Studying in Canada: Work permits for students

It is possible to work in Canada while you are here as a student, and there are opportunities for jobs on and off campus. You will need to apply.

 Working on campus

You may work on campus at the institution where you study without a work permit if:

• you are a full-time student at:
  • a public post-secondary institution, such as a college or university, or a collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) in Quebec
  • a private post-secondary institution that operates under the same rules and regulations as a public institution, and receives at least 50 percent 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 Off-Campus Work Permit Program allows certain foreign students to work off campus while completing their studies. To qualify, you must 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:

• are public post-secondary institutions, such as a college or university or a collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) in Quebec or
• are private post-secondary institutions that operate under the same rules and regulations as public institutions, and receive at least 50 percent of their financing for their overall operations from government grants (currently only private college-level educational institutions in Quebec qualify) and
• have signed an off-campus work agreement with their provincial or territorial government.

Eligible privately funded post-secondary institutions:

• are located in a province or territory that has signed a memorandum of understanding with CIC
• have signed an off-campus work agreement with their provincial or territorial government and
• have approval from their provincial or territorial government to grant specific degrees.
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Co-op and internship programs

For some academic programs, work experience is part of the curriculum. Foreign students who wish to participate in a co-op or internship program must apply for a work permit as well as a study permit.

Who can apply

To be eligible for a work permit, you must meet the following conditions:

• You must have a valid study permit.
• Your intended employment must be an essential part of your program of study in Canada.
• Your employment must be part of your academic program, certified by a letter from a responsible academic official of the institution.
• Your co-op or internship employment cannot form more than 50 percent of the total program of study.

How to apply

There are four steps to apply for a work permit:

1. Obtain an application package.
2. Read the guide.
3. Complete the application form and attach the necessary documents.
4. Mail the application form and documents.

Working after graduation
 

If you want to work in Canada after you graduate from your studies, you must apply for a work permit under the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program.

Post-Graduation Work Permit Program

The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program allows students who have graduated from a participating Canadian post-secondary institution to gain valuable Canadian work experience.

A work permit under the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program may be issued for the length of the study program, up to a maximum of three years. A Post-Graduation work permit cannot be valid for longer than the student’s study program, and the study program must be a minimum of eight months in length. For example, if you graduate from a four-year degree program, you could be eligible for a three-year work permit if you meet the criteria. If you graduate from an eight-month certificate program, you would be eligible for a work permit that is valid for no more than eight months. 

Work available to your spouse or common-law partner

Eligibility

Your spouse or common-law partner may apply for a work permit if:

• you are a full-time student at:
  • a public post-secondary institution, such as a college or university or collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) in Quebec
  • a private post-secondary institution that operates under the same rules and regulations as a public institution, and receives at least 50 percent 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
• you have a valid study permit

Validity

Work permits for your spouse or common-law partner are valid for the same period of time as your study permit.

For more information please visit our site Future Concern or FaceBook

Work in Canada

Skilled Migration Canada

Finding a job can take time. To succeed in this process, the key is to be prepared!  The fact that you have been accepted to come to Canada does not guarantee you employment in Canada in your preferred profession or any other profession.

Finding a permanent job in Canada

• Your credentials may not be recognized.

• Your language skills may not be sufficient.

• You might need Canadian work experience.

Work permits for students

Work permit for temporary jobs

Working in Canada can further help you prepare for the Canadian job market by producing a report based on your occupation and a location. It includes information about job descriptions, licensing and certification, wages, skill requirements, language training and job opportunities, and much more.

Finding a job in Canada may be different from finding a job in your home country. New immigrants face some significant challenges when trying to get jobs in Canada:

You may also need to learn new job search skills, create a new group of contacts and find out what Canadian employers want. 

It is possible to work in Canada while you are here as a student, and there are opportunities for jobs on and off campus.

It is possible to work temporarily in jobs that help Canadian employers address skill shortages, or to work aslive-in caregivers.

What do Canadian employers want?

Canadian employers often want you to have soft skills and hard skills.

Often, it is not enough to have hard skills, or technical skills. Canadian employers want to hire people who also have soft skills.

Soft Skills

Soft skills are sometimes called employability skills. They include:

• Communication
• Problem solving
• Positive attitudes and behaviours
• Adaptability
• Working with others

Employers want every employee to have these skills. Someone who has these skills will be able to learn and grow in a job. These people can get along with their co-workers and are a long-term asset for the organization.

Hard Skills or Technical Skills

Each job type has its own set of skills, called hard skills. Hard skills are the technical skills you need to do a certain job. For example:

• Using computer programs
• Measuring and calculating
• Analyzing data
• Speaking a language
• Operating a machine

Experience

Understanding labour market information can help you identify what kind of experience employers want.

How your professional qualifications are valued in Canada is very important. It can help you find work in your field. By finding out how your experience is valued, you will know if you need to do any academic upgrading or exams to get the same kind of work in Canada .

You might need to have your academic or professional credentials assessed. In regulated professions or trades, you cannot work in your field unless you have had your credentials and experience evaluated.

After you have assessed your skills, you need to be able to show employers that you have these skills. You can ask someone at a settlement agency or a community employment centre for help with your résumé and job search. 

For more information please visit Future Concern or visit our Face Book