How to get a visa to volunteer at a lab

[Sara_Rachel]

Hi.. So the thing is that, I have applied to U of Toronto in Cell n Systems Bio but the department is accepting only 1 int. student this year. I have secured two POI, but they have no control over the admission process. So, since I do not have a publication, I am quite sure that I wont be getting this one position. The POI thinks that my app is competitive and I should apply. Also he is keen on offering me to volunteer , may be, beginning in June. But I don't know how to secure a Visa for that. I am in India and since this is one of my dream labs, I really want to work there, and this would also strengthen my app for next season.

Please help if you know a way to get the VISA.

[Sara_Rachel]

You can do this on travelling/business visa (B1/B2), that enables you to do whatever you like in US except working for money or studying.

To get such visa, you can:

- find some friends in US who will send you an invitation to visit them

- register for some conference in US and get a visa to visit the conference

as far as I know, it will be hard to get a visa if you tell in US consulate that the primary purpose of your visit is to work for free in some lab. but as soon as you enter on travelling visa, there is no problem to volunteer, I did this in particular

Is it possible to get an invitation from a friend who himself is from India and currently in Canada on a student VISA. One such friend is ready to help..If that possible, then the only thing I need to figure out now is how to arrange the money...and how much money would I need anyway..From what I know cost of living is around 10,000 canadian dollars per annum... Is that right?

[ringo-ring]

Is it possible to get an invitation from a friend who himself is from India and currently in Canada on a student VISA. One such friend is ready to help..

I think that should be OK... these links may be helpful

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/apply-who.asp

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/letter.asp

I would like to advice you to think if you really need to spend your money on that volunteering - at least from my experience with different types of unpaid or low-paid "internships", there is no guarantee you will do any great research here and get well along with the prof.. since you're a volunteer, you have no obligations but the lab has no obligations to you, too. So the great outcome of your visit is not guaranteed. Maybe it is better to arrange research at some Indian institution and save money. If the prof thinks your app is great he could advice some way to make it even more competitive without spending money to travel. Or (s)he could offer you a paid position in the lab for 1 or 2 years.

[Sara_Rachel]

I think that should be OK... these links may be helpful

http://www.cic.gc.ca...t/apply-who.asp

http://www.cic.gc.ca...isit/letter.asp

I would like to advice you to think if you really need to spend your money on that volunteering - at least from my experience with different types of unpaid or low-paid "internships", there is no guarantee you will do any great research here and get well along with the prof.. since you're a volunteer, you have no obligations but the lab has no obligations to you, too. So the great outcome of your visit is not guaranteed. Maybe it is better to arrange research at some Indian institution and save money. If the prof thinks your app is great he could advice some way to make it even more competitive without spending money to travel. Or (s)he could offer you a paid position in the lab for 1 or 2 years.

I really don't think its possible to find something in India of that sort because volunteering is not exactly allowed here. He suggested that I can do an MS from India, but that would also give me only a 6 month research project and that is highly unlikely to result in a publication. I am trying to convince him for a paid position however, he says that he doesn't have enough funding for that. If it is a risk, then maybe I am gonna take it. Cuz I don't have any other option as of now.

[adinutzyc]

I don't really know about Canada, but if you will be officially volunteering in the lab, then the school should be able to provide you with some sort of invitation to the country for the allotted stay. At least that's how the US does it...

[Sara_Rachel]

I don't really know about Canada, but if you will be officially volunteering in the lab, then the school should be able to provide you with some sort of invitation to the country for the allotted stay. At least that's how the US does it...

Hey Adinutzyc,

thanks for the info.This could really help me. I'll talk to the POI regarding this. Also, will I be allowed to take up any part -time job if the univ invites me?

[adinutzyc]

Probably not. I am not really sure what kind of visa you'll come with or what the terms of Canadian visas are, but my guess would be that you would at most be allowed to work on campus, which will prove actually impossible since you are not actually a student there... It is illegal for students on an F1 visa in the states for example to work off campus, and there's a 20-hour cap in the number of hours one can work on campus. You might actually end up coming on a tourist visa though, which allows absolutely no employment. And, if you want to actually come and study in that country, you will have to refrain from doing anything illegal. Also, all the labs I've previously worked in (I am international also, though studying in the US, so I did my REUs without actually getting paid or given food/housing for that matter) had me sign an agreement that I won't work during my REU....

[Sara_Rachel]

Probably not. I am not really sure what kind of visa you'll come with or what the terms of Canadian visas are, but my guess would be that you would at most be allowed to work on campus, which will prove actually impossible since you are not actually a student there... It is illegal for students on an F1 visa in the states for example to work off campus, and there's a 20-hour cap in the number of hours one can work on campus. You might actually end up coming on a tourist visa though, which allows absolutely no employment. And, if you want to actually come and study in that country, you will have to refrain from doing anything illegal. Also, all the labs I've previously worked in (I am international also, though studying in the US, so I did my REUs without actually getting paid or given food/housing for that matter) had me sign an agreement that I won't work during my REU....

Thanks for the info adinutzyc. I got the confirmation from the Proff at U of T that the grad school can send me the sponsorship for the visa. And I checked from some VISA agencies which told me that if I get a student visa, I can work OFF campus for 20hrs/week. But I still have to confirm whether I can get a student visa in this case or not. Also it might help if someone can tell me how much money will I need to survive(barely) in Toronto for 10 months.