Your advice is welcome; which class I should apply for?
 

Hi, I am at the stage of preparing my PR application and I am not sure whether to apply as temporary worker in Canadian experience, or federal skilled worker, as I “think” I am eligible for both classes. Canadian Experience class (CEC) is of course better, but I am not really sure I am eligible for it. In the pro- side, I have been working in Canada for the last three years as a paid University Research Assistant (NOC# 4122), I have T4s and I obtained IELTS and reference letters. In the cons- side I am in Canada as a Student (graduate student), and although I have been working in the lab as paid research assistant, my salary comes from research grants and most of it is not taxable, so it is divided between T4 and T4A tax slips.

What would be your advice; should I apply in CEC, or forget about it and apply for the skilled worker class before the cap is reached, or apply for both at the same time? :confused:

Re: Your advice is welcome; which class I should apply for?
 

Why do you think you are not eligible for CEC? Was your work experience not full-time?

And don't worry about the cap, that doesn't apply for FSW category 2 (arranged employment) anyway, it's only relevant for FSW category 1 applications.

Welcome to the forum btw.

:)

Re: Your advice is welcome; which class I should apply for?
 

If you are in Ontario, the Opportunities Ontario PNP scheme has a stream specifically for graduate students.

Re: Your advice is welcome; which class I should apply for?
 

OK, so you really need to look at each province's PNP. Ontario doesn't have a business stream iirc, but as Wolstie says it does have a graduate stream (only if you've graduated from a uni there though - you don't say where you studied), NS also has a graduate stream but I don't recall a business stream, and BC definitely has a business stream, but I don't think it has a graduate stream! So you need to research if PNP is an option for you by looking at each of them.

Which province are you in now? And where did you obtain your business experience, have you already been running one in Canada or was it in the UK?

Re: Your advice is welcome; which class I should apply for?
 

Sorry Christmas, seems there's been a mix up, the OP doesn't want to run a business...

For the OP, Ontario PNP is open to workers in NOC 0, A or B or graduates from a Canadian college / uni.

Re: Your advice is welcome; which class I should apply for?
 

Thought I'd deleted this, but obviously not - meant to post it on another thread (that's the problem with having so many different windows open at a time!). I did post it on the correct thread as well, but seems it just didn't get deleted from here, ooops!

What my reply should have asked, was just what province the OP is in.

:)

Re: Your advice is welcome; which class I should apply for?
 

Thanks for the welcome; it is really a nice forum

I am in Alberta, and I am still a student in the University of Alberta doing my PhD. I do not think the arranged employment system will apply to me. What makes my position not typical is my work in the lab is part of my research based degree, although it is also part of my supervisor's research that is why he pays me. My supervisor pays me from his grant, but this is not in a formal contract system. The way it works is that I have a few sources of irregular income, such as faculty small grants, salary for some hours of helping in the teaching, and scientific awards every now and then. So my supervisor is topping this up to reach the minimum of 20 k CAD a year. He wrote in the reference letter that I am receiving $20,000 a year. The reference letter actually looks good and will serve the purpose of CEC, but it is the T4 and T4A that I am worried about. My T4, reporting the taxable income, is about $6,000 while my T4A, reporting the nontaxable and grant income, is $14,000. Also, they might pick up on my work being a part of my training for the PhD, not a typical work, even it is full time.

I called the CIC call centre and the agent was not sure about it. She told me that I met the requirements but it is up to the visa officer to decide. So, do you think I have a good chance that justify paying $1,100 processing fees for me and my wife?

Re: Your advice is welcome; which class I should apply for?
 

As I understand, and I may be wrong, so please verify with CIC -

If you applied but the visa officer determined that you actually weren't eligible to apply / don't meet the criteria, your application would not be processed and you would be refunded the processing fee.

Re: Your advice is welcome; which class I should apply for?
 

I'm a bit confused as to what your current visa status in Canada is, can you clarify? I had assumed it was a study permit, but as you are working full-time it's obviously a different visa - are you on a work permit?

Don't forget that for FSW cat 2 it must not only be arranged employment, but also the job offer must be 'approved by HRSDC', meaning you'd need either an AEO or LMO to be eligible (unless you are on a LMO exempt work permit of course).

You don't need to submit any kind of tax return for a PR application, you need a contract of employment, reference, that kind of thing, but tax records are not required.

What does your wife do in Canada, is there any option for her to apply for PR maybe?

Re: Your advice is welcome; which class I should apply for?
 

That 's a good news. If so, there is nothing to loose if I apply. But, do not they check completeness of the application only!?

Yes, I am on a student visa, but I am allowed to work full time in campus. I want to use this work to apply for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and they need tax slips in the document checklist as a proof for employment. It is confusing, but I hope this makes it clear.

Re: Your advice is welcome; which class I should apply for?
 

Really? I thought you could only work a max of 20 hours a week on a study permit? Not heard of that before.

What about your wife, does she work - would it be an easier option for her to apply for PR?

Re: Your advice is welcome; which class I should apply for?
 

That is right, 20 hours is the limit for off-campus work permits during the academic year. But this does not apply, as far as I know, for on-campus work which I do. So I am registered full time student while I am working full time. That's another thing they can pick up on.

As per my wife, she is actually working, that how we survived so far :), but I dot think she can obtain the IELTS requirements. Besides this will introduce a few months delay.

Re: Your advice is welcome; which class I should apply for?
 

I thought it was for both but could be completely wrong. Might be worth checking though just in case - you don't want to shoot yourself in the foot by telling them you're working full-time if you shouldn't be!

Might be a lot easier than you doing it though, if her job is more straightforward?

Re: Your advice is welcome; which class I should apply for?
 

I just finished a PhD at UofC and as far as I know, the lab work you do while a graduate student is part of your PhD studies, and I don't think is considered actual employment, which is why you only need a study permit and are registered as a student with the university, not an employee. I'm not sure that this would be classed as full-time employent by CIC, rather you are a full-time student and like all other grad students are paid a studentship, which should be tax-free.

I could be wrong and your situation may be different from mine and others I know of course. I think once you graduate from a Canadian university you are eligible to apply for PR as a Canadian graduate.

Re: Your advice is welcome; which class I should apply for?
 

That's a good point, sorry I don't know the answer. Best to call CIC.