Immigration Forum / Canada / November 2006

Hi,

Next summer, I'm thinking of applying for Canadian permanent residence
as a Federal Skilled Worker and have a question about the minimum work
experience requirement. I have been employed continuously by my
university computer science department since May 2004, mostly with one
IT job, and I've also been hired twice by the same employer in two
nonconsecutive semesters doing a teaching assistant job (while still
continuously having the IT job). Both jobs have NOC codes that qualify
for the skilled worker experience requirements. I worked at the IT job
during all of the intervening summers except one, where I worked for a
major tech company doing other NOC-qualifying work. The total
full-time-equivalent work experience will add up to more than 12
months, but does this qualify as continuous? I was hired only once for
the university IT job, have held it since 2004 without rehiring, and
continue to hold it, but there have been gaps such as winter and spring
school breaks as well as two or three 7-14 day breaks most summers,
where I remained employed in the same paying job but was off-duty and
was neither paid nor working during those periods. I'm really not sure
how the word "continuous" applies here and can't find any guidance by
searching online. This probably applies to a lot of university students
with skilled experience before their graduation. I'd appreciate it if
someone who knows could explain whether I'm eligible and why, as well
as ideally provide a URL/reference/citation so that I can independently
double-check the answer. Thanks very much.

- Jimmy