Career interruptions

NSERC recognizes that there are varied pathways through a research career, and that support through interruptions is crucial to ensure that all talented individuals continue to contribute to research.

As part of the application and review process, NSERC programs provide applicants with the opportunity to discuss the impact of career interruptions, including leaves of absence, delays in research and training activities, as well as impacts of COVID-19. Review committee members are asked to take these circumstances into account when evaluating applications. In addition, some funding opportunities offer extensions to program eligibility for those who have had career interruptions.

NSERC also has support in place for grantees and award holders, such as provisions for those who are primary caregivers or who take family and medical leave. These include grant extensions with funds for grant holders and paid parental leave for scholarship and fellowship recipients, and for students and postdoctoral fellows supported through grants.

To learn more:

• Students and fellows who hold NSERC awards should refer to the Tri-agency Research Training Award Holder’s Guide.
• Students and fellows paid from a supervisor’s NSERC grant should refer to the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration.
• NSERC grant recipients should refer to the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration. NSERC Discovery Grant, Individual Subatomic Physics Discovery Grant and Discovery Development Grant recipients should also refer to the primary caregiver policy document.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in career and research program interruptions for the natural sciences and engineering research community. To help mitigate these effects, NSERC has provided general guidelines for the consideration of COVID-19-related impacts on research and training, and has offered grant extensions and added flexibility for funding opportunities (see the NSERC program information in relation to COVID-19 page for more information).