EE Work Experience Issue

[kayak]

Hi All,

I just completed a 4-year PhD in Mechanical Engineering from my country. In my country, the PhD period is considered employment (40 hours per week work + Holiday allowance + Year end bonus etc). I have applied for ECA to recognize my PhD as Education. I would like to also use the PhD period as four year work experience in my application for the Mechanical Engineering NOC since my job description fits well with the NOC. I was wondering if this is acceptable or if this will be rejected by CIC.

Thanks for your help.
Kayak

 

[Asivad Anac]

You can surely use one of these as full-time and the other as part-time activity. I'm not sure if you can claim both full-time education and full-time employment simultaneously for the same time period because that just defeats the purpose of something being classified as full-time. Canada defines full-time work as at least 30 hours/week. If you worked for say 24 hours/week throughout those 4 years, you can claim that as 3 years of equivalent full-time experience.

 

[sunichak]

Does this answer your question: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=855&t=6

 

[kayak]

Thanks for the response.
I do not think I can claim it as part time activity - since I was working full time on my PhD while gaining mechanical engineering research experience simultaneously.
In this case, do you think it's better then to apply using another NOC
e.g. 4012 Post-secondary teaching and research assistants since I was enrolled for a degree programme and did a lot of teaching during the period
or
4011 University professors and lecturers: since my job description also fits this well. I have also done at least 1 year of postdoctoral work (so is it possible to add 4 years phd + 1 year postdoc to make a cumulative 5 years work experience)

I am just confused and do not know how to get as much points from my work experience.

Thanks for helping to clarify this again
Kayak

 

[kayak]

Dear sunichak,

thanks for sharing the link,

If I understand correctly, this will mean that under the NOC 4011, I can apply as a research assistant and show through my employer's letter that I performed the listed functions during my PhD period and there will be no conflicts?

thanks for answering me.

Kay

 

[sunichak]

Your full time Phd comes under education but not experience until and unless you satisfy the following:

Your work experience must have been full-time (or the equivalent in part-time hours), worked continuously and paid, for at least one year in the same occupation. If this applies for any of your years as a Phd student, then you should count it + your postdoctoral work for 1 year.

 

[kayak]

Thanks sunichak,

I worked fulltime during my phd. By this I mean I worked for 40 hours a week, and was paid. I also received holiday allowance and year end bonus during my phd period and my postdoctoral work. I can get a letter from my employer to show this. Is this what you mean that I can count it plus my postdoc work (i.e. 4 years phd + 1 year postdoc = 5 years experience for research assistant NOC 4011)?

thanks once again,
Kay.

 

[sunichak]

I think you can go with 5 yrs exp under NOC 4011 as you mentioned.
I know few immigration consultants. Let me talk to them and get back to you. Expect a delay of 24 hours

 

[martinsdaddy]

Hi All,

I just completed a 4-year PhD in Mechanical Engineering from my country. In my country, the PhD period is considered employment (40 hours per week work + Holiday allowance + Year end bonus etc). I have applied for ECA to recognize my PhD as Education. I would like to also use the PhD period as four year work experience in my application for the Mechanical Engineering NOC since my job description fits well with the NOC. I was wondering if this is acceptable or if this will be rejected by CIC.

Thanks for your help.
Kayak

Hi brother, I understand the urge-I was in your position not so long ago. However, the truth is you will be rejected outright, if you apply with the PhD experience as full time work experience- in fact as any form of experience. PhDs are expected to last for 3-4+ full years, anything less will not give you the required Canadian equivalency. And work experience gained for the purpose of training or experience during a study program is not counted as work experience. I will advice you try other means or find Postdoctoral opportunities here in Canada.
Trust me, you are better off in your current state, than applying for the PR and getting rejected- the process is very expensive and emotionally intensive. Please be careful