Depending on the Study Permit, you may be eligible to work on-campus or off-campus without applying to a Work Permit. There are specific conditions that must be met to be able to do so. This article will summarize the eligibility requirements for a Study Permit holder to be able to have a job while studying, but also if you need a Work Permit for a co-op or internship.
Working On-Campus – Are you eligible?
You can have a job on-campus without applying for a Work Permit if you satisfy to the following conditions:
- You are studying full-time at a :
- public post-secondary school, such as a college, university, trade or technical school, or CEGEP in Quebec,
- private post-secondary school in Quebec that operates under the same rules as public schools in Quebec,
- private or public secondary or post-secondary institution in Quebec offering qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer leading to a diploma of vocational studies (DVS) or an attestation of vocational specialization (AVS), or
- Canadian private school that can legally award degrees under provincial law but only if the student is enrolled in a study program leading to a degree authorized by the province.
- You have begun your program of study.
- Your Study Permit is still valid and lists a condition that says you are allowed to work on-campus.
- You have your SIN (Social Insurance Number).
- you have been studying full-time from the beginning of your program, and
- you are now a part-time student on your last academic session.
Working On-Campus – Where can you work?
You may only work at all the buildings on your school campus. If your school has more than one campus, you may only work at the campus where you are studying. If you are a research or teaching assistant, you can work outside your city campuses, at a hospital, research facility, or library connected with your institution. The work must be associated with a research grant.
Working On-Campus – Who can you work for?
- The institution,
- A professor,
- A student organization,
- Your own business (self-employed),
- A private company, or
- A private third-party on-campus service provider.
Working Off-Campus – Are you eligible?
You may have a job off-campus without a Work Permit if satisfy to all the following conditions:
- Your Study Permit is still valid and lists a condition that says you are allowed to work off-campus..
- Your school is a Designated Learning Institution and you are studying full-time.
- You have begun your program of study.
- The duration of your program of study must be minimum 6 months.
- You program of study must award a certificate, diploma, or degree.
- You have your SIN (Social Insurance Number).
- You are not studying French or English as a second language.
- You are not taking general interest courses or preparatory classes for another study program.
- You are not a visiting or exchange student who will not get a credential from your school in Canada.
- you have been studying full-time from the beginning of your program, and
- you are now a part-time student on your last academic session.
Working Off-Campus – How many hours can you work?
You cannot work more than 20 hours per week off-campus, except during scheduled breaks (summer holidays for example) when you can then work full-time.
Work as Co-op Student or Intern
If you need to complete an internship or co-op work experience during your study program, you will need to apply for a Co-op Student Work Permit. You are not allowed to take on an internship or co-op work experience without applying this Work Permit first. There are strict eligibility criteria that you have to satisfy to in order to apply:
- You need a Study Permit which is still valid,
- The internship or co-op is essential to validating your diploma, degree, or certificate, and you have a letter confirming this information from your Designated Learning Institution (DLI),
- The internship or co-op does not exceed 50% of the study program duration ,
- You are not studying French or English, and
- You are not taking prep classes for a program of study.
- (i) Applying at the same time as your initial Study Permit application: you only need to apply for a study permit and Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will process the work permit as part of your application.
- (ii) Applying after the beginning of your studies: you will have to apply either online (except for exceptional circumstances).
