Working while studying

Working on Campus:

You are eligible to work on campus, without requiring a work permit, if:
You are a full time student at: a public post-secondary institution, like a college or university, or a collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) in Quebec; or at a private post-secondary institution operating under the same rules and regulations as a public institution, and receiving at least 50% of its financing for its overall operations from government grants (currently only private college-level educational institutions in Quebec qualify) or; a Canadian private institution authorized by provincial statute to confer degrees;
AND
You have a valid study permit.

Working Off-Campus:

The international students are allowed to work off-campus while completing their studies. But, it requires you to be a full time student enrolled at a participating publicly funded post-secondary educational institution or in an approved program at an eligible privately funded institution.

Participating publicly funded post-secondary educational institutions include:

• Public post-secondary institutions, like a college or university or a collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) in Quebec or
• Private post-secondary institutions operating under the same rules and regulations as public institutions. They should also be receiving a minimum of 50% of their financing for their overall operations from government grants (currently only private college-level educational institutions in Quebec qualify) and
• Those which have signed an off-campus work agreement with their provincial or territorial government.

Eligible privately funded post-secondary institutions are the ones which are: either located in a province or territory having signed an MOU (memorandum of understanding) with CIC; or having signed an off-campus work agreement with their provincial or territorial government; and having approval from their provincial or territorial government to grant specific degrees.

All the programs offered by private post-secondary educational institutions do not qualify for granting a work permit to the student. For more information on qualifying programs, contact the your nearest Canam office.

A work permit has to be applied for, for working off-campus. We advise you not to start working until you get the work permit, which authorizes you to work up to 20 hours per week during regular academic sessions, and full time during scheduled breaks (for example, winter and summer holidays, and spring break).

You should always bear in mind that a work permit does not guarantee you of getting a job in Canada. It is your responsibility to look for work. We would also recommend that even while working, your studies should be the main reason of your being in Canada. Your work permit needs to be returned to a local Citizenship and Immigration Canada office in case you stop being a full-time student or do not maintain satisfactory academic results.

For more information about the program and the application process, visit your nearest Canam office.

Eligibility: You will need to be a full time student at an eligible post-secondary educational institution participating in the Off-Campus Work Permit Program, if you plan to work off campus.

To get the work permit, you must:

• Carry a valid study permit
• Study at a participating institution
• have been a full time student for not less than 6 of the total 12 months preceding the date of your work permit application
• have a satisfactory academic standing
• Sign a form authorizing the institution, the province, and Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for sharing your personal information. This is done for confirming that you are continuing to study full time and that you are in satisfactory academic standing.

You will not be allowed to work off-campus if:

• You participate in a Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program funded by Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)
• You participate in the Awards Program of the Government of Canada funded by DFAIT
• The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is funding you
• You participate in the Equal Opportunity Scholarship Program, Canada-Chile
• You participate in the Canada-China Scholars Exchanges Program
• You take part in the Organization of American States Fellowships Program
• You are attending a participating institution and registered in either an English as a Second Language or French as a Second Language program or
• You are a visiting or exchange student.

IMP:
You would be required remaining a full time student at a participating institution for maintaining your work permit. Also, you will have to continue obtaining satisfactory academic results. If you fail to satisfy any of the conditions required to get the work permit, you should immediately return your work permit immediately to a local CIC office, in the absence of which you would be considered being a non-compliant, having a negative impact on your current stay in Canada. It is illegal to work in Canada without a valid work permit.

Reapply:
If under any circumstances you become in-eligible for holding a valid work permit, you can reapply to the program at a later date after you become eligible again.

Renewing or extending the permits:
Students holding a valid Off-Campus Work Permit, willing to continue working off-campus, and due to renew or extend their study permit should re-apply for an extension of both their study permit and their Off-Campus Work Permit.

Conditions of the work permit:

Usually, a study permit is issued for the duration of study, plus 90 days. The work permit also follows the same rule. It is also issued for the duration of study, plus 90 days.

Transition to post-graduation employment: Students who have completed all degree, diploma or certificate requirements and who are within the 90-day period allowed for transition to post-graduation employment will still be considered eligible to work off-campus. But, they should be in possession of a valid study permit and a valid off-campus work permit.

Implied status: Students having completed their studies and having submitted an application for a Post- Graduation Work Permit, while possessing a valid study permit and a valid Off-Campus Work Permit, can continue to work off-campus until a decision on their application has been made.

Short term study or work permit: Some students have short-term (normally valid for a year) study or work permits which should be renewed each year. For participating in the work permit program, they would need to apply for a renewal of the work permit each time.

SIN:

International students working in Canada need to have a Social Insurance Number (SIN) from Service Canada. It is recommended that the students apply in person and allow 3 weeks for processing. Students must apply for a SIN before or within 3 days of the start date of employment. They can work during the waiting period. The SIN card expires on the same day as the student’s Off-Campus Work Permit.

Co-op and Internship programs:

Work experience forms a curriculum for certain academic programs. Study permit along with the Work permit must be applied for, if the foreign students wish to participate in a co-op or internship program.

Eligibility:

To apply for a work permit under this category, one must:

• Have a valid study permit;
• Ensure that the intended employment is an essential part of your program of study in Canada.
• Ensure that the employment is a part of your academic program, certified by a letter from a responsible academic official of the institution.
• Take care that the co-op or internship employment cannot exceed half the total length of your program of study.