Lei

@ Andrew Miller

It's good to hear about the new changes to the post-grad work permit, and I just have a quick question about the PR applicatioin, I'm currently a graduate student from a recognized Canadian university, and I've been working as a teacher's assistant (152 hrs per term, 1 term = 4 months) for almost 2 years (16 months to be exact), on top of that I've also worked for 8 months (full-time) at a mid-sized company to complete my co-op terms, and I'm just wondering at the current stage am I qualified to apply for my PR under the skilled worker category? (considering I don't really have one year continuous employment and that my co-op experience may not count as a full time).

Please I would like some opinion on this issue.

Thank you

Lei

and I forgot to mention that I've been in Canada for almost 7 years now, I did my undergrad in Canada also. I guess what I'm really trying to ask is that, other things aside, will I be scoring any work experience points from the work experience mentioned from the previous post?

Thank you.

Andrew Miller

If you don't have at least 12 months of paid, continuous, full time (or full time equivalent) work experience in skilled occupation then you don't meet definition of Skilled Worker and cannot apply for PR visa under federal SW class. Co-op experience doesn't count.

You didn't state wherein Canada you are, thus I can't determine if there are any options available to you under PNP program.

Lei

Thanks for the info, I'm currently studying in Victoria, BC.

By the way, my co-op program is not mandatory, does that make a difference in applying for the skilled worker category? and do you mean that none of my co-op experience count as points, even though the job was full-time, paid, and continuous?

Thanks.

Andrew Miller

You have to have 12 months of paid, continuous, full time (or full time equivalent) work experience in skilled occupation in order to meet the definition of SW. Even if we could use co-op (8 months of full time) and assuming it was in skilled occupation and assuming that TA and co-op were a continuous experience but didn't overlap each other then you are still short as your TA experience doesn't add up to 4 months full time equivalent. Whatever weeks of co-op overlapped with TA work only 37.5 hours per week can be counted towards experience - thus if there was an overlap your shortage becomes even bigger.

12 months of work experience requirement does not apply for international students eligible to apply for BC PNP - but BC PNP allows only certain fields of study, International Graduates must have completed at least part of their study program in BC (a minimum of two years for a bachelor’s degree, and one year for a graduate degree. International Graduates with diplomas must have completed their entire study program in BC), achieve at least 70 percent (or equivalent grade-point average) in their program and have job offer in skilled occupation.

Lei

do you mean that the job duties from my TA position and that from my Co-op position must be the same in order for me to add the experience together? and let me clarify that my TA's experience did not overlap with my Co-op experience, maybe this timeline will help, it goes like this, TA term (Sep-April) -> Co-op term (May-August) -> TA term(Sep-April), but if the answer to my previous question is yes, then this wouldn't matter anyways, because the experience can't add up.

Thanks.

Lei

If my calculation is correct, I think I am 85 hours short from the 12 months requirement IF my TA and Co-op experience can accumulate just like you said. That's too bad. My field of study is Economics and I am pretty sure BC doesn't lack of people studying Economics, so I don't think the PNP route will work either.


Thanks.

Andrew Miller

BC PNP for International Students:

Eligible Degrees:

An undergraduate or graduate degree in any of the following fields:

Natural sciences, applied sciences or engineering
Health sciences
Computer science, information systems or digital media
Business or commerce
Tourism, recreation and hospitality
Transportation and logistics


Eligible Diplomas:

A 2-year diploma in any of the following fields:

Applied sciences or technologies, or engineering
Health sciences or technologies
Computer science or technology, information systems or digital media
Business or commerce
Tourism, recreation and hospitality
Transportation and logistics

As for calculation of experience - it can be in more than one occupation, as long as all are skilled occupations and employment is continuous.

But regardless - you are short on experience, no matter how you cut it. You need 1,950 hours of continuous experience and you cannot use more than 37.5 hours for any given week.

Quagmire

I think they do consider TA's as half of a full time equivalent experience. So I guess 2 years TA will be like a one year full time. I know friends who have applied like this and got their PRs.

Andrew Miller

Nobody considers anything as 'half time' when it comes to part time employment.

To calculate full time equivalent you must use 37.5 hours per week (1,950 hrs per year) as a full time. So, if someone has "2 years" of part time TA, working 15 hours a week (and not working during spring and summer breaks) then s/he will amount to about 1,200 hours or even less - it is far below 1,950 hours needed for 1 year of full time equivalent.

Quagmire

I just mentioned what my friends did for their applications. Most of them had Reasearch Assistanships and it may be because of that they worked more hours than what Lei did as a TA. I wanted to convey that a full time experience is not absolutely essential. RA and TA definitely count. I am not sure of other part time jobs or co-ops.

Lei, if you happen to also have an RA there is a good chance. You might want to ask people in your university whether this is something they have done. My friends got letters from department, supervisor and in some other office as a proof to how much they worked as TA and RA.

Quagmire

And ya, my friends worked fall, winter, spring and summer as RAs. I guess this is not very uncommon in Grad studies.

Andrew Miller

Please read all my posts - I always state "full time or full time equivalent". Where did I state that part time doesn't count? It always counts but must be converted to full time equivalent using 37.5 hrs/week (or 1,950 hrs/yr). If your friends have accumulated 1,950 hrs or more within 2 years then of course they could have claimed 1 year of full time equivalent.

Quagmire

@ Andrew Miller

Sorry about that. I was just to eager to help Lei by telling him it is possible get 'full time equivalent' as a grad student. You made that clear. Thanks.

Lei

Thank you both for you comments, they are most helpful.

I'll ask around in my department and see if I can come up with an answer.