineer and you are concerned about RA ( part time or full time)! These issues are related to NOC code 4012 which is for RA and TAs. For NOC 4012, one of the requirements is that you should be a PhD student.
However, in your case there is still a concern that because you are a full time PhD student, they might not believe that you worked full time as a civil engineer.

Your raised a good point. My understanding was I could show my research work as the work experience. IN Sweden, PhD students are employed by the university and receive benifits such as, annual vacation, parental leave, pension etc. Therefore, I thought my employment could be shown as the work experience, since it is a full-time job. We work only in one project and even if we have to work in other projects, usually it is considered as a part of the PhD. There is no 'RA' here since we receive a standard salary regardless of the projects. However, if the requirement is to work as RA in other projects beside the PhD projects, then I do not have any work experience.
I will appreciate more comments regarding this issue. Thanks

 

[quhsam]

I somehow feel you are not eligible to apply under FSW stream as you are a full time phd student...although you are employed by the department, it will be very difficult to prove that you are working as a civil engineer and not doing your thesis work under a supervisor...your work-experience letter will definitely state that you are currently doing a phd (incase you try to avoid showing that you are currently doing a phd, then that would be wrong and if they find out then you'll definitely get into trouble)...if you were doing a part-time PhD and working part time as a civil engineer, then maybe you could show it...but you need to officially be enrolled in a part-time phd program to prove that....

anyways ask everyone else...but i personally feel its not possible...

I am working only on my PhD project. My idea was to show my research as the work experience, since it can be written satisfying the requirements of the NOC. IN my work experience letter it is written that I am employed as a research student, leading to PhD.
However, I will appreciate if somebody explains the requirements of RA to be accepted as the work experience. Thanks

 

[salam20]

In order to provide an acceptable letter of work experience or reference, we have to consider the following advise:
1- leading statement (assist Prof.) if RA or TA
2- duties as listed in the NOC with rational details.
3- The meanig that this RA or TA is separate from/ not a part of/ does not relate to the employee own study or thesis.
4- Number of hours per week. if it is part time, it has to be continious.
5- Payment per month or year
6- dates and place of work
7-full contact of supervisor/ manager and his signature

My MP today sent me this email. This is the response that CIC gave to my MP.

What do you guys think???


Hi XXX (My MP),

I heard back concerning this case – apparently the issue is that his job letter did not specify whether his work as a teaching and research assistant was performed in relation to or separate from his own studies:

“We note that many PhD students must perform research assistant duties in order to complete their studies. Many of them are paid for working on their own research needed to write their thesis, or to co-author journal articles (in some universities, PhD students must have 4 articles published in order to graduate). As such, it is often difficult for us to distinguish work done for studies as opposed to projects that are separate from studies”.

Is it possible to have Mr. XXX's (myself) role clarified by Dr. XXX (my supervisor) /is it possible to clarify for whom(s) he worked as a teaching/research assistant?

Don't hesitate to contact me with any further questions.

Many thanks,

 

[Parkinson]

I am working only on my PhD project. My idea was to show my research as the work experience, since it can be written satisfying the requirements of the NOC. IN my work experience letter it is written that I am employed as a research student, leading to PhD.
However, I will appreciate if somebody explains the requirements of RA to be accepted as the work experience. Thanks

RA is definitely acceptable as work expedience if it is claimed under NOC code 4012. The problem is that NOC code 4012 which is for RA is not among the 50 eligible occupations for FSW. If you select the code for civil engineering, you should not mention in your letter that you are a researcher. Your duties would be different and if they know that you are a PhD student at the same time, it is not acceptable that you work full time as a civil engineer.

 

[vivi]

Hello guys,

Among the recent comments, I found out that “Full-time University Research Assistant (RA)-40 hours per week” is not acceptable by CIC, because it should be maximum 25 hours per week. This is my work experience letter that I have attached to my application as my primary occupation, and submitted at February 2014. Would you please check my letter? and let me know if this letter is acceptable or not? If it is not acceptable, how I can fix this problem? Can I resubmit another RA experience letter with 25 hours per week? Isn’t it misrepresentation? Any help will be greatly appreciated.


Citizenship and Immigration Canada

February 3, 2014


To whom it may concern:

This is to confirm that Mr. XXX XXX has worked in my research group in the XXX lab, Faculty of XXX, XXX University, as a Full-time University Research Assistant (RA), effective from September 1, 2011 to January 31, 2014. During these two years and five months, he has been assisting me in conducting a research project entitled “XXX”. Detail of her annual income and benefits for his research assistantship has been summarized as follows:

• September 1, 2011 - December 31, 2011 XXX $
• January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012 XXX $
• January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2013 XXX $
• January 1, 2014 - January 31, 2014 XXX $1

During the period of contract mentioned above, he has worked 40 hours per week. The total work experience as a RA accumulated by Mr. XXX is 1920 hours per annum to accomplish the following responsibilities assigned to his according to the project time-table. His duties include:

• Carry out literature reviews and surveys to identify new XXX, their behaviour and XXX methods proposed by other researchers.
• Conduct experiments in the laboratory test-bed to depict a real-world environment toward the research purposes. In the test-bed, XXX user's behaviour and XXX behaviour are simulated.
• Explore various XXX techniques to design and implement a XXX system which can identify XXX behaviour.
• Analyze obtained research data and results and assist the professor to prepare journal articles and papers in peer-reviewed scientific conferences and journals such as:
o XXX
o XXX
o XXX
• Assist the supervisor with undergrad students’ research in the XXX lab.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.


Sincerely,
Dr. XXX
Professor
XXX University
Faculty of XXX