Employment for International Students

Will I be able to work while I'm studying? (click here for Canadian Immigration's definition of work)

Yes - under certain conditions*:

you have a valid Study Permit and
you are registered in, and attending, a full-time diploma, post graduate diploma or degree program, and
your job is:
i. on campus, or
ii. part of a co-op semester, work practicum, field placement and/or externship, or

iii. starting within three months of your graduation, or

iv. sanctioned under the Off-Campus Work Program (OCWP) and you meet eligibility requirements (see information at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work.asp)

Do I always need to apply for a Work Permit?

There is only one condition under which you do not need to apply:

if the employment is on campus (Find some advice for On-Campus Job Search)

You will still need to apply for a Social Insurance number (SIN) from Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC). (Click here to see an overview of the new (fall of 2002) SIN regulations )

Location of Human Resources Development Canada Centre:

25 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario M4T 3A4 (located one block east of Yonge Street just near the St. Clair Subway Station on the Yonge Line. )
Office Hours: 8:30 am- 4:00 pm Tel: 416-730-1211

Remember to take your: passport, valid Study Permit, George Brown Student Card, and if the work is on-campus, take the letter from your employer (see SIN Regulations update ). Also remember to take your "patience." These offices are very busy and you will likely have to wait.

Employment income, like scholarships are all subject to Canadian income tax. Tax forms must be completed by April 30th of each year.

What about working off campus?

For all other types of work you will need a Work Permit. For more information please see our sections on Work as part of a co-op semester; Work practicums, working after graduation or the Off-Campus Work Program (OCWP). Or you can check CIC’s Work Opportunities for Foreign Students

Note: We do our best to ensure that our web site contains up-to-date and accurate information. However, each situation can be different so make sure that you are personally familiar with immigration procedures. Canadian Immigration's web site is: www.cic.gc.ca/english/

Information Regarding Opportunities Ontario: Provincial Nominee Program for International Students

Opportunities Ontario helps employers hire the skilled workers they need, but are having difficulty finding, by assisting with the immigration of international students. Through the Provincial Nominee Program, skilled foreign workers and international students may be nominated for permanent resident status in Canada.

For more information visit:
http://www.ontarioimmigration.ca/english/PNPstudents_apply.asp

Revised: September 18, 2009