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Appointing a Postdoctoral Fellow

Prospective postdoctoral fellows are encouraged to reach out directly to faculty members to inquire about potential opportunities. Applications can be submitted directly to the faculty member or through available postings on our careers page. We recommend the following resources to learn more about our faculty and their research:

If a prospective postdoctoral fellow expresses interest in a position at the university, the supervising faculty member is responsible to initiate the appointment process. All postdoctoral fellow appointments are made by the faculty, in collaboration with Human Resources and the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS).

To initiate the hiring process, please review the PDF Recruitment Checklist and complete the Postdoctoral Fellow Registration Form.

For questions regarding the hiring process, please contact the HR recruitment team at HRrecruitment@ontariotechu.ca

Information for international postdoctoral fellows

  • International postdoctoral fellows working in Canada
    • Non-Canadian residents must obtain a valid work permit to work in Canada legally.
    • International postdoctoral fellows must have an Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) work permit before arriving at Ontario Tech University to begin their postdoctoral fellowship.
    • Before applying for a work permit, the postdoctoral candidate must have both a Letter of Invitation and a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) Employer Exemption Number.
    • If the prospective postdoctoral fellow is a recent graduate of a Canadian university with a valid study permit and wishes to pursue a postdoctoral position at Ontario Tech, they must apply for a Post-Graduate Work Permit following the guidelines set by IRCC.
    • If the prospective postdoctoral fellow attended Ontario Tech University as a student and plans to remain in Canada to pursue a postdoctoral position, they must apply for a Canadian work permit, even if their study permit is still valid.
    • Postdoctoral fellows who already hold a work permit and wish to extend their stay in Canada must submit an IRCC work permit application online.
    • Additional information on any changes or amendments to an application can be found on the IRCC website.
    • Postdoctoral fellows at Ontario Tech University are governed by the Public Service Alliance of Canada Postdoctoral Fellows Collective Agreement 2021–2024.
  • Visa and immigration procedures

    1. Obtain a valid passport to travel and work in Canada.

    2. Secure a formal letter of invitation from a recognized Faculty, School, or Department at Ontario Tech University, along with proof of submission for the Offer of Employment/LMIA exemption to support the work permit application for the postdoctoral fellowship.

    3. The IRCC must be assured that the postdoctoral fellow will have sufficient financial support upon entering Canada. The minimum annual salary for a postdoctoral fellow at Ontario Tech University is outlined in Appendix A of the current Postdoctoral Fellows Collective Agreement with the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC). This salary ensures that the postdoc can demonstrate adequate financial support after arriving in Canada. The appointment letter will indicate if any additional funding is provided.

    4. Complete the IRCC work permit application online or submit the application to the nearest Visa Application Centre.

    5. Pay the non-refundable application processing fee. This fee is separate from the Offer of Employment/LMIA exemption fee, which is paid by the university to support the postdoctoral work permit application.

    6. Postdoctoral fellows are not required to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada.

    7. Please note that the processing time for a work permit application may take up to six months to receive a final decision from Immigration Canada.

  • Work permits for spouses or partners

    Spouses or partners accompanying postdoctoral fellows to Canada are eligible to seek employment once they arrive. Information about the Spousal Employment Authorization initiative can be found on the IRCC website.

    To apply for an open work permit, spouses or partners must submit an application and processing fee to IRCC, along with the following documents:

    • A valid passport;
    • The work permit of the postdoc spouse or partner; and
    • A marriage certificate in English or French.