Please Note: For the most up-to-date information to the York community, visit YU—Better Together.
General Research Questions
For more information visit YU Better Together—FAQs.
Should you require support with course materials online, your home faculty will have information available. Further resources are also available through the Teaching Commons’ Bold—Going Remote website.
Yes, if applicable, you should discuss with your supervisor how to move data onto OneDrive for secure access during the disruption: yuoffice.info.yorku.ca.
For more information about security see Privacy & Security.
For general information, visit the Information Security Website at York or contact askit@yorku.ca.
For help with research data management needs, visit Library RDM page or contact the Library RDM team at: yul_rdm@yorku.ca.
General information on working off campus can be found at: Off-Campus Computing. To report a technical or access problem with an electronic product, please visit UIT's Getting Help page.
Employment and Fellowship Questions
For PDVs: The Finance Department continues to operate, including the monthly payroll cycle for all current contracts.
For PDFs: CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC continue to monitor the evolution and impact of COVID-19 and necessary action to support award recipients as well applicants, peer reviewers and employees. Please visit the appropriate Tri-Agency website for more information.
For PDVs, all benefits including sick time remain unaffected.
PDVs who are unable to attend work as a result of illness or injury will be provided up to ten (10) days of medical leave without loss of pay per contract year.
PDVs, upon request, will be granted leave of up to one (1) week without loss of pay to attend to an ill family member once per contract year. Additional Family Medical Leave without pay may be provided in the same contract year.
The University is committed to being as flexible as possible in responding to these needs. Please contact your supervisor to discuss the options that may be available to you.
PDVs have 15 business days of paid vacation per year. Vacation requests are to be made to the supervisor.
Current hires are still being processed and new hires posted.
Immigration Related Questions
ArriveCAN Information for Travellers to Canada:
As of November 21, travellers entering Canada by air are required to provide mandatory travel and quarantine information using the ArriveCAN app: www.canada.ca/en/public‐health/services/diseases/coronavirusdisease‐covid‐19/arrivecan. Further information is available in the COVID‐19 section of York’s Immigration & Relocation Services website.
Be prepared to expect service disruptions and delays at many Canadian visa posts abroad. Applicants can check to see if the visa office responsible for their country or region remains open before submitting an application: www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/contact-ircc/offices/international-visa-offices.html.
To be able to commence work as a Postdoctoral Visitor (PDV) and receive pay from York, the individual must arrive in Canada and be issued their work permit, which will enable them to be assigned a SIN. PDVs must ensure they have a Quarantine plan which includes their contact information and address of where they will quarantine or self-isolate for 14 days immediately upon arrival: relocation.info.yorku.ca.
Postdocs should discuss the situation with their PIs/supervisors.
Further information is available on the YU Better Together website.
The Quarantine Act requires that PDVs be paid while they quarantine.
You will need a new Labour Market Impact Assessment exemption to apply for an extension of an existing work permit. Your supervisor should contact their Dean’s Office for support with this process. As long as you apply before the expiry date of their current work permit, you can continue to stay in Canada on the implied status and continue to work for the same employer until a decision is made on their new application.
As the situation is still evolving, you are strongly advised to stay informed on COVID-19 both in Canada and in your home country. The following websites provide information on prevention measures, information for travellers and developments:
- Public Health Ontario
- Ministry of Health Ontario
- World Health Organization
- Government of Canada Travel Advisory: travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories
If you wish to go home but are unable to leave Canada due to COVID-19, apply online to extend and change your temporary resident status to visitor. IRCC has released a program delivery update in this regard: www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/service-delivery/coronavirus/temporary-residence.html
York International’s FAQs about COVID-19 for International Students yorkinternational.yorku.ca/faqs-for-international-students/ includes information that is also relevant to international postdocs.
If you have additional questions related to UHIP coverage and enrolment, please contact:
- Pension & Benefits: askpb@yorku.ca for postdocs with York employee numbers
- Sumanpreet Kaur, UHIP Administrator, York International: uhip@yorku.ca for postdocs without employee numbers
For other immigration related questions, please contact Sajia Sadeque, Immigration and Relocation Officer: ssadeque@yorku.caa.
Research Funding Questions
If you hold your own grant funds, please contact the funding agency for updates in response to COVID-19. Should you have questions about how their guidelines might affect your position at York, please contact the Postdoctoral Services & Professional Skills Coordinator by visiting our FGS Staff Directory.
Information on the Submission of Research Applications and ORS Checklists can be found at: www.yorku.ca/research/researchers-key-resources and www.yorku.ca/research/researchers-faqs.
For support on grant and fellowship applications, please contact the Postdoctoral Services & Professional Skills Coordinator by visiting our FGS Staff Directory.
Research Ethics Questions
The Office of Research Ethics (ORE) continues to operate. More information is available on the ORE website: www.yorku.ca/research/research-ethics.
Research Travel and Events Questions
The Government of Canada currently has a “global travel advisory” in effect and recommends that travellers avoid all non-essential travel outside of Canada.
At this time, only required services are being provided on the university’s campuses. As a result, all on-campus research events are cancelled until further notice.
The Office of Research Ethics recommends that researchers find alternatives to in-person meetings as part of ongoing research. Further guidance about in-person contact with community members as part of research activity can be found at YU Better Together—Community Communications.
Information for Postdoctoral Visitors (PDVs)
Postdoctoral visitors are also eligible for the Employee and Family Assistance Program, which provides a range of immediate and confidential support including counselling.