Hi all,
I am in the process of filing my PERM (Eb2) and the education/experience requirement for the job is:
Masters degree with 6+ months of experience.

My lawyer is saying i can use my Graduate Assistant work ~20 hrs/week (2 years part-time= 1 year full-time) as long as it was paid. I was getting stipened so i consider that as paid.

Has anyone used GRA as experience towards fulfilling the job for PERM?

Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks.

As long as you can provide letter stating you gained those skills working as GRA and it was paid, you should be able to use that towards experience required for the job.

Your attorney probably put 6+ months experience to restrict some of the candidates from applying or it would be easier to give reason for rejection and prove that you've 6+ months experience/skills and hence you're qualified and no US worker was found for that job. PERM is a very compex process.

Arrogant,

You should be fine using GRA experience to full time equivalent (half of GRA) experience required for the job.

When you ask letters of experience from university, make sure they specify specific skills that you gained and also match the requirements for the job.

Good Luck to you.

 That will be counted as job experience. Make sure anything you have in your CV is supported by factual supporting evidences. 

I suppose you got the suggestion you were looking for by now.
However, you can count mines too.

Yes, You can!

~GooDLucK

 I think, you can't.

that should be full time job not the GA/RA....

@jhilke: can you support your statment with relevant examples or is that your "thinking" only?

 One of my friend got RFE when he showed that exp. and then denied later.

@ Jhilke Jetho,
was the RFE related to work experience related to GA/RA ?

I am reading some other forums and it looks like we should be able to show that as experience. Here's statement from well-known attorney for Employment based visas "Ron Gotcher":

"As long as the graduate assistant work was not required in order to graduate, you may use it. They will want to see a full time equivalent. So, for example, if you worked 20 hours per week for 18 months, that would equate to 9 months of full time employment."

My attorney is also saying the same thing, i am pretty sure he knows more than any of us.

Some other posts in the forum:

"As far as using part time research assistant position to fulfil 5 yrs experience is concerned, YES YOU CAN USE IT. I was able to use 2 yrs of part-time experience as research assistant (after BS degree) to show 15 months of full time experience. The letter from my prof. stated that I worked 20 hrs a week from date1 to date2 and date3 to date4 and 40 hrs a week from date5 to date6 and date7 to date8. The 20 hrs/ wk was when school was in session and the 40 hrs per week was for summer (yes - in summer you are allowed to work full time). So I had 18 months of part time exp. and 6 months of full time exp"

I am kind of confused now ! Anyone else with similar experience ?

Yes, the RFE related to experience gained when he worked as GA/RA.

Please post your concern in trackitt.com and many other people post their thoughts. Good Luck !!

thanks @jhilke for the flip side. Its good to be clear rather than enjoy the sunny side up.
as far as i know, most of the folks can show their GRA/GA as long as they can provide the relevant documents i.,e for 1 years for 20 hours GRA work they can claim 6 months of Fulltime job as lonf as its relavant to the required skills for PERM process. I confirmed with my laywer too.

Action Item for @arrogant:
Better consult with your current lawyer and your previous employer who can provide you the supporting documents thats reflects you working as GRA/GA.

~cheers

to arrogant,

http://www.trackitt.com/usa-discussion-forums/i485-eb/1026415277/experience-gained-as-graduate-assistant-for-perm-eb2

Seems like you r not arrogant enough to say that u r from nepal in trackitt....... or are u from the border so confused about ur nationality........;)