Eligibility

In Quebec, “Postdoctoral” is a full-time student status and trainee category, and the Government of Quebec stipulates that all postdocs must meet certain eligibility requirements and be registered on a university student registration system.

Candidates must meet the following requirements in order to be eligible for registration:

• The individual must have recently been awarded (within 5 years) a PhD or equivalent.  A health professional degree (MDCM, DVM, DDS) alone is not sufficient to fill this stipulation, and must be accompanied by a «diplôme professionnel de spécialité en médecine»/Medical Specialist Diploma/Certificate. 
• The individual must be offered a temporary research appointment of at least twelve months in duration by a department or academic unit. The appointment will involve research activities on a full-time basis and will not exceed five years in duration from the date the Ph.D. or equivalent degree/specialty certification was awarded. The appointment may not exceed the postdoctoral status eligibility end date.
• The individual’s training must be preparatory for an academic and(or) research career.
• The individual must work under the supervision of a McGill professor who is a member of the University’s academic staff. They are expected to be engaged primarily in research activities with minimal teaching or other responsibilities.
• The individual must be assured of financial support, other than from personal means, for the duration of their postdoctoral appointment. This financial support must meet the minimal stipend requirement as determined by the university.  
• The individual must be assured by the academic unit/department that they can provide the necessary resources to permit postdoctoral education.
• It is the responsibility of departments and postdocs to ensure that their status at McGill is in accordance with full-time postdoctoral status as defined by the Government of Quebec.

Individuals who do not meet requirements for postdoc registration may be eligible for other classifications.