How to work in Canada as an international student

As an international student, you can work on-campus, off-campus, as a co-op or intern or stay and work in Canada after graduation. However, you can only start working in Canada when you start your study program, not before. Also, you can only work in Canada if your study permit lists a condition that says you are allowed to work on or off campus.

If you are eligible to work on-campus or off-campus and it wasn't included as a condition on your study permit you may request an amendment, asking to have them added at no fee attached!

Working on-campus

Working on campus means you work at the buildings in your school campus. In most cases you can only work at the campus you are studying at. However, you can work at other locations if you are teaching or working as a research assistant related to a research grant, that is, a library, research facility with your school or a hospital.

An on-campus employer can be the school, a private contractor providing on campus services, a student organization, a faculty member, a private business or yourself, if you run a business that is physically located on campus.

Eligibility

You can work without a work permit in your School if:

• You are a full-time post-secondary student at; a public college, university, trade or technical School, a private post-secondary school in Quebec that operates under the same rules as public schools, a private or public post-secondary or secondary institution in Quebec offering qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer leading to a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVC) or an attestation of Vocational Specialization (AVS), or a Canadian private school that can legally award degrees under provincial law.

• You have a valid study permit and a Social Insurance Number (SIN)

• You were a full-time student in every semester of your program but studying part-time in your final semester.

How many working hours?

You can work for as many hours as you want as long as you meet the eligibility requirements for working on-campus. However, you must stop working on-campus the day you stop studying full-time, except in your final semester and you meet all the requirements.

Working off-campus

Working off campus is working anywhere outside your institution. You can work off campus if you are a part-time student at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI), if you are on authorized leave, or if your study permit doesn't have work conditions on it.

You can't work off-campus if:

• Your work permit says you aren't authorized to work off-campus while you study.

• You are enrolled in English or French as a second language program.

• You are only taking general-interest courses.

• You are only taking courses required to be accepted into full-time program.

• Your situation changes and you no longer meet the requirements to work off campus.

If you are able to work during studies, it will say so on your study permit. If you are eligible for off-campus work, you don't need a work permit.

Eligibility

To work off campus without a permit;

• You should be a full-time student at a DLI.

• You are enrolled in a post-secondary academic vocational or professional training program or a secondary level vocational training program in Quebec.

• Your study program is at least 6 months and it leads to a degree, diploma or certificate.

• You have started studying and you have a SIN.

To work off-campus as a part-time student;

• You must meet all the requirements above apart from the part of being a full-time student.

• You are studying part-time because it’s the last semester of your program and you were a full-time student.

How many working hours?

You can work up to 20 hours a week off-compass or full-time during regular breaks if you meet the criteria outlined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. You can work more than one job to meet these working hours as long as you continue to meet the conditions on your work permit.

You can also work remotely outside Canada as long as you meet the conditions on your study permit. This work won't be counted towards your 20 hours per week off-campus work limits.

Working more than 20 hours a week is in violation of your study permit conditions, you may lose your student status and may not be approved for a study or work permit in the future. You may also have to leave Canada!

Working as a co-op or intern

Appling for a co-op work permit depends on if you already applied for your study permit or not. You don't need a co-op work permit if: your study permit shows that you are authorized to work off-campus, you are eligible to benefit from the temporary policy change to work more than 20 hours a week while class is in session, you are not eligible for the temporary policy change, you can begin your co-op placement before you are issued the permit and any other employment you are in won't be affected.

Eligibility

You can apply for a co-op or intern work permit if;

• You have a valid work permit.

• You are required to work in order to complete your program.

• You have a letter from your school that confirms, all students in that program needs to complete work placements to get their degree.

• Your replacement or internship is 50% or less of your study program.

Working after you graduate

To work in Canada after graduation you need a work permit. The work experience you gain while working may help you qualify for permanent residence through Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or employer-driven Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

After completing your program there are two ways you may be able to work full time; if you already applied for a work permit before your study permit expired or you are starting a new study program.

Eligibility

You may work full-time, if you already applied for a work permit and;

• You were able to work off campus during your previous studies.

• You applied for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) before your study permit expired.

If you are starting a new study program, you can work full time, if:

• You were already able to work off campus during your previous studies.

• You have a valid study permit or you applied to extend your study permit before it expired.

• You received a letter of acceptance to a new full-time study program at a DLI.

• You received a written confirmation that you completed your current program.

• You'll start a new program within 150 calendar days of receiving a confirmation that you completed your previous program.

If you require assistance with your application or have questions about the programs, we can assist you!

Please book a consultation with Tolu Canadian Immigration to start your immigration process https://www.tolucanadianimmigration.com

Source: cic.gc.ca

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