Postdoctoral fellows/scholars/researchers

In Quebec, “Postdoctoral” is a full-time student status and trainee category, and the Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur (MES) stipulates that all Postdocs must be registered on a university student registration system. The status of Postdocs has changed in recent years, starting with the federal government’s decision in 2010 to classify them as employees. The Quebec government, for its part, had continued to classify Postdocs as trainees until 2011, when it began classifying postdocs at some Quebec universities – and eventually McGill – as employees. 

Candidates seeking postdoctoral registration must meet all eligibility requirements for postdoctoral status in conformity with Quebec provincial rules and regulations, as well as McGill University regulations and policies governing postdoctoral education. As postdoctoral status is a trainee/student classification, you are not eligible for postdoctoral status if you hold an active status or affiliation with an institution or organization. Holders of MDCM, DDS, DMD or DVM degrees are not eligible for postdoctoral status without a subsequent speciality certification.

As of January 1, 2017, some McGill Postdocs have dual status as both students and employees:

  1. Postdoctoral Fellows - postdocs who receive external funding, and are therefore not paid by McGill University (referred to as “Group A”).
    These are considered students, not McGill employees.

  2. Postdoctoral Scholars - postdocs who obtain their own personal funding/awards, and are paid 100% out of those funds through McGill’s payroll systems (referred to as “Group B”).
    These are considered students, not McGill employees.

  3. Postdoctoral Researchers - postdocs who receive 25% or more of their total income from McGill funds (referred to as part of “Group C”).
    These have dual status as both students and McGill employees, and are members of the AMURE (Postdocs) bargaining unit. Their pay, benefits, working conditions, etc. are governed by their collective agreement.

Note for international postdocs: Regardless of their status as student and/or employee, all international postdocs must hold a valid work permit. Consult this page for more information.

Postdoctoral Status – McGill University – Reference Table

Postdoc Fellow Postdoc Scholar Postdoc Researcher
unionized
Postdoc Researcher
non-unionized
Description Paid 100% of total income from external funds Paid 100% of total income from own grant/award; salary paid through McGill Payroll Systems Paid 25% or more of their total income by McGill fund (excluding MUHC) Paid less than 25% of their total income by McGill fund (excluding MUHC)
Salary Administration MUHC or affiliated institute or directly from granting agency McGill HR Central McGill HR Central McGill HR Central
classification Student Student Student & Employee Student & Employee
Workday Job Reference Number ETUD-60030
(Group A)
ETUD-60020
(Group B)
ETUD-60010
(Group C unionized)
ETUD-60011
(Group C non-unionized)
Status in HR Central No Yes Yes Yes

Government Source Deductions & McGill Employee Benefits

No

•Subject to federal tax deductions
•No employee regular benefits
•Eligible for Health & Dental Insurance via PGSS

 

•Subject to government source deductions
•Eligible for McGill employee benefits (including health & dental), so long as they meet McGill’s benefits eligibility requirements
•Their pay, benefits, working conditions, etc. are governed by the AMURE collective agreement
•Subject to government source deductions
•Eligible for McGill employee benefits (including health & dental), so long as they meet McGill’s benefits eligibility requirements
Employee Benefits Eligibility No No Yes must be F/T, min 3 months & 25,000/per annum
Unionized No No Yes No
PGSS Member Yes Yes No Yes
Student Services Yes Yes No Yes
Health and Dental Insurance (PGSS) Yes Yes No Yes
Salary Administered by HR Central No Yes Yes Yes
Salary Administered by MUHC or external agency Yes No No No
Recipient of MITACS Elevate Award No Yes No No
Recipient of MITACS Accelerated Award No No  Yes Yes
Recipient of CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC No Yes No No
Vacation entitlement 15 working days 15 working days www.mcgill.ca/hr www.mcgill.ca/hr
Work permit required for international candidates Yes Yes Yes Yes
Tax Slips issued by HR Central No Yes Yes Yes
Tax Receipts issued by Student Accounts No No No No
Health Insurance (taxable benefit) added to employee tax slips No No Yes Yes, if health and dental insurance is covered by McGill
Health & Dental Insurance Receipts (Minerva Student ACCOUNTS) Yes Yes No Yes, if health and dental insurance is covered by PGSS
Quebec Tax Exemption

https://www.mcgill.ca/gps/postdocs/fellows/finances/quebec-tax-exemption

 

Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International License.
Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, McGill University.

Back to top