Your attention please. PhDs and eligible bachelor(ette)s. You're welcome.

[deadbird]

Dear Canadavisa forum readers. I have grown to love this forum so much. No day is complete without a browser refresh for new posts. However, I am near the end of my journey. I received my COPR and will be landing in Canada soon. Like all old timers, I will now share some unsolicited wisdom/advice. It will be very beneficial to some of you. You're welcome.

Who am I?
A twenty something with 1 year of work experience, fresh out of school, never stepped foot in Canada and who cannot speak French.

How do I have 496 CRS points?
Cuz I speak English. Very well. I have a PhD. And here's the kicker for all the life hackers out there. Your grad school time counts as work experience under NOC 4012. You're welcome.

How does my girlfriend also have a PPR?
Cuz I married her. After eAPR. ( http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/getting-married-after-ppr-t403906.0.html). You're welcome.

Other advice:

• If you live(d) in the US. The FBI PCC takes a VERY long time to get. Apply early.
• If you are getting married after eAPR. Have all documents ready. In advance. They might only give you 7 days to submit everything.
• Shut up and read "Reasons for Rejection" (http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/reasons-for-rejection-t306713.0.html). You're welcome.

You're welcome.

With a heavy heart. I must leave this forum for a while. My performance at work has been suffering since my heart has been elsewhere. I wish everyone the best of luck. You're welcome.

Adeiu, Shabba Khair, Khuda Haafis
Deadbird

 

[jes_ON]

LOL. Congratulations!

 

[canadian-gentleman]

Your grad school time counts as work experience under NOC 4012.

So simply being a PhD student (in Canada) allows me to claim points under international work experience for NOC 4012? Even though I don't work as a teaching assistant or anything like that, I just do my "regular" research.

 

[kenok]

Good to know one can claim teaching assistant (TA)/research assistant (RA) as work experience. Although I already have 4 years of experience already (2 years before I started my PhD and already 2 years of postdoc), I have been wondering if/how I should include the time spent as TA/RA. The 2 years I worked prior to PhD fall under a different NOC so I'm wondering if that would be an issue cos I hear it must be 3 years in same job although you say you only worked 1 year. My PhD was on scholarship, so we were expected to work as Teaching assistants for our profs the whole time. In addition my current Prof offered me this job right after my PhD thesis defense but it took 6 months to get all the paper work done (PhD conferment) and convert to Work visa, in the meantime my student visa allowed me to "work" not more than 20 hours/week. So I started working for him as a research assistant and after the paper work (6 months) converted to a Postdoc with increased pay. I have been wondering how to include this in the proof of employment. Any suggestions?

 

[deadbird]

So simply being a PhD student (in Canada) allows me to claim points under international work experience for NOC 4012? Even though I don't work as a teaching assistant or anything like that, I just do my "regular" research.

Unfortunately, Canadian PhDs seem to be at a disadvantage. Your work experience does not count under CEC - http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=855&top=6

 

[canadian-gentleman]

Unfortunately, Canadian PhDs seem to be at a disadvantage. Your work experience does not count under CEC

Yes, you are correct of course that work while on a study permit does not count towards work experience IN CANADA.

As a FSW, you can get points under two different items:
1) Work experience IN CANADA and
2) work experience (which is not further defined in terms of where this experience was acquired, it just says full time, paid, in one profession and in NOC A, B or 0.)

Under 2) you get maximum points if you have 3 years of full time experience. As I didn't accumulate 3 years of work experience prior to starting my PhD, I am wondering if I can claim the maximum amount of points once I have completed 3 years of my PhD in Canada? I don't get paid a salary, but I get "grad support", not sure if that counts as paid work experience under NOC 4012.