NOC 4012 Research Assistant

[omari]

This part has always been a little unclear. I think it may be depending on funding type.
I am a PhD student and working as RA. I am paid but my contract says that the funding is considered scholarship for taxing purposes and so.
If I get TA it's extra salary. Part of it is also scholarship and part is salary which is taxable. I think this should qualify but how many hours you need for 1 year equivalent is the question.
I am just assuming here but that may clarify the difference between cases.

But I have also heard from colleagues that once you enter NOC4012 in canadian work experience in the EE profile, you don't get points for that, even if it was for more than a year and thus you would need the foreign work experience for the system.

 

[meyakanor]

Can somebody provide me a link to the CIC official website, stating that one cannot qualify under FSWP if they only TA/RA work experience?

CEC is explicit in that work experience gained during full-time study will not be accepted. You also won't gain any points under Express Entry if your work experience is gained while you are studying full-time, but there is nothing (I repeat, nothing), stopping you to apply under EE and qualify under FSWP if your work experience is only TA/RA.

Yes, you will be at disadvantage since you won't have any work experience points under CRS, but your work experience will be accepted under FSWP, and if you can get at least 67 poitns under FSWP, you should technically quallify to Express Entry (again, with no work experience points under CRS, but still qualify nonetheless.

For those wondering if you can get hours on your work experience, yes, it is possible. I got my PR under the old PhD stream, and I got my reference letter from my supervisor. I too didn't have any other work experience but TA/RA at the time (keep also in mind that most of my funding was non-taxable, like most other PhD students), and yet, I STILL GOT MY PR.

Make sure your letter follows the exact same format as required by CIC. Keep in mind that you will have to ask for it. The boiler plate letter HR provides won't do!!! Document your hours properly, and use the correct job descriptions. A lot of people were rejected because their job descriptions did not match NOC 4012.

Again, anyone is welcomed to point out the specific quote for FSWP that precludes TA/RA from qualifying. It is explicit under CEC and CRS, so if it was really the case, they should mention it under FSWP as well (but they don't).

 

[applefun]

Let's make it much more simple:

If applefun does not have work permit, if applefun is doing his/her RA/TA based on a study permit, s/he will not qualify for CEC for his/her RA/TA, no matter it is paid/ unpaid- do you agree?

If applefun has any foreign experience (at least 1 year according to CIC definition), s/he will qualify for FSW. Make sense?

By the way, my wife completed her 2 years of PhD and in her 3rd year She also has her profile open with 401 points and eligible only for FSW, not CEC. She is paid RA/TA, receiving T4, filing tax every year.

When you will try to show your RA/TA experience as work experience, system asks if you have a valid work permit. But a RA/TA does not have that. EE does not give any points for RA/TA if it is based on study permit and will make your profile ineligible if you don't have any foreign experience.

Hope it will help applefun. But applefun, you can sure try to open a profile with your RA/TA experience. there is no harm. But remember one thing, your university will never be able to issue you the employment reference letter stating your exact work hours. i am telling all these based on our experience.

There is one type of RA who comes to Canada based on work permit under some university collaboration project. In that case only, you can show you experience under NOC 4012 as work experience.

There was a different stream for international PhD students before 1st January, 2015. CIC has discontinued that special program. We applied last year under that category but we were late by 7 days. They have returned all application reached there after 1st December 2014 as the CAP of 500 applicants was reached.

It is a pity that CIC discontinued the PhD stream. Otherwise we will all get the PR fast and secured. I am paid the same as your wife, having T4, paying for taxes. Finished targeted courses, and now doing research every day. But I have no work experience except the RA as a student. Thank you for your reply. I will apply for FSW. But not enough points yet. Figure crossed for all of us!!!

 

[applefun]

You are absolutely wrong here. I know two persons doing PhD and working as a RA/TA whom i helped to open a profile in EE and they could not qualify with their paid RA/TA experience. Because they don't have any foreign experience, only paid RA/TA experience. They have completed more than 2 years and doing PhD with my wife. could you please explain with some link from CIC why they were not qualified for EE? that will definitely help them to open a profile.

The two persons are both ineligible for EE? I don't have work experience at all except the paid RA experience, and 2-semester TA paid one. It seems that I have the same issue with these two persons. Then I am out of the game. If you have any more info, please keep me posted. That is horrible. I have spent money collecting my application materials.

 

[f1ahmed]

The two persons are both ineligible for EE? I don't have work experience at all except the paid RA experience, and 2-semester TA paid one. It seems that I have the same issue with these two persons. Then I am out of the game. If you have any more info, please keep me posted. That is horrible. I have spent money collecting my application materials.

Hi Applefun, please don't be frustrated and rely on my comments. because there are many users here (visit the link I have shared here in previous comments) who were successful to open the profile. Please contact some of them and get the direction on opening the profile. There must be some way to open the profile otherwise how did they do it?

What I have said is from my experience. But why don't you give a try? you don't need anything except IELTS and ECA to open a profile. Try and let us know the outcome. Thanks.

 

[kateg]

Applefun,

Please do two things - for yourself, and for the information of others.

1) Make absolutely sure you qualify for FSW. Make sure you have proof of funds, make sure your points are high enough, you have any foreign credentials evaluated that need to be, etc.

2) Make absolutely sure that your profile shows that you qualify. If you don't list enough funds (for example), it will try to put you in CEC, and you will fail.

Can you do that? If it still rejects you, I'd be willing to work with you to try to figure out.

A good place to start (before the Come To Canada) wizard would be to examine the six selection factors. Do you have at least 67 points?

 

[still002]

I agree with @kateg. Let me put my experience here.

I have only TA/RA working experience during my PhD program under studying permit, and I definitely have no foreign experience. The system says I qualify for the FSW program.

The tricky thing is that, I do qualify for the FSW, but I cannot get any scores from my working experience.

Therefore, I think @f1ahmed made a mistake here. No scores does not mean not qualified. One is still qualified with TA/RA only, but the score is lower then. Ultimately, one is not able to get LMIA (600 points) through TA/RA, so it does not actually matter whether he qualifies or not...

 

[f1ahmed]

I agree with @ kateg. Let me put my experience here.

I have only TA/RA working experience during my PhD program under studying permit, and I definitely have no foreign experience. The system says I qualify for the FSW program.

The tricky thing is that, I do qualify for the FSW, but I cannot get any scores from my working experience.

Therefore, I think @ f1ahmed made a mistake here. No scores does not mean not qualified. One is still qualified with TA/RA only, but the score is lower then. Ultimately, one is not able to get LMIA (600 points) through TA/RA, so it does not actually matter whether he qualifies or not...

Probably I was wrong due to my limited knowledge, but I am still confused. Did you just test your eligibility or you have opened your profile? If you have your profile open, could you please tell me what did you answer to the questions regarding the work permit ? I mean when you select the location/country of work experience as Canada, system will ask if you have a work permit. What should someone say? How many hours/week did you put?

 

[still002]

Probably I was wrong due to my limited knowledge, but I am still confused. Did you just test your eligibility or you have opened your profile? If you have your profile open, could you please tell me what did you answer to the questions regarding the work permit ? I mean when you select the location/country of work experience as Canada, system will ask if you have a work permit. What should someone say?

1) I opened my profile.

2) This job does not require a work permit.

You are right that I do not qualify for CEC as my job does not require a work permit, but I do qualify for FSW.

 

[f1ahmed]

1) I opened my profile.

2) This job does not require a work permit.

You are right that I do not qualify for CEC as my job does not require a work permit, but I do qualify for FSW.

One last thing: hours/week? and are you referring to the below link to prove that "This job does not require a work permit"? or do you have any other link from CIC?

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-oncampus.asp

 

[applefun]

I agree with @ kateg. Let me put my experience here.

I have only TA/RA working experience during my PhD program under studying permit, and I definitely have no foreign experience. The system says I qualify for the FSW program.

The tricky thing is that, I do qualify for the FSW, but I cannot get any scores from my working experience.

Therefore, I think @ f1ahmed made a mistake here. No scores does not mean not qualified. One is still qualified with TA/RA only, but the score is lower then. Ultimately, one is not able to get LMIA (600 points) through TA/RA, so it does not actually matter whether he qualifies or not...

Thank you for your information. It really helps. We are both not eligible for CEC but qualify FSW. Good to know that I can apply but not able to get points from the Canadian Work Experience as RA/TA. I haven't opened a profile yet. After I finish my language test, I will open a profile. But perhaps having around 400 points then.

 

[Encore]

I agree with @kateg. Let me put my experience here.

I have only TA/RA working experience during my PhD program under studying permit, and I definitely have no foreign experience. The system says I qualify for the FSW program.

The tricky thing is that, I do qualify for the FSW, but I cannot get any scores from my working experience.

Therefore, I think @f1ahmed made a mistake here. No scores does not mean not qualified. One is still qualified with TA/RA only, but the score is lower then. Ultimately, one is not able to get LMIA (600 points) through TA/RA, so it does not actually matter whether he qualifies or not...

So, RA/TA work will not give you any points on the CSR ranking? Is that what you mean?
Hypothetically, without adding RA/TA work experience someone has 400 and qualifies under FSW assuming the person has foreign experience. If the person adds RA/TA experience what will happen to the score? Remain 400?

 

[AmirHNK]

So here is my situation:

I received a BSc from the University of Calgary in Canada in summer 2013. I have been a MSc student at the same university since then for the past 2.5 years. I have been doing TA and RA all this time. I have a letter from my supervisor saying that I did my RA and TA exactly as was mentioned based on NOC 4012. I have been receiving funding for my research and TA for all this time. Also it is good to mention that I received my PGWP on July 2013 so currently I am holding a valid PG work permit and study permit.

I just created a dummy EE profile just to see how EE likes my RA/TA work experience as my main NOC type. I input the following in my profile:

WORK HISTORY
- Title: Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant
- NOC 4012
- Job: full time 40 hrs/week , current job
- Were you working legally: Yes
- Were you studying full-time during the job: Yes
- Which one of the categories AmirHNK's job fall under: No work permit required

EDUCATION HISTORY
- BSc received in summer 2013
- Currently doing MSc since fall 2013, current standing: Not Completed

After I submitted my EE, I received an overall score of 434 and I was eligible for both CEC and FSW.

Why am I interested in this? because currently I have another EE profile. I have put my internship work experience I gained in Canada as my main 1 year work experience while indicating that I was not studying full time( because I did not take any courses during that period). My EE profile gave me a score of 409 and counted me eligible for FSW. Based on that I applied to OINP in December 2015.

I really need to know if I am truly eligible for EE otherwise I will just be wasting my time and money for immigration at this point.


P.S. you might find the following links useful:

- http://quic.queensu.ca/news/express-entry-information-from-citizenship-and-immigration-canada/
- http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=855&t=6

 

[YehiaZ]

So here is my situation:

I received a BSc from the University of Calgary in Canada in summer 2013. I have been a MSc student at the same university since then for the past 2.5 years. I have been doing TA and RA all this time. I have a letter from my supervisor saying that I did my RA and TA exactly as was mentioned based on NOC 4012. I have been receiving funding for my research and TA for all this time. Also it is good to mention that I received my PGWP on July 2013 so currently I am holding a valid PG work permit and study permit.

I just created a dummy EE profile just to see how EE likes my RA/TA work experience as my main NOC type. I input the following in my profile:

WORK HISTORY
- Title: Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant
- NOC 4012
- Job: full time 40 hrs/week , current job
- Were you working legally: Yes
- Were you studying full-time during the job: Yes
- Which one of the categories AmirHNK's job fall under: No work permit required

EDUCATION HISTORY
- BSc received in summer 2013
- Currently doing MSc since fall 2013, current standing: Not Completed

After I submitted my EE, I received an overall score of 434 and I was eligible for both CEC and FSW.

Why am I interested in this? because currently I have another EE profile. I have put my internship work experience I gained in Canada as my main 1 year work experience while indicating that I was not studying full time( because I did not take any courses during that period). My EE profile gave me a score of 409 and counted me eligible for FSW. Based on that I applied to OINP in December 2015.

I really need to know if I am truly eligible for EE otherwise I will just be wasting my time and money for immigration at this point.


P.S. you might find the following links useful:

- http://quic.queensu.ca/news/express-entry-information-from-citizenship-and-immigration-canada/
- http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=855&t=6

I think we need to know the definition of the full time student. Does a full time student only take courses ? for example, if I am a PhD student for three years and I took all the courses in the first year (i.e. if this definition is correct , then it means the later two years I am working as RA and TA without taking any courses). Additionally, in this case, I should claim the RA experience and I should not mark the "were you studying full-time during the job" checkbox and you will be eligible for CEC or FSW. The other definition is: you are a full time student as long as you are working as RA and/or TA and did not been graduated yet. Then, in this case you can claiming RA or TA will not provide any points. I am really confused between the two definitions.

 

[YehiaZ]

Please I want your advice to help me to create EE profile correctly. I am on my third year PhD student and I have the following qualifications:

- More than 4 full time years foreign experience as 2172 Database analysts
- IELTS (7.5 Listening, 6.5 speaking and reading , 7 writing)
- Having WES report as having a Master Degree.
- I have finished all the courses in the first two semesters, starting from May 1st, 2014 till now.

I think I should apply under FSW (not CEC). My question is, can I claim working RA from May 1st 2015 till now without marking "Were you studying full-time during the job" checkbox (given I have finished all the courses before this date) ? if yes, then I will complete 1560 hours working as RA and it will be counted as a Canadian experience. If no, then I will not gain any points from this position.

Your help is really appreciated.