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Message from CIHR

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, CIHR extended the time window during which one would be considered an Early Career Researcher (ECR) to account for the pandemic-related disruptions these individuals were experiencing just as they were beginning their careers as independent researchers.

Any individual who held ECR status between March 1, 2020, and September 15, 2022, had their ECR eligibility window extended to 84 months from the standard 60 months. This means that these individuals have an extended eligibility period for CIHR supports, such as the in the Project Grant competition and the Reviewer-in-Training program.

As research activities start to return to normal, at least to some extent, CIHR decided not to further extend this time window. This means that CIHR has returned to the tri-agency鈥檚 standard definition of an ECR:

Therefore, those who secured their first academic appointment on or after March 1, 2022, will be considered ECRs for a period of 60 months, as per the tri-agency鈥檚 standard definition.

The following table shows the different ECR cohorts as considered by CIHR:

CIHR is aware there are ECRs who fall just outside of the March 1, 2020, to September 15, 2022, time window and who, although they are still feeling the impacts of the pandemic, are not benefitting from the extension. While these individuals are mostly still a few years away from progressing to mid-career researchers, CIHR does not want anyone to slip through the cracks. That is why CIHR is using this time to assess its supports and policies regarding ECRs as these individuals progress over the coming years to the mid-career researcher stage鈥攊ncluding looking at the possibility of revising the ECR time window up to six or seven years. As always, CIHR encourages all researchers wishing to discuss accommodations and supports based on their individual circumstances to reach out directly.

If you have any questions about this change in policy, please contact CIHR at support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.