International postdoctoral fellows

To obtain a Canadian work permit as an international postdoctoral fellow, you must:

• Hold a valid passport.
• Receive letter of invitation from the School of Graduate Studies. This letter should state that you are being invited as a postdoctoral fellow, the duration of your appointment and the total amount and source of the stipend/salary you will be receiving. You will need this letter to support your application for a valid work permit.
• You must obtain the offer of employment number from the postdoctoral development coordinator once the Foreign National Exempt from a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) Forms are completed and your potential supervisor has paid the $230 compliance fee (in coordination with the School of Graduate Studies).
• Supervisors wishing to invite an international postdoctoral fellow to Concordia should refer to the Becoming a postdoctoral fellow page for further information and then contact the postdoctoral development coordinator to obtain the LMIA forms.
• Complete the Canadian Citizenship and Immigration work permit application and submit it as directed.

Postdoctoral fellows do NOT need a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ).

As a postdoctoral fellow, it is your responsibility to obtain and maintain all required documentation from Canadian Citizenship and Immigration during the tenure of your appointment.

International postdocs must hold a valid work permit for the entirety of their appointment. You must file your application for a renewed work permit with Citizenship and Immigration Canada within the allotted timeframe to maintain your legal status. This also applies to accompanying spouses/dependents.

Once your postdoctoral appointment is extended, the $230 compliance fee is paid by your supervisor (in coordination with the School of Graduate Studies) and the Foreign National Exempt from a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) Forms are completed and sent to the postdoctoral development coordinator, you will obtain a new offer of employment number. This number is required to extend your work permit.

Make sure you have the following:

• Your valid passport.
• Work permit approval: A letter from your Canadian visa service/embassy confirming that your work permit has been approved.
• If you are travelling with accompanying dependents, be sure to have all their documents as well. For school registration, we recommend bringing your children’s birth certificates bearing both parents’ names.
• Evidence of financial support if you are receiving funding from a source outside Canada and/or Concordia. For example, letter confirmation of fellowship from your home country, university or research organization.
• Evidence of successful PhD/doctorate degree completion. This should consist of one of the following: 
  • An official transcript from your home university (issued to you in a sealed envelope);
  • An original or notarized/certified copy of your PhD diploma or medical specialist diploma/certificate;
  • If your PhD degree has not been granted, you will need an original registrar statement/original certificate from your home university’s School of Graduate Studies (or equivalent). This statement should confirm that you have successfully completed your PhD requirements and that your degree will be granted;

  • If the above documents are in a language other than English or French, you will need to provide a notarized/certified official translation (into English or French) of the documents.

• Travel insurance and medical coverage:
  • You are also strongly advised to purchase travel insurance to cover medical emergencies that may occur between the time of departure from your home country and the start date of your temporary medical insurance.
  • You must obtain and/or maintain temporary health insurance coverage until you receive Quebec Medical Coverage, if eligible, which can take up to three months; otherwise, a proof of an insurance coverage for the whole period of their appointment is required (refer to the Guidelines for Postdoctoral Fellows). You must provide the Postdoctoral Office with such a proof before being registered.
    
  • Concordia will not assume responsibility for any medical charges incurred by a postdoctoral fellow.

Be sure to:

• Apply for a Social Insurance Number, in person or online, as soon as possible. Your Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a nine-digit number that you need to work and get paid in Canada.
• Open a bank account. 
• Apply for the Quebec Health Insurance Card. This card will allow you to benefit from a range of services covered under the Quebec Health Insurance Plan. Only one card is issued per person. Keep your card valid at all times by renewing it before the required deadline.
• Hand in your complete postdoctoral registration form along with a copy of your work permit, updated CV and proof of insurance coverage to the postdoctoral development coordinator.
• Know your rights as a temporary worker.
• Postdoctoral fellows, if needed, may have access to Concordia Health Services on both campuses.