Getting a Canadian postdoc offer was only the first step; the work permit came next. Since I would not move until the second half of the year and still did not have the degree in hand, I decided to apply online rather than wait. The process turned out to be manageable, but the details matter.
The offer and the employer's part
The department secretary usually knows exactly what the offer letter needs to contain. The university paid a CAD 230 employer compliance fee and sent me a PDF receipt. That receipt was enough for my application; I did not have a copy of IMM5802. In practice, the offer and the receipt are the main things the Canadian employer provides. Even the receipt is mostly about having the application number, so the rest of the documents can be prepared in advance.
Starting the online application
I read the official work permit guide first, then answered the online eligibility questionnaire. That produced a reference code, which I used to register a GCKey account. The code pulled my answers into the application, and from there I could upload documents. It is worth answering every question honestly; changing the story later only creates problems.
A few practical points helped:
- Use a Visa, Mastercard, or American Express card for the fee. The card does not have to be in your name.
- A dedicated scanner is not necessary. I used a scanning app on my phone, in my case Evernote.
- The application fee was CAD 155 for me. I had no spouse or children to include.
- Install Adobe Reader on the computer. Some PDF readers cannot handle the fillable forms properly, while Adobe Reader supports the validation buttons.
- A postdoc does not need to have the PhD already. My offer was conditional on receiving the degree, and that did not stop the work permit application. I explained the timing later in the application.
Documents I uploaded
I filled out IMM1295 without a UCI and chose Exception from Labour Market Impact Assessment as the work type. After completing it, I clicked validate; it returned no errors.
For the General Education and Employment Form and IMM5645, I filled in both Chinese and English. I scanned the passport information page and stamped pages with my phone. The employment contract was simply the electronic offer letter, since I never received a paper copy.
My research proposal was one page: background, objectives, methods, expected results, and the resources available for the project. The CV was two pages. For the digital photo, I used an ID photo app with a Canadian visa template and kept the electronic file; it cost about CNY 1. I did not pay a photo studio.
Three fields were tricky for a PhD student: Employment Reference Letter, Employment Records, and Letter from Current Employer. I had none of them in the usual sense, so I uploaded the same letter to all three. It explained that after graduating from Shandong University I went to University of X as a PhD student, that I had never worked as an employee in China, and that I had no employment records or current or past employer. It also said that the salary in the offer, about $X per year, would be enough to live on in Canada, and noted that my student subsidy had risen from roughly $X per year in 2010 to roughly $X per year at the time of application.
For Proof that you Meet the Requirements of the Job Being Offered, I uploaded a bilingual enrollment certificate stamped by my institute. It stated that I had completed the PhD requirements and would defend in May. I also included an English transcript and three English recommendation letters.
For Education, I did not yet have a master's degree. I uploaded my bachelor's degree and graduation certificate, plus CHSI verification reports for them. Each report cost CNY 30 and was valid for one year. I added the bilingual enrollment certificate, then CHSI verification of my master's and PhD study records, also CNY 30 each and valid for one year. I arranged everything into one PDF and did not pay for any additional notarization, largely to keep costs down. My program was an MD-PhD track, so I had a master's study record but no master's degree, and the master's record showed the status as Transferred. I explained that in the letter of explanation rather than leaving it to guesswork.
The optional section mattered. IMM5257 is the visa application form; it is straightforward, needs validation, and belongs in the optional section only because some applicants already hold a resident visa. The Letter of Explanation was the most important document for me. It tied together all the unusual parts of my file: the offer was conditional on a PhD, my defense was scheduled for May 2016, the formal degree would not arrive until the middle of July under the usual timeline, and the postdoc was set to begin in August 2016. I referred to C44 and attached the student affairs certificate to show that I was currently a student and had completed the PhD requirements. I also pointed to my transcript, three recommendation letters, and publications in the CV as evidence that I could carry out the research described in the proposal.
The same letter explained the employment gap, the education documents, and the missing IMM5802. I had not received a copy of IMM5802, so I uploaded the electronic receipt with the IMM5802 application number noted on it by the university secretary. The rest of the forms followed Guide 5487. After paying the fee with a multi-currency card, I went home for Chinese New Year.
Medical exam
A few weeks later I received the medical request with form IMM1017E. The fee was CNY 1,700 at the clinics I checked. I chose the United Family clinic next to the St. Regis, called to book, and brought the form, passport, ID card, and a copy of the passport information page. No photos were needed.
Fasting was not required, and going in the afternoon was also fine. I paid first by card, had a photo taken, and was given a gown, shoe covers, and a locker key. In the changing room I stripped down to underwear and socks, then went through urine testing, blood tests including syphilis and HIV, height, weight, vision with glasses, chest X-ray, and a doctor's interview covering ears, nose, throat, heartbeat, and medical history. The urine result came quickly; blood results took until the afternoon. They gave me a stamped form and said that if I had not received a call by 5 p.m., everything was fine. The form itself was not really needed later, though it might be useful for reimbursement. The clinic felt like a private practice and asked about insurance before discussing fees.
Passport stamping
A few days later I got an email saying I could submit my passport. I printed IMM5740 and took my passport to the Canada Visa Application Centre. In Beijing it was near Dongsishitiao station; security let me in after I said I was there for the Canadian visa, and the office was on the 12th floor to the right after the elevator. I took a number, copied the passport information page for CNY 0.7, and paid CNY 139.6. Cash or a debit card worked; credit cards did not. I did not use courier service because I walked there and back, but round-trip courier would have cost around CNY 40 or more. Soon afterward CIC emailed to say the visa was ready. I picked up a large yellow envelope the next day; it contained the letter for the border officer and my stamped passport.
Timeline and costs
- January 31: submitted the online application
- February 23: medical request
- February 24: booked the appointment
- February 25: medical exam at the United Family Jianguomen clinic
- February 28: medical passed
- March 1: passport submission request
- March 2: submitted passport at the Canada Visa Application Centre
- March 3: visa approved
- March 4: picked up passport
The whole process took just over a month, including a trip home for Chinese New Year. The costs were CAD 155 for the online application, CNY 1,700 for the medical exam, CNY 139.6 for the visa centre, CNY 120 for four CHSI reports, and CNY 1 for the photo, roughly CNY 2,700 in total when counting the Canadian fee.
What I would keep in mind
I did not need a police certificate or other notarizations. The CHSI verification reports were useful because they were bilingual even though they were valid for only one year; without them I would probably have had to travel to Jinan. Before leaving, print out the documents the border officer may want to see, then start thinking about flights. The online application itself is not difficult. The one rule I would repeat three times is: be truthful.