does postgrad internship position qualify as work experience?

[wowocatdog]

Hi everyone,

Thank you in advance for reading my post.

I would like to apply under CEC as a foreign graduate....

I completed my university education last year here in Canada, and after that I have been working as a "research student" at a major research institution here (funded by one of the province's health authorities). This is a 1-year temporary full time position. My duties are pretty much the same as those a research assistant does, and I do get T4 and minimum benefit coverage etc, but I think because the position was set up by the institution as a training/internship position, my title is called "research student" and my pay is half that of a research assistant's wage. I tried to look through the NOC, and the only category I find my daily duties can match to are those described under 4122 Post-Secondary teaching and Research assistants (Skill level B).

So my two concerns are:
1. the position I have is like an internship position because of its title and pay amount, even though I'm doing it after my bachelor's degree and the duties I perform are similar/same as those by a research asst.
2. My lab principal investigator is a professor at the university I graduated, but our lab is actually a research institution funded by a health services authority of the province, so I'm paid by the health authority rather than by the university.

Sorry for the long post, but if anyone can let me know whether my experience can be counted towards CEC work experience that would be great!

Thank you again!

 

[MrB]

You are very eligible to apply, it's more of your job duties rather than the job titles, so don't worry about that you're good to go. Regarding your pay, CEC doesn't have a payment requirement for eligibility. The worst case outcome of any suspicion will only result in more inquiry, perhaps an interview. Don't worry about the fact that the position appears as an internship, it's being done on a PGWP and it's full time with benefits so you have no problems.

Hi everyone,

Thank you in advance for reading my post.

I would like to apply under CEC as a foreign graduate....

I completed my university education last year here in Canada, and after that I have been working as a "research student" at a major research institution here (funded by one of the province's health authorities). This is a 1-year temporary full time position. My duties are pretty much the same as those a research assistant does, and I do get T4 and minimum benefit coverage etc, but I think because the position was set up by the institution as a training/internship position, my title is called "research student" and my pay is half that of a research assistant's wage. I tried to look through the NOC, and the only category I find my daily duties can match to are those described under 4122 Post-Secondary teaching and Research assistants (Skill level B).

So my two concerns are:
1. the position I have is like an internship position because of its title and pay amount, even though I'm doing it after my bachelor's degree and the duties I perform are similar/same as those by a research asst.
2. My lab principal investigator is a professor at the university I graduated, but our lab is actually a research institution funded by a health services authority of the province, so I'm paid by the health authority rather than by the university.

Sorry for the long post, but if anyone can let me know whether my experience can be counted towards CEC work experience that would be great!

Thank you again!

 

[jes_ON]

I couldn't see where you said you had a PGWP, but if you do, and you clearly started working AFTER you graduated, then you should be OK.

As for the NOC, I believe that 4122 is intended to be for those performing work as a student at the university, so it could confuse the matter. Check 4165 and see if you can find a fit. If you're not sure, call HRSDC...

 

[wowocatdog]

Thank you so much for answering my question!!! I was really stressed and thought my 1 yr experience was going to be wasted...

Yes I'm doing this position on my PGWP, and I also just called HRSDC. The agent looked throught the noc catogories and said it seems that I can only apply under 4122 because my duties match more to those under 4122....

Thank you again -- I'm so grateful for all your help!