CEC,what abt work exp. as TA+RA AFTER 2 yr Masters (Jes_ON,PMM, others plz help)

[indusvision]

Hi All,

I want to apply under Canadian Experience Class (CEC), graduates category. I want your expert opinion to clear my doubt about work experience.

For Canadian Experience Class (CEC) (graduates category), CIC mentions following requirements:

1) Education (two years degree).
In my case, I have completed 2 years Masters in Canada back in January 2011.

2) Work Experience ( http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/cec/graduates.asp#work)
CIC mentions that applicant have to have one year or equivalent (please see the link in the line above) work experience (in Skill Type 0, or Skill Level A or B on the NOC) after completing the degree.
In my case, after completing my Masters in January 2011, I have been working since May 2011 till now (August 2012) as Teaching and Research Assistant
at University in Canada (while doing my PhD at the University). This work seems to perfectly fit in mentioned NOC 4012 'Post-secondary teaching and research assistants' (http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/NOC/2011/ProfileQuickSearch.aspx?val=4&val1=4012) which is Skill Level A.
I work 37.5 hours per week and my salary is partially taxed and partially tax-exempt (total monthly salary is more than CAD $ 2500 per month after taxes). I can get a letter from university to confirm that I have been working as Teaching and Research Assistant (NOC 4012 'Post-secondary teaching and research assistants').

Please let me know, if I am eligible to apply under Canadian Experience Class under graduates category?

I need your expert opinion please!

Thanks,
Indus

 

[jes_ON]

generally, yes, the experience can be considered - many RA/TAs have been successful. However, in my opinion, no RA/TA is employed full time in addition to performing full-time degree-related work (i.e. education), although some on this board swear they are. Nor are grad students usually continuously employed 12 months per year. Most are part-time (with limits like 10 or 20 hours per week) and would need to work 2 or more years to attain the minimum number of hours (1950). You would need to provide a lot more details before anyone could have an informed opinion.

There are a lot of variables - starting with what province and what university you are in, and often times what department. Many universities post the number of hours that RAs and TAs are permitted to work on their websites. Most RAs and TAs get a contract stating the number of hours they are allowed/required to work (regardless of how many they actually work). RAs and TAs are usually two different positions with different duties and different university regulations (some may be union, others are not), so they cannot be lumped together, you would have to treat them as separate positions. Grant support for dissertation research is not usually considered "employment." The work that is tax-deductible may be "employment" and count, while the non-taxed work may not be "employment" and may not count. You probably receive both T4s and T4As - does it state on the T4A what the payment type is?

Some VOs will be sticklers for the details, some will not. Generally, grad students are desirable