When hiring a Postdoctoral Fellow or inviting a Visiting Scholar, please first complete the relevant Postdoctoral Fellow or Visiting Scholar Application form below. Email the selected form and the attachments specified on the form to the Coordinator, Research Conduct and Reporting for processing.
The research personnel's salaries, including Postdoctoral Fellows and Visiting Scholars, do not cover the full cost of annual benefits at the university (CPP, EI, EHT, WSIB). The supervisor is responsible for covering the employer portion of these costs each year the appointment is held. An estimate of mandatory expenses can be calculated using the Research Personnel Salary Calculation Template.
Research Personnel Employment Record Form for domestic candidates should be completed and submitted to Research Finance after the applicant receives the Appointment Letter from Trent. Forms for foreign candidates can be submitted once they arrive in Canada, obtain a Social Insurance Number, and open a bank account.
Forms
Postdoctoral Fellow Application Form
Foreign Postdoctoral Fellow Application Form
Visiting Scholar Application Form
Foreign Visiting Scholar Application Form
Research Personnel Employment Record Form
Research Personnel Amendment Form
Informed Consent Waiver for Unpaid Visiting Scholars
Postdoctoral Fellow and Visiting Scholar Appointment - procedure summary
Questions related to Postdoctoral Fellow and Visiting Scholar appointments at Trent University should be directed to Anna Kisiala, Coordinator, Research Conduct and Reporting.
International Postdoctoral Fellows and Visiting Scholars
Foreign Visiting Scholars at Trent must be permitted to work legally in Canada, regardless of whether the offered position is paid. Therefore, submitting the appropriate form is required for both paid visits and unpaid appointments (i.e. self-funded, government scholarships, scholarships from home institutions, MITACS GRI).
For foreign applicants, the information in the Application Form will help us determine the type of legal immigration status required to commence the appointment.
After the VPRI approves the Application Form, the Office of Research and Innovation will issue the Appointment Letter. If a work permit is required, we will use the information provided in the Application Form to apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the Offer of Employment number for the applicant.
Foreign Visiting Scholars invited to Trent for a short-term visit might be exempt from applying for a work permit if they meet the criteria of the 120-day work permit exemption for researchers policy.
Please refer to the IRCC website for more information about the conditions for foreign visitors to work in Canada.
If you are hiring a foreign Visiting Scholar or a foreign Postdoctoral Fellow, the job duties, job location, wages/benefits, and employment start and end dates in the Research Personnel Employment Record Form must match the information provided in the Application Form and in the Offer Letter throughout the employment period.
Changes to the conditions of an appointment for a foreign worker require the temporary worker to apply to change the conditions of their work permit.
Extending Postdoctoral Fellow and Visiting Scholar appointments
All PDF and VS appointment extensions require VPRI approval. Inquiries regarding the necessary paperwork should be directed to the Coordinator, Research Conduct and Reporting, depending on the appointment type.
ORI will review the submissions for contract extensions to ensure their compliance with Trent Policy on Postdoctoral Fellows and Visiting Scholars and with immigration law.
Extensions of foreign research employee contracts are contingent on their immigration status and usually require extension of the work permit. Foreign research personnel should initiate the process of amending their contracts early to secure enough time for legal authorization of their temporary worker status in Canada.
Extensions of paid positions should be followed by submitting the Amendment to Research Personnel Employment Record to Research Finance.