NOC 2221 or NOC 4012

[bxia33]

I graduated from a U.S university with a Ph.D degree in Biochemistry with 4.5 years Research Assistant experience during my Ph.D (20 hours per week salary)

My research is focus on bacteria enzyme study.

Do I qualify as NOC 2221?

NOC 2221 has multiple duties in which I probably only qualify 4 out of 7:
Set up and conduct biological, microbiological and biochemical tests and laboratory analyses in support of research and quality control in food production, sanitation, pharmaceutical production, biotechnology and other fields
Apply methods and techniques such as microscopy, histochemistry, chromatography, electrophoresis and spectroscopy
Perform experimental procedures in agriculture, plant breeding, animal husbandry, biology and biomedical research
Conduct field research and surveys to collect data and samples of water, soil, and plant and animal populations
Conduct environmental monitoring and compliance activities for the protection of fisheries stock, wildlife and other natural resources
Analyze data and prepare reports
Conduct or supervise operational programs such as fish hatchery, greenhouse and livestock production programs.

Is it ok or I have to meet requirements for most duties?

OR in my case, I should evaluate as NOC 4012, Post-secondary teaching and research assistants?

Is it ok to change the NOC after get ITA?

Thanks,

 

[CanadaWeCome]

I graduated from a U.S university with a Ph.D degree in Biochemistry with 4.5 years Research Assistant experience during my Ph.D (20 hours per week salary)

My research is focus on bacteria enzyme study.

Do I qualify as NOC 2221?

NOC 2221 has multiple duties in which I probably only qualify 4 out of 7:
Set up and conduct biological, microbiological and biochemical tests and laboratory analyses in support of research and quality control in food production, sanitation, pharmaceutical production, biotechnology and other fields
Apply methods and techniques such as microscopy, histochemistry, chromatography, electrophoresis and spectroscopy
Perform experimental procedures in agriculture, plant breeding, animal husbandry, biology and biomedical research
Conduct field research and surveys to collect data and samples of water, soil, and plant and animal populations
Conduct environmental monitoring and compliance activities for the protection of fisheries stock, wildlife and other natural resources
Analyze data and prepare reports
Conduct or supervise operational programs such as fish hatchery, greenhouse and livestock production programs.

Is it ok or I have to meet requirements for most duties?

OR in my case, I should evaluate as NOC 4012, Post-secondary teaching and research assistants?

Is it ok to change the NOC after get ITA?

Thanks,

Please write to NC-NOC-CNP-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca for the exact NOC for you.

 

[jes_ON]

Do I qualify as NOC 2221?
If you were a post-doc, I would say to use this NOC. But since you were a graduate student...

OR in my case, I should evaluate as NOC 4012, Post-secondary teaching and research assistants?
... This is the appropriate NOC.

Is it ok to change the NOC after get ITA?
Yes.

 

[bxia33]

Hi jes_ON,

So you think it would be very risky to evaluate as NOC 2221?

I have gotten ITA by NOC2221.. should I consider to change?

Thanks

 

[jes_ON]

So you think it would be very risky to evaluate as NOC 2221?

I have gotten ITA by NOC2221.. should I consider to change?

You can change it, but if you don't want to, you can write a letter of explanation... why you chose NOC 2221, why it could also be 4012...

In the past, RAs who chose 4012 had a hard time because the NOC description emphasized the TA duties (not so much the RA). So if you stated you were concerned about using 4012 because you only had research duties only, no teaching duties, I'm sure it would be understood and accepted.

 

[bxia33]

Hi, jes_ON,

Thanks for your generous reply,

For duties in NOC 2221,

###
Main duties
Biological technologists perform some or all of the following duties:

Set up and conduct biological, microbiological and biochemical tests and laboratory analyses in support of research and quality control in food production, sanitation, pharmaceutical production, biotechnology and other fields
Apply methods and techniques such as microscopy, histochemistry, chromatography, electrophoresis and spectroscopy
Perform experimental procedures in agriculture, plant breeding, animal husbandry, biology and biomedical research
Conduct field research and surveys to collect data and samples of water, soil, and plant and animal populations
Conduct environmental monitoring and compliance activities for the protection of fisheries stock, wildlife and other natural resources
Analyze data and prepare reports
Conduct or supervise operational programs such as fish hatchery, greenhouse and livestock production programs.

Biological technicians perform some or all of the following duties:

Assist in conducting biological, microbiological and biochemical tests and laboratory analyses
Perform limited range of technical functions in support of agriculture, plant breeding, animal husbandry, biology, biomedical research and environmental protection
Assist in conducting field research and surveys to collect data and samples of water, soil, and plant and animal populations
Assist in analysis of data and preparation of reports.
###

If I want to claim myself as Biological Technologist, I only fulfilled the duties for underlined, is that enough for "majority of the duties?"

OR

I should claim myself as biological technician?

 

[bxia33]

You can change it, but if you don't want to, you can write a letter of explanation... why you chose NOC 2221, why it could also be 4012...

In the past, RAs who chose 4012 had a hard time because the NOC description emphasized the TA duties (not so much the RA). So if you stated you were concerned about using 4012 because you only had research duties only, no teaching duties, I'm sure it would be understood and accepted.

So RAs and TAs will not be considered separately? "RAs who chose 4012", in the past, is there any RAs chose other NOC and get approved?

Should I let my mentor provide two version of reference letter to back up my application? One for 2221, the other for 4012, or it will cause serious issue..

Thanks

 

[jes_ON]

So RAs and TAs will not be considered separately? "RAs who chose 4012", in the past, is there any RAs chose other NOC and get approved?

Should I let my mentor provide two version of reference letter to back up my application? One for 2221, the other for 4012, or it will cause serious issue..

Wow. Well you match the NOC based on the job duties, not the other way around.

There was a time a few years ago when the VOs were incorrectly interpreting the NOC. The lead statement says "Post-secondary teaching and research assistants assist university professors, community college and CEGEP teachers and other faculty members in teaching and research activities at universities and colleges." So the VOs (or at least the initial reviewers) read that as meaning both teaching and research activities were required (a Boolean AND), So they refused a lot of people stating that the duties did not match the NOC. This affected RAs more, because the teaching duties appeared first in the list. Clearly an error on their part, but that was of little solace to the people who had to appeal or re-apply.

A lot of post-docs also (erroneously) used the NOC, so there was advice that post-docs should use an NOC that matched their field of research. Because of IRCC staff's misinterpretation of the NOC, a lot of RAs also used that strategy.

More recently, RAs have been able to successfully use 4012.

 

[bxia33]

In my case, I should be fine with TA and RA.

The problem is my postdoc experience doesn't match the 4012. So it is hard for me to get more points if my Ph.D RA experience can't compile into the same NOC with Postdoc.

I am not sure which NOC would be safe for me to apply, my major concern's for NOC 2221 is not in the lead statements, are some statements in major duties (3 out of 7)

Conduct field research and surveys to collect data and samples of water, soil, and plant and animal populations
Conduct environmental monitoring and compliance activities for the protection of fisheries stock, wildlife and other natural resources
Conduct or supervise operational programs such as fish hatchery, greenhouse and livestock production programs.

My research focused on Microbiology, and clearly..all this duties are for biotechnologists in other small specialty.
I am not sure fulfilling 4 out 7 duties will grant me the luck to pass the evaluation.

In constrast, during RA, besides research, I also prepare exam, grading and serve as instructor in biochemistry lab.

So right now, I am in a dilema, so I really hope that someone could give me some specific advice

 

[LoopyL]

Similar dilemma. No PhD just a biology degree and masters. Do lab based research but no teaching! Duties match 4012 but I was not a student at any time. Had a work permit back in 2007 under 2121. Have written to noc for clarification and will let you know!

 

[LoopyL]

Hmmmmm, the advice was to put the term 'science research' into the quick search NOC tool and pick one of those codes. Only 2221
is even a vague match. 'Research' alone as the term brings up 2121, 2221 and 4012! Very confusing!

 

[ghazalsweety]

Where can we get clarification regarding our NOC. Kindly reply I have similar situation.

 

[Marwa 20]

Hello, can you please advise me regarding my situation,
During my doctoral studies I did scientific research in the field of exercise physiology but I did not perform teaching tasks. So during my doctoral studies I did research on the exploitation of the immune, lipid and cardiovascular response after physical activity. and I have published scientific articles on these subjects. what is the appropriate NOC code for me biologist and related sciences (2221) or teaching and research assistant (4012) ??