Work While You Study in Canada

• Working in Canada

Citizenship and Immigration Canada states that:

As an international student "you must come to Canada with enough money to live and pay your bills while you are studying, without needing to work. In certain situations, you may be able to work while you are studying. Working will help you earn extra money and gain Canadian work experience."

          As a general rule, anyone who is not a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident must have a Work Permit for all work in Canada. Normally, under the Foreign Worker Regulations, an employer has to prove that there are no qualified Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents suitable for the position. This is done through the HRSDC (Human Resources and Skill Development Canada) labour market opinion and confirmation process. However, there are some special exemptions which apply to international students.

          International students in the categories below may be granted permission to work without needing HRSDC (Human Resources and Skill Development Canada) Confirmation (i.e., without being subject to the availability of Canadian workers.)

• Students Working On-Campus

          International students who hold a valid Study Permit may look for and accept employment on-campus provided they are in attendance and registered as full-time students at the post-secondary institution where the employment will take place. In this case, a Work Permit is NOT required.

"On-campus" employment is defined as employment in facilities owned, leased, or rented by the educational institution (for example it can be a private business located on-campus that provides service to the institution).

ISWOP (International Student Work Opportunities Program) is an on-campus employment program for international undergraduate (main campus degree) students which was piloted in 2005. ISWOP provides students with financial assistance through paid part-time employment on the campus.

For further information including application deadline and eligibility requirements, visit the ISWOP page.

• Working Off-Campus

           I am pleased to announce the launching of the national Off-Campus Work Permit Program. The program enables eligible full-time international students to be able to apply for an off-campus work permit.

For more information, visit OFF-CAMPUS WORK PERMIT PROGRAM.

• Co-op and Internship

             International students whose course of study requires that they complete a work component in order to graduate and receive their degree will be permitted to accept employment, either on-campus or off-campus. The internship or co-op work cannot form more than 50% of the total program of study. A Work Permit is required. To apply for a Work Permit, you will need a letter from your Faculty as proof that the employment is an essential part of your course of study and is a requirement of your degree. On your Work Permit, the University will be listed as your employer and the expiry date will match that of your Study Permit. The normal processing fee will NOT be charged in this case. You must obtain a Work Permit prior to starting your employment.

NOTE: In order to participate in this type of co-op or internship experience, you must apply for a Co-op Work Permit; you cannot use an Off-Campus Work Permit to participate in this type of work experience.

For more information on the Co-op Work Permit, please visit:http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-coop.asp

To download the application kit for a Co-op Work Permit and order the Fees Receipt, visit   http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/work-students.asp