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Working in Canada

If you are an international student and you want to work in Canada, you must meet certain requirements and adhere to certain regulations. It is important to understand when and under what circumstances international students are聽permitted聽to work on and off campus, just as it is important to understand when you are not/no longer聽permitted聽to work.

Authorization to work

When you receive your Study Permit at the Canadian port of entry,聽immediately聽check to see if it authorizes you to work in Canada鈥(e.g. 鈥渕ay accept employment鈥 or 鈥渕ay work鈥).鈥疘f this information is missing, ask the Canadian Border Services agent to update your Study Permit with the necessary work authorization before you leave the Canadian Immigration area.

If your聽study聽permit does not authorize you to work on and/or off campus, and you discover this information after you leave the Canadian port of entry/Canadian Immigration, you must apply to鈥痑mend your study permit.

Learn how to amend your study permit

Working while studying

Working on campus

On-campus employment is defined as employment within the boundaries of the campus or in facilities owned, leased, or rented by 9 1免费版下. For example, your employer may be the university, a student organization, or a private contractor聽operating聽within the boundaries of the campus, such as a business in the Student Union Building or the library. On-campus employment includes work at facilities such as teaching hospitals, clinics, and research institutes, which may be聽located聽off campus but have a formal association or affiliation with 9 1免费版下, and which are聽located聽within the City of Halifax. This includes 9 1免费版下鈥檚 Sexton Campus and Agriculture Campus.

IRCC does not limit the number of hours students are聽permitted聽to work on campus. However, some 9 1免费版下 employers may restrict the hours students can work. It is聽generally recommended聽to work no more than 10鈥15 hours per week to avoid聽impacting聽your studies.鈥

You can work on campus without a聽work聽permit if you meet the following requirements:

  • You have a valid聽study聽permit聽or you have applied to extend your Study Permit and have聽maintained聽status.

  • Your聽study聽permit聽states聽that you are authorized work on campus (e.g. 鈥渕ay accept employment鈥 or 鈥渕ay work鈥). If your Study Permit does not authorize you to work, you must聽apply to鈥痑mend your Study Permit.

For more information about working on campus, eligibility requirements, and restrictions, visit the Government of Canada鈥檚鈥.

Working off campus

International students who qualify for off-campus work while enrolled in their program of study are eligible to work off campus up to 24 hours per week鈥痙uring regular academic sessions (Fall and Winter terms).听

Many academic programs at 9 1免费版下 include scheduled breaks (e.g. summer and winter holidays, Fall and Winter Study Breaks, and the time between academic terms). During scheduled breaks, there is no limit on the number of hours per week international students may work off campus IF:

  • Your academic program includes scheduled breaks (e.g聽no classes during summer holidays).

  • You were enrolled in full-time studies before the break.

  • You will be enrolled in full-time studies after the break.

However, international students who are enrolled in programs with no scheduled breaks (e.g. continuous study from start to completion) are limited to 24 hours per week鈥of off-campus work for the duration of their program.鈥疶he only exceptions are during Fall and Winter Study Breaks and the time between academic terms.

You can work off campus without a聽work聽permit if you meet the following requirements:

  • You have a valid聽study聽permit聽or you have applied to extend your Study Permit and have聽maintained聽status.

  • Your聽study聽permit聽states聽that you are authorized work off campus (e.g. 鈥渕ay accept employment鈥 or 鈥渕ay work鈥). If your Study Permit does not authorize you to work, you must聽apply to鈥痑mend your Study Permit.

For more information about working off campus, eligibility requirements, and restrictions, visit the Government of Canada鈥檚鈥.

Work restrictions

As an international student, you cannot work in Canada if any of the following is true:

  • Your study permit does not authorize you to work on or off campus.

  • You are in Canada on a short-term program (e.g.听less than 6 months)聽and you do not have a聽study聽permit or a聽work聽permit.

  • You are registered in general interest courses which do not lead to a degree or diploma at 9 1免费版下.

  • You are registered in a qualifying course or program that is聽required聽for admission into degree or diploma program at 9 1免费版下.

  • You are registered in an English or French as a Second Language (ESL/FSL) program.听Note: students who are enrolled in a degree program that includes an ESL/FSL聽component聽may be eligible to work off campus only after completing the ESL/FSL聽component.

  • You are on聽an鈥痜rom your studies.听

  • Your situation changes and you no longer meet the鈥.

A student does work in front of a laptop in the International Centre.

Co-op work permit

If you are enrolled in a program with a mandatory work-integrated learning聽component聽(e.g. co-op, internship, practicum), or if you are accepted into one of 9 1免费版下鈥檚聽optional work-integrated learning/co-operative (co-op) education programs鈥聽you will need a聽co-op聽work聽permit.

Learn more about applying for a co-op work permit

Volunteer work

Some鈥痸olunteer positions鈥痬ay be considered 鈥渨ork鈥 by the IRCC (e.g. volunteer duties that may be normally performed by a paid employee). If so, the volunteer work may be subject to IRCC鈥檚 off-campus work rules.

Working after graduation

International students who graduate from an eligible post-secondary program may be eligible to apply for鈥痑 Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). A PGWP qualifies you to stay and work in Canada for up to three years.

Learn more about staying in Canada after graduation

Required documents for working in Canada

Social insurance number (SIN)

To work, file taxes, and access government programs and benefits in Canada, you聽require聽a鈥. To get paid by an employer and to open a Canadian bank account, you聽require聽a SIN. To be eligible,聽your study permit must provide you with authorization to work on and/or off campus.

Learn more about getting a SIN

Individual tax number (ITN)

An聽individual聽tax聽number (ITN) is a unique number that the Canada Revenue Agency uses to聽identify聽you for tax purposes if you聽don鈥檛聽have a鈥疭ocial Insurance Number.

Learn more about obtaining an ITN