Postdoctoral fellows, Visiting Researchers, Foreign Nationals
Postdoctoral fellows are researchers who have completed their Ph.D. and are appointed to research positions to gain additional expertise in their area of research. They are engaged in a period of mentored advanced training that supports them to transition from students to independent scholars.
Postdoctoral fellows make many extremely valuable contributions in research, teaching, and innovation on our campus. They are an integral part of maintaining a thriving, vibrant research community and are central to the success of our institution. As a research intensive comprehensive university, the University of Lethbridge strives to provide unique opportunities for postdoctoral fellows to pursue their passion for research and teaching, as well as the opportunity for our emerging researchers to work with, and be mentored by, world-class faculty members conducting research at the frontiers of knowledge and creativity.
The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs provides resources, information, and opportunities that will enhance the postdoctoral experience. If you have any questions, please email the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.
New Employee Orientation Guide
The Employee Orientation Guide is here to help employees navigate their employment start, and provide valuable information to help you succeed during your time at ULethbridge.
During your time at ULethbridge, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs is here to support you in your success. Connect with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs | 403-329-2480
ULPA Collective Agreement
The University of Lethbridge Postdoctoral Fellows' Association (ULPA) represents employee class postdoctoral fellows. The ULPA Collective Agreement is the first collective agreement between the ULPA and the ULethbridge Board of Governors. If you have any questions about this agreement, please reach out to postdoc@uleth.ca.
Postdoctoral Fellows Policy
The Postdoctoral Fellows Policy defines the role of Non-employee (Guest) Postdoctoral Fellows at the University of Lethbridge and establishes the terms and conditions applicable to this group of Postdoctoral Fellows. If you have any questions about this, please reach out to postdoc@uleth.ca.
Temporary Foreign Workers: Know Your Worker Rights
Please ensure that you know your worker rights during your employment here at the University of Lethbridge. You can find information on the ULethbridge policies which support and outline the steps that the University has taken to address your employee rights. If you have concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to postdoc@uleth.ca or human.resources@uleth.ca.
Before coming to University of Lethbridge
1. Social Insurance Number (SIN) - You will need to provide the University proof of your Social Insurance Number (SIN) number so we can set you up in the University’s payroll system.
If you are new to Canada, You will need to visit the Service Canada Centre in Lethbridge. They will give you a paper copy of your SIN. The Service Canada Centre in Lethbridge is located at Crowsnest Trail Plaza, Unit 101, 920 2A Avenue North, Lethbridge, Alberta. You will need to fill out an application. Make sure that you have your work permit and passport with you. Please either drop a copy of this off at Angela Rosenau's office in the Office of Research Services or send this via email.
2. Banking - You will need to provide the University with a Direct Deposit form from your bank so that we can process your payroll.
3. Personal Information Form - You will need to complete this and return it via email.
4. Copy of your work permit - If are working in Canada on a work permit, you will need to provide a copy via email. You must also check out the immigration information and the Rights of Foreign Workers.
5. Please see the NEW Employee information site. Here you will find information on how to set up your email and Bridge accounts, employment enrollment forms, etc. You will also get information about Working at ULethbridge.
You may find information from IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada), the Government of Alberta and Alberta Health Services helpful for getting your Alberta Healthcare set up. You will need to do this within the first 30 days of arrival. Please pay special attention to the information on 811 Healthlink. Dialing 811 allows you telephone access to a registered nurse to talk about any concerns that you have. It is a valuable service. Also, MyHealth has information for Health services available.
Alberta Health Care information for Temporary Residents and information on How to Apply.
Please see the Benefits information for Postdoctoral Fellows.
You can contact Pension and Benefits for further specific benefits questions. They will be able to answer any questions that you may have after reviewing the information provided in the links above.
Your university email and ID number will be generated once we receive copies of your new work permit and Social Insurance Number (these will be forwarded from the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs to Payroll). Please allow up to ten (10) business days for processing.
The information below is provided to you as general information that may be helpful to you in your travel and arrival in Lethbridge.
1. Although the University does not arrange for housing for postdoctoral fellows, nor provide recommendations on housing, you can find some information on housing on our website. As you will be coming from quite the distance away, you may want to take some things into consideration:
a. Please check the weather and ensure that you have adequate warm clothing.
b. If you rent an apartment that is not furnished, you will need to arrange for furniture.
c. When you arrive, you may not have Wi-Fi access. Please download or print any information that you will need in case you do not have access. Most café’s and public areas have some sort of connection, but there are definitely areas where you won’t have anything. When you arrive on campus, you can use the UofL Guest Wi-Fi.
d. It will be helpful to have a chat with your supervisor beforehand so that they are aware of your arrival. Every supervisor is different with the assistance that they provide with getting settled.
Contact us to receive support with your transition to living and working in Lethbridge!
What you need to know about traveling to Lethbridge and around the city.
The Calgary International Airport is the closest international airport to Lethbridge.
In planning your transportation, if you are coming from outside of Canada, remember to allow time to pass through immigration and obtain your work permit. This will be done at your first entry point to Canada. You will need to take this into account when planning any connecting flights.
Review the Border Reminder Checklist from Canada Border Services Agency for a traveler's checklist.
Calgary is located 250 Kilometers north of Lethbridge. There are a few ways in which you can travel from Calgary to Lethbridge.
- Take a domestic flight from the YYC, Calgary International Airport to the YQL Lethbridge Airport. WestJet is the only airline with flights into Lethbridge from Calgary. The flight takes approximately 45 minutes.
- Red Arrow bus from the Calgary International Airport bus terminal to the University of Lethbridge Transit Loop. The stop after the University is downtown Lethbridge. This trip takes approximately 3 hours to get to Lethbridge and has snacks and Wi-Fi. The Red Arrow travels to Lethbridge only once a day, so if you are taking this route please plan accordingly. There are many hotels near the Calgary Airport with shuttle services available to the hotel from the airport if you find you need to stay overnight in Calgary to catch the bus the next day.
- FlixBus This bus does not go to the Calgary International Airport. You would need to take a Taxi or Uber from the Calgary International Airport to the closest FlixBus location (Calgary Sunridge Mall) about half an hour drive away. This bus stops in Lethbridge (downtown).
- Another option, if you are traveling with a group from the Calgary international Airport to Lethbridge, is to use the Airport Shuttle Service.
- Once you arrive at Lethbridge Airport, you will need to take a taxi to the university or to your own accommodation
- The Lethbridge Airport is located 16 Kms from the university
- If you arrive at the Airport, you will see a phone that has a direct line to the taxi service right in the airport. There may also be a taxi available just outside the airport.
- For your convenience, we have listed the names of a few Taxi Service Companies in Lethbridge
Taxi Service Company Telephone Number A-Plus Taxi Ltd 403-317-7777 Bridge Cab 403-381-4444 or 587-329-5577 Fifth Avenue Cabs 403-381-1111 Royal Taxi 403-328-5333 94 Cabs 403-942-5694
When you arrive on campus, you will need to stop in at the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (B615 in the Office of Research and Innovation Services / Graduate Studies in University Hall). Please check the attached Campus Map.
You can use the University of Lethbridge Guest Wi-Fi to access any information on your phone that may need data.
Public transportation in Lethbridge: There are taxi’s, buses, Uber, and rental cars available. There are also e-scooters around town. The information available on the following websites may be helpful to you when you first get here:
Although you are not a student, the International Centre at the University of Lethbridge has some wonderful information.
The City of Lethbridge has information available for all bus routes.
This information is provided as general information for newcomers to Lethbridge.
1. Find free newcomer services through the Government of Canada: www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/services/index.asp
2. Community Links is a resource to help connect with services, events, programs or information about southwestern Alberta (including Lethbridge) www.community-links.ca
3. City of Lethbridge information www.lethbridge.ca
Important Information and Resources
The Office of Research Ethics has the administrative responsibility for oversight and management of the University of Lethbridge research ethics program as it pertains to studies involving human participants and animals, and for ensuring that such research is carried out in accordance with applicable ethics regulations and statutes (provincial, federal and international).
Are you working with humans? The UofA-UofL Shared Research Ethics Board (REB), in compliance with the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS-2), requires all personnel who will be working with humans to have active ethics approval in place before conducting any work with humans. This includes participant recruitment and collecting pilot study data. Until your ethics application is approved, conducting research with human participants is PROHIBITED.
Are you working with animals? The Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) of the University of Lethbridge, in compliance with the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC), requires all personnel who will be working with animals to have active ethics approval in place before conducting any work with animals. People who will be working with research animals are also required to complete appropriate training. Until your ethics application is approved and training is successfully completed, access (including direct supervision access) to the animal facility and/or participating in any off-campus field work is PROHIBITED.
If your research will involve human participants and/or animals, please familiarize yourself with the Office of Research Ethics.
Here is the link for Campus Services for Postdoctoral Fellows. This will provide you with helpful information. It will be helpful for you to review this information prior to arrival so that you can ask any questions that you may have.
Please familiarize yourself with the following sites as they will be helpful for your journey as a Postdoctoral Fellow:
- Research Services website
- Research Funding website
- SGS Graduate Student Hub SharePoint, while you are not a student you do have access to all of the supports, resources, events and workshops that graduate students have access to through the Graduate Student Hub