Working in Canada - Bishop's University

Working On Campus

As an international student, you may be eligible to work in Canada while studying. As a Study Permit holder, you may qualify to work on campus without an additional Work Permit if you meet specific criteria. You may also apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit after you graduate from an eligible program from a Designated learning institution.

To work in Canada, you need a valid Study Permit and a Social Insurance Number (SIN). You can only start working in Canada when you start your study program.

IRCC does not specify a limit on the number of hours that can be worked on campus but leaves this responsibility to the educational institutions. It is important to find out what the Bishop’s Human Resources limit is for on-campus work during academic terms, as well as scheduled breaks.

Please explore our opportunities on campus!

Explore our Job Board

Working Off Campus

As an international student, you may be eligible to work in Canada while studying and after you graduate. As a Study Permit holder, you may qualify to work off-campus without an additional Work Permit if you meet specific criteria. You may also apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit after you graduate from an eligible program from a Designated learning institution.

To work in Canada, you need a valid Study Permit and a Social Insurance Number (SIN). You can only start working in Canada when you start your study program.

If your Study Permit allows it, you can work off campus part-time, up to 20 hours a week during a regular academic session, and full-time during regularly scheduled breaks between academic sessions.Working more than 20 hours per week is a violation of your Study Permit conditions with potentially serious consequences. Take care to respect these guidelines

If you are eligible to work off campus but your Study Permit doesn’t allow it, you will have to apply to change the condition of your Study Permit.

Students registered part-time are not allowed to work off campus, unless it’s their final term of study and they have maintained full-time status for the duration of the program of study.

*Limit on off-campus work hours to be lifted temporarily

From November 15, 2022, until December 31, 2023, international students who are in Canada and who have off-campus work authorization on their study permit and are eligible to work off-campus will not be restricted by the 20-hour-per-week rule.
For more information on this new measure and the eligibility requirement, please visit the IRCC website.

Explore our Job Board

Mandatory Internship in Your Program of Study

Some study programs include work experience as part of their curriculum. Please visit the IRCC website for current information.

Work as a Co-Op Student or Intern

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

To have more information on working in Canada after you graduate, please refer to the IRCC website.

IRCC Post-Graduation Work Permit

Getting a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to Work in Canada

The Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a 9-digit number that the Government of Canada gives you which allows you to work in Canada and receive government benefits and services. The application must be made while you are in Canada.

Service Canada recommends that you apply online for your SIN. To learn more about the documents you need to apply for your SIN, and how to apply, see the following document:

Social Insurance Number – Information for Newcomers

To apply for a SIN, you must have 1 of these conditions printed on your valid Study Permit:

May accept employment on the campus of the institution at which registered in full-time studies.
May work 20 hours off-campus or full-time during regular breaks if meeting criteria outlined in section 186(v) of IRPR. **
May accept employment on or off campus if meeting eligibility criteria as per R186(f), (v) or (w).

If you’re eligible to work on or off-campus, but your Study Permit doesn’t include either of these conditions, 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.

Here are some links that might be useful to you:

Filing Taxes in Canada

Once you are working and earning in Canada you will need to start filing tax returns. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has launched an online learning tool to help students learn about taxes and empower them to do their taxes on their own.

This tool provides lessons that explain what taxes are, why we pay them, how to read paycheques and income tax slips, and finally, how to do taxes for the first time.

Learn About Filing your Taxes in Canada

Important
All the information on this website is taken from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website (IRCC, https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada.html) as well as the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration du Québec (MIFI, https://www.quebec.ca/en/education/study-quebec); in case of discrepancies, the IRCC and MIFI websites prevail. The information contained on this website does not constitute a legal opinion and is not binding on Bishop’s University.