Who can work on-campus?

You can only start working in Canada when you start your study program. You can’t work before your studies begin. You can work as an international student in Canada if your study permit lists a condition that says you’re allowed to work on- or off-campus.

You can work on your school campus, without a work permit, if you:

• are a full-time post-secondary student at a:
  ○ public post-secondary school, such as a college or university, or CEGEP in Quebec
  ○ private college-level school in Quebec that operates under the same rules as public schools, and is at least 50% funded by government grants, or
  ○ Canadian private school that can legally award degrees under provincial law
• have a valid study permit, and
• have a Social Insurance Number (SIN)

Who can’t work on-campus?

You must stop working on-campus:

• on the day you stop studying full-time;
• when your study permit expires;
• if you’re on an authorized leave from your studies;
• if you’re switching schools and aren’t currently studying;

You can return to work only once you’re back to studying and you meet all the requirements to work on-campus.

Where you can work?

“On-campus” means you can 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’re studying in most cases.

You can work at other locations if…

• you’re working as a teaching or research assistant and
• your work is strictly related to a research grant
• In this case, you may work at a library, hospital or research facility associated with your school, even if they’re outside the campus.

Who you can work for?

An “on-campus” employer can be:

• the school
• a faculty member
• a student organization
• yourself, if:
  ○ you run a business that is physically located on-campus (for example: you own a coffee shop that is located on campus)
• a private business
• a private contractor that provides on-campus services to the school

Get a Social Insurance Number to work in Canada:

The Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a 9-digit number that the Government of Canada gives you. With this number, you can work in Canada and get government benefits and services.

To apply for a SIN to work on campus, you must have one (1) of these conditions printed on your study permit:

• May accept employment on or off campus if meeting eligibility criteria as per R186(f), (v) or (w). Must cease working if no longer meeting these criteria.
• This permit does not authorize the holder to engage in off campus employment in Canada. May accept employment only on campus if meeting eligibility criteria as per R186(f). Must cease working if no longer meeting these criteria.

If you’re eligible to work on campus, but neither of these conditions appear on your study permit, you can ask to have them added. There’s no fee to add these conditions to your permit. You’ll need to request an amendment to your study permit before you can apply for a SIN from Service Canada.

Source: Adapted from Government of Canada (IRCC). 2021. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/work-on-campus.html

Common questions about on-campus work:

Is there a limit to on-campus work hours? Do they count towards my 20 hours per week off-campus limit?

There is no limit or maximum permitted for on-campus work hours. They are separate from off-campus work hours.

Can EAP (English for Academic Preparation) students work on-campus?

EAP students are permitted to work on-campus if they have permission to work on-campus on their study permit and hold a valid SIN.

How can I find an on-campus job?

The Niagara College MyCareer website: https://mycareer.niagaracollege.ca/home.html and Niagara College Community Employment Services https://www.niagaracollege.ca/ces/ are good places to look for employment opportunities.

My on-campus job moved to remote work (working from home due to COVID-19). Does it still count as on-campus?

Recently IRCC provided confirmation that if a person’s work/employment location would normally be on-campus but they are working remotely due to COVID-19, this work is counted as ‘on-campus’ work.

Disclaimer: The information on this website is produced by the Niagara College team of RCIC (regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants) and RISIA (Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors). It is provided as a guide for Niagara College students and does not constitute or replace individualised advice provided by an RCIC, RISA or immigration lawyer. Applicants should always check the IRCC website to verify the latest information.

Who can work off-campus?

You and your employer must make sure you can work off campus without a work permit before you start working. If you start working off campus but don’t meet the requirements, you may have to leave Canada.

You can only start working in Canada when your study program has started. You can’t work before you start your studies.

If you’re able to work during your studies, it’ll say so in the conditions on your study permit.

Eligibility requirements for off-campus work:

You can work off campus without a work permit if you meet all of these requirements:

• you’re a full-time student at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI)
• you’re enrolled in
  ○ a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional training program or
  ○ a secondary-level vocational training program (Quebec only)
• your study program
  ○ is at least 6 months long and
  ○ leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate
• you’ve started studying
• you have a Social Insurance Number (SIN)

If you’re a part-time student. You can work off campus only if:

• you meet all the requirements above and
• you’re only studying part-time, instead of full-time, because:
  ○ you’re in the last semester of your study program and you don’t need a full course load to complete your program and
  ○ you were a full-time student in your program in Canada, up until your last semester

If you’re on an authorized leave:

If you’re on an authorized leave from your studies, or you’re switching schools and you’re not studying, you cannot work off campus. You can only return to work once you’re back to studying.

Get a Social Insurance Number to work in Canada

A SIN is a 9-digit number that the Government of Canada assigns to you. You need one to work in Canada.

To apply for a SIN to work off campus, you must have one (1) of these conditions printed on your study permit:

• May work 20 hours per week off campus or full-time during regular breaks if meeting criteria outlined in paragraph 186(v) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.
• May accept employment on or off campus if meeting eligibility criteria, per paragraph R186(f), (v) or (w) and must cease working if no longer meeting these criteria.

If your study permit doesn’t have work conditions on it:

• You can ask to have these conditions added if you’re eligible to work off campus.
• There’s no fee to add these conditions to your permit.
• You’ll need to request an amendment to your study permit before you can apply for a SIN from Service Canada.

How many hours you can work off-campus:

During regular school terms/semesters:

• You can work up to 20 hours per week.
• To learn about the transitory policy and know if you are eligible to work off-campus more than 20 hours per week, please visit government official website.
  • See the attached summary graph.

During scheduled breaks in the school year:

• You can work full-time if you’re on a scheduled break, such as winter and summer holidays, or a fall or spring reading week.
• You’re free to work overtime or work 2 part-time jobs that add up to a higher than usual number of hours.
• You must be a full-time student both before and after the break to work full-time.
• You cannot work during a break that comes before you start your very first school semester.

How many hours count as full-time work?

There is no set number of hours per week that counts as ‘full-time’  work.

• However, your employer(s) must follow all provincial laws on overtime pay and time between shifts.

If your program doesn’t have scheduled breaks:

• You can work up to 20 hours per week.

Working more than 20 hours per week is a violation of your study permit conditions. You can lose your student status for doing this and may not be approved for a study or work permit in the future. You may also have to leave the country.

Who cannot work off campus?

You cannot work off campus without a work permit if any of these situations apply to you:

• your study permit says you aren’t authorized to work off campus while you study
• you’re only enrolled in an English or French as a second language (ESL/FSL) program
• you’re only taking general interest courses
• you’re only taking courses required to be accepted into a full-time program
• your situation changes and you no longer meet all the requirements to work off campus

If any of these situations apply to you, and you want to work while studying in Canada, you need to apply for a work permit.

If your study situation changes:

If you were not eligible to work off campus, but your study situation has now changed, you may be able to change the conditions of your study permit.

You can apply to change the conditions of your permit if:

• you’ve changed your study program to one that may allow you to work off campus and
• your study permit says “This permit does not permit the holder to engage in off campus employment in Canada” OR
• the condition on your study permit may no longer apply

Example: You have a study permit to complete prerequisite courses, such as an ESL or FSL course. You’re then accepted into a full-time study program. This would mean you could apply to have the condition (not being allowed to work off campus) removed from your study permit.
You must apply to change the conditions of your study permit. There’s a fee to make this change. You must change the conditions on your permit before you can apply for a SIN.

Changing the conditions on your study permit:

• You’ll need to apply for a new study permit from within Canada.
• When you apply online, your personalized checklist will include the Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Student [IMM 5709]. On that form, check the box to Apply for a study permit for the first time or extend my study permit and fill out the rest of the required fields.
• Include a letter with your application explaining why you need the condition removed from your study permit.

Working after you complete your study program:

After you complete your study program, there are two (2) ways you may be able to work full-time:

• you already applied for a work permit before your study permit expired or
• you’re starting a new study program

You need to meet all the requirements listed below to work full-time. If your work or study permit application is refused, you must stop working and leave Canada.

If you already applied for a PGWP (Post-graduation Work Permit):

You can work full-time if you meet all these requirements:

• You were already able to work off campus during your studies
• You applied for a work permit or Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) before your study permit expired
• You’re waiting for a decision on your work permit application

If you’re starting a new study program:

You can work full-time if you meet all these requirements:

• You were already able to work off campus during your previous studies
• You have a valid study permit, or you applied to extend your study permit before it expired
• You received written confirmation from your current school that you completed your program
• You received a letter of acceptance to a new full-time study program at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI)
• You’ll start your new program within 150 calendar days of receiving the confirmation that you completed your previous program

Source: Adapted from Government of Canada (IRCC). 2021. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/work-off-campus.html

TIP: For a summary of regulations about working during your final term, after receiving final grades and after graduating please refer to this “Working in your final term” guide.

Common questions about off-campus work:

Can I work more than 20 hours one week and then less the next week to average 20 hours per week e.g. 24 one week then 16 the next week?

No. This is not permitted. The limit is strictly 20 hours per week during academic weeks.

When does the work week begin, is it Monday to Sunday?

IRCC (Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada) do not define a working week. However, ESDC (Employment and Social Development Canada) define a working week as midnight Saturday to midnight Saturday the following week.

How can I find a job?

The Niagara College MyCareer website: https://mycareer.niagaracollege.ca/home.htm and Niagara College Community Employment Services https://www.niagaracollege.ca/ces/ are good places to look for employment opportunities.

I have a job working remotely for a company outside of Canada. Is this allowed? Does it count towards my off-campus hours?

If you are legally working a remote job for a business overseas (the business location is overseas, you are paid from outside of Canada, the business has no Canadian base/footprint i.e., there is no impact on the Canadian labour market), then you can likely perform this work without requiring a Canadian work permit. Moreover, if you hold a Canadian work permit this work would not be counted as Canadian work and would not be counted in your permitted hours of off-campus work. See IRCC definition on ‘What is work?’

Can I work for two employers so long as my hours do no exceed 20 hours per week, e.g. 12 hours for employer 1, and 8 hours for employer 2?

There are no restrictions on the number of employers you can work for so long as you abide by limit on hours per week. Ensure all employment is formal/legitimate and via your SIN and you are provided pay advice slips and a T4 – evading paying tax is illegal.

Do reading weeks count as scheduled breaks? What about the time between my full-time terms e.g., end of classes in December to start of classes in January?

Yes. These situations would be considered scheduled breaks and you would be permitted to work full-time off-campus. Your program may also have a full-term of scheduled break, if you are unsure of your program plan refer to the NC academic program pages.

My study permit does not have permission to work off-campus printed in the remarks or conditions. How can I fix this?

Most likely you will need to apply for a new study permit. You can learn how to do that using our site. If you have any questions about your current study permit, you can contact you ISA and provide a copy of the permit for them to check it.

Disclaimer: The information on this website is produced by the Niagara College team of RCIC (regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants) and RISIA (Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors). It is provided as a guide for Niagara College students and does not constitute or replace individualised advice provided by an RCIC, RISA or immigration lawyer. Applicants should always check the IRCC website to verify the latest information.

Eligibility for co-op work permit:

• you have a valid study permit
• work is required to complete your study program in Canada (see the list of Niagara College programs that require a co-op work permit here: Welland Campus and Daniel J.Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake)
• you have a letter from your school that confirms all students in your program need to complete work placements to get their degree, and (this is your co-op letter)
• your co-op placement or internship totals 50% or less of your study program

• accept a Canadian work placement and begin working remotely from your home country
• work for a company in your home country

Who’s not eligible

• English or French as a second language (ESL/FSL),
• general interest courses, or
• courses to prepare for another study program

Common questions about co-op work permits:

You have 180 days after you get your final marks to apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP).

To be eligible, your study permit must have been valid at some point during these 180 days.

IMPORTANT! Don’t let your status expire while you wait for your graduation documents. Note: Study permits typically expire 90 days after a student completes their studies.

If your study permit will expire before you get your grades are received, you have 2 options. You can

• apply for a visitor record to stay in Canada longer, or
• leave Canada and apply for your PGWP

If you stay in Canada and let your permit expire, you must apply to restore your status as a student to apply for your PGWP. To restore your status, you must pay additional fees.

You can apply for a PGWP if:

• your study permit is still valid
• you have a valid visitor record
• you submitted an application to extend your study permit before it expired, and no decision has been made on your application
• you submitted an application to change your status to visitor before your study permit expired and no decision has been made on your application

You must also have:

• completed a study program
  ⦁ at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI)
  ⦁ that was at least 8 months long and
  ⦁ that led to a degree, diploma, or certificate
• maintained full-time status as a student in Canada during each semester of your study program
  ⦁ this doesn’t include your final semester, which can be part-time, or if you took an approved leave from your studies
• graduated from one of the following:
  ⦁ a public post-secondary school, such as a college, trade/technical school, university, or CEGEP (in Quebec)
  ⦁ a private post-secondary school (in Quebec) that operates under the same rules as public schools in Quebec
  ⦁ a private secondary or post-secondary school (in Quebec) that offers qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer, that leads to a diplôme d’études professionnelles (DEP) or an attestation de spécialisation professionnelle (ASP)
  – an ASP can be less than 900 hours if it’s combined with a DEP
  ⦁ a Canadian private school that can award degrees under provincial law (for example, Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctorate degree), but only if you’re enrolled in a study program that leads to a degree as authorized by the province.

Exceptions:

You are not eligible for a PGWP if you:

• already received a PGWP
• studied English or French as a second language
• took general interest or self-improvement courses
• participated in the Government of Canada Awards Program funded by Global Affairs Canada
• had funding from Global Affairs Canada
  ⦁ Note: If you are a recipient of a Study in Canada scholarship, you’re still eligible for a PGWP.
• got the Equal Opportunity Scholarship, Canada-Chile
• participated in the Canada-China Scholars’ Exchanges Program
• participated in the Organization of American States Fellowships Program
• completed the majority of a study program by distance learning (online courses, e-learning or correspondence)
• completed a study program at a non-Canadian institution located in Canada

Source: Adapted from Government of Canada (IRCC). 2021. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation/eligibility.html

TIP: For a summary of regulations about working during your final term, after receiving final grades and after graduating please refer to this “Working in your final term” guide.

Common questions about PGWP work permit applications:

How do I know if my Niagara College program is PGWP eligible?

Currently, all Niagara College post-secondary programs (EAP is not a post-secondary program) that are offered to international students are eligible for a PGWP. However, it’s important to remember the applicant must also be eligible and the program is only one factor in PGWP eligibility – please refer to the IRCC regulations and guides.

Can I apply for a PGWP before I complete my program or before I have my documents e.g., transcript, COG (Confirmation of Graduation) letter?

No, you must complete the program and be formally graduated before you can apply for a PGWP. Documents such as a COG (Confirmation of Graduation) and transcript are required for the application.

How long will my PGWP be valid for?

PGWP duration depends on the duration of studies completed. Please refer to the IRCC PGWP regulations. If you have questions, contact your ISA.

Can I apply for the PGWP more than one time?

No. The PGWP program is a once-in-a-lifetime application.

Do I need a job offer or contract/letter to apply for a PGWP?

No. The PGWP is based on your studies and does not require a job offer or letter.

Can I work in the time between completing classes or graduating? Or in the time between graduating and applying for a PGWP?

Please refer to our detailed guide on working in your final term as around the time you graduate and apply for a PGWP.

Disclaimer: The information on this website is produced by the Niagara College team of RCIC (regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants) and RISIA (Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors). It is provided as a guide for Niagara College students and does not constitute or replace individualised advice provided by an RCIC, RISA or immigration lawyer. Applicants should always check the IRCC website to verify the latest information.

What is a SIN?

A Social Insurance Number (SIN) is used to track your earnings in Canada. It is most commonly used by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to calculate how much tax you must pay.

• For temporary residents e.g. students, work permit holders etc. the SIN will begin with the number nine.
• You will keep the same SIN until you either leave Canada or become a permanent resident.
• For temporary residents, your SIN has an expiry date. See below for more information on how to extend your SIN.

Do I need a SIN to work in Canada?

Yes. To legally work in Canada, you need both authorization from Canadian Immigration and Citizenship (Study permit with permission to work) and a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN).

Who can apply for a SIN?

To apply for SIN you must hold either:

• a co-op work permit, OR
• a study permit that has one of the following comments/remarks:
  a) may work 20 hours per week off campus or full time during regular breaks if meeting criteria outlined in paragraph 186(v) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations
  b) may accept employment on or off campus if meeting eligibility criteria, per paragraph R186(f), (v) or (w) and must cease working if no longer meeting these criteria.

Where can I apply for or extend my SIN?

You must apply in-person at a Service Canada office. There is no fee to apply for a SIN. Please take the following documents when you visit Service Canada:

• passport
• study permit (and co-op work permit if you have one)

The SIN is no longer issued as a card. You will only receive a paper copy. Please keep you SIN safe and do not share with anyone other than official government agencies e.g., CRA and your employer.

Service Canada office locations near Niagara College:

• Welland: 250 Thorold Road West
• St. Catharines: 395 Ontario Street
• Niagara Falls: 5853 Peer Street

IMPORTANT! The SIN is NOT permission to work legally in Canada. In addition to a SIN, you MUST have the correct authorisation to work based on your Study Permit or Co-op Work Permit. If you have questions, contact your ISA.

Disclaimer: The information on this website is produced by the Niagara College team of RCIC (regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants) and RISIA (Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors). It is provided as a guide for Niagara College students and does not constitute or replace individualised advice provided by an RCIC, RISA or immigration lawyer. Applicants should always check the IRCC website to verify the latest information.