US CPT counts at work ex?
- Thread starter avian12
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Yes it is, if you have all your paperwork like reference letters, payslips and Tax docs! Go for it
Thanks! I was getting worried and was thinking of raising a CSE.
My concern is that when most people see F1 student, they arnt aware of the CPT program and automatically assume it is just a student status
You are wrong! It is not a co-op or internship! it is full time paid work which you can legally work
Okay!! I missed the part where he mentioned he is claiming work experience as part of educational credit. My bad
Hmm. Sounds like it maybe a grey area? Thank you both for your response.
Do you think it is worth taking time to open a CSE and explain this? I am currently in IP1. Not mentioning this as work ex will not reduce my points low enough to meet the draw req.
Based on U.S immigration - I am a fulltime student, and my full time CPT work is necessary for the completion of my degree. So, it would not be considered full time employment.
USCIS definition of CPT:
Foreign Students in F-1 Nonimmigrant Status Participating in Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
An F-1 nonimmigrant student may begin CPT after the Designated School Official (DSO) has completed the Form I-20 endorsement page. CPT is any alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education, or other type of required internship or practicum that is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school. CPT must be an integral part of an established curriculum.
F-1 nonimmigrant students participating in CPT must present the following three documents to establish identity and employment authorization:
- Unexpired foreign passport
- Form I-20 with the DSO’s endorsement for employment
- Form I-94 or Form I-94A indicating F-1 nonimmigrant status
- Foreign passport number
- Form I-94 number, and
- Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) number and program expiration date from Form I-20
Link:
https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/complete-correct-form-i-9/complete-section-1-employee-information-and-attestation/foreign-academic-students#nonimmigrant status
Did you add your CPT work experience in EE? I worked full time (40 hours) during last semester of my MS. I continued with same employer during OPT and on H1B. Can you please share your experience?
The way you need to look at this is - You gained skill set, and you got paid for your services. That's a job. Unpaid internship as part of gaining credit for degree is not seen as a job, but this is. The fact that you needed to do this for credit doesn't discredit it from being a legitimate job.
If nothing else, it is definitely worth adding to your profile and letting the case officer take a call. In my experience, I feel the case officers are very reasonable as long as you have been honest. At the end of the day, Canada is looking to see if you have x amount of professional work experience either in a job or business, so basically it's a transaction where services and money was exchanged.
I would say give it a shot.
Edit: Having gone through the link shared earlier, it seems like the type of visa you're on does matter, along with the fact that whether you were a full time student at the time or not. They explicitly call out CPT as not skilled work experience. Regardless of whether you were paid or not, CIC doesn't recognize it as job experience.
If nothing else, it is definitely worth adding to your profile and letting the case officer take a call. In my experience, I feel the case officers are very reasonable as long as you have been honest. At the end of the day, Canada is looking to see if you have x amount of professional work experience either in a job or business, so basically it's a transaction where services and money was exchanged.
I would say give it a shot.
Edit: Having gone through the link shared earlier, it seems like the type of visa you're on does matter, along with the fact that whether you were a full time student at the time or not. They explicitly call out CPT as not skilled work experience. Regardless of whether you were paid or not, CIC doesn't recognize it as job experience.
If you are applying for Federal Skilled Worker Express Entry you are fine. It is only for Canadian Experience Class (Express Entry ) that you can’t use experience gained while you were a student.
Below are the links of the two programs. When you go to each link, you see the eligibility requirements of each program.
Federal Skilled Woker Express Entry:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/federal-skilled-workers.html
Canadian Experience Class (Express Entry) :
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/canadian-experience-class.html
Below are the links of the two programs. When you go to each link, you see the eligibility requirements of each program.
Federal Skilled Woker Express Entry:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/federal-skilled-workers.html
Canadian Experience Class (Express Entry) :
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/canadian-experience-class.html
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Can you please tell me which link mentions CPT and its not being counted as skilled experience?