Working in Canada

Working On-Campus:

You can work on campus if:

· You have a valid study permit 

· You are a full-time international student registered in credit courses

On-campus employment is defined as employment in facilities owned, leased, or rented by UOIT. Your employer may be the university, a student organization, or a private contractor operating within the boundaries of the campus, such as food services. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) does not limit the number of hours students are permitted to work on campus. However, be careful not to let your work interfere with your studies.

Working off-campus:

All types of off-campus work require a valid work permit (volunteering does not).  If you qualify to work off-campus, you need a work permit before you begin your job.

· Applications are processed at the Case Processing Centre in Vegreville, Alberta, within two to six weeks.

· Currently, off-campus work permits are submitted through an online process. 

Medical examinations: 

Not all work permits require medical examinations.  However, students must pass an immigration medical examination before they begin work in health care, child care, or primary or secondary education.  This exam is costly and it can take up to three months to attach medical clearance to your work permit, so apply early!

If you have submitted an application to extend your study permit and/or work permit (off-campus or co-op) before they expire, you may continue working until a decision has been made regarding your applications.  This is called "implied status."  Be sure to keep a copy of your application and any receipt from Canada Post showing the package arrived on time at CIC.

Applying for Off- Campus Work Permit (OCWP):

Eligible international students attending participating post-secondary institutions can apply to work off campus while studying.  This permit will be issued with the same expiry date as your study permit.  If your study permit will expire soon, you may wish to first extend it online and then apply for your off-campus work permit online.

· Hold a valid study permit issued for six months or longer

· Be currently academically eligible and in a degree program at UOIT

· Have been studying full time at UOIT for at least six out of the past 12 months (including co-op work terms)

· Have maintained satisfactory academic standing in your program of study

You are not eligible to apply for an off-campus work permit if you:

· Are a visiting, exchange, unclassified, Continuing Studies, or Access Studies student at UOIT

· Have a partial or full scholarship from:

. the Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program, funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)

. the Government of Canada Awards Program, funded by DFAIT

. the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)

. Are participating in the Equal Opportunity Scholarship Program (Canada-Chile), the Canada-China Scholars Exchange Program, or an Organization of American States Fellowship program

.Are registered in a program that consists either exclusively or primarily of English or French as a second language

.Have previously held an off-campus work permit, failed to maintain your eligibility, and failed to surrender your work permit (However, if you became ineligible for the program and surrendered your work permit, you may reapply for a work permit if you meet the eligibility requirements at a later date)

Undergraduate students with off-campus work permits who are academically eligible may work a maximum of 20 hours per week during the regular academic year (September to April) and full-time during scheduled breaks (Summer, Winter Break, and Reading Break).

Undergraduates who were academically eligible in the previous Term 1 and Term 2 and have an off-campus work permit are eligible to maintain their off-campus work permit during summer break and are eligible to work full-time, regardless of their summer course load. They can also apply for an off-campus work permit at this time.

Graduate students are normally considered to have an ongoing, full-time relationship with the University and therefore may work a maximum of 20 hours per week throughout the year. They may work full-time during Winter break and Reading break.

If you are unsure of your responses, complete the application to the best of your ability, save and print the answer summary page, and meet with the International Student Advisor before submitting your final answers electronically.

Have your passport and study permit available, and plan to spend at least an hour completing your online application.

1.  If you have not already done so, Create an Access Key and applicant profile by registering with MyCIC: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/e-services/mycic.asp

*Please note that if you created a MyCIC account in the past, you probably used the old service (e-pass). As soon as you login to your MyCIC account you will be prompted to update to the new Access Key sign-in service.

2. When prompted, request that UOIT provide you with an Electronic Verification Number (EVN).

3. Log out of the CIC website after you have submitted your request for verification. Your online request for verification will be processed by UOIT in three to five business days. You will receive a notification from CIC in your MyCIC account once it has been processed. This message will contain an EVN and a link to the next part of the online application. If your EVN has not been issued in six business days, contact UOIT International.

4.  At the end of the application, you will be asked to submit a copy of your passport, including the information and photo page and any pages that refer to your stay in Canada. Upload this information as a PDF.

5.  If CIC has any questions, they will contact you at the email address or phone number on your application. If you are applying for an off-campus work permit but you also need to extend your study permit, you can apply for both documents online at the same time. Just indicate in the application that you are applying for both permits, and attach all relevant documents and fees.

Current processing times for the off-campus work permit can be found on the CIC website.

The off-campus work permit costs $150. You can either pay online with a credit card or at a local bank with a receipt form available at UOIT International. If you pay at a local bank, you can scan and upload the receipt as a PDF. The maximum file size for your PDF is 2MB.

The co-op work permit allows international students to work when doing work that is for credit and is a required part of your education. The co-op work permit is the only work permit that allows students to work full-time during regular school terms. You cannot complete a co-op work term with an off-campus work permit. A co-op work permit is different from an off-campus work permit, and you may hold both if you meet the criteria for each.

The co-op work permit is issued for the length of your study permit, and when you extend your study permit online, you can follow up with a paper application for a co-op work permit.

1. Fill out the Application to change conditions, extend my stay or remain in Canada (IMM 1249) (265KB PDF)

2. Prepare other documents:

3. Document checklist (IMM 5583) (32KB PDF)

4. Photocopies of passport pages showing the passport number, the dates of issue and expiry, name and date of birth, the stamp made by the Canadian authorities on most recent entry to Canada and any other marked pages

5. Original letter provided by your UOIT co-op office stating that your intended employment is an essential part of your program

6. No payment is needed - the co-op work permit is free

1. Make and keep a photocopy of your complete application package.

2. Send your documents to the correct address below, depending if it is a new permit or an extension. It is a strongly recommended that you send it with a service that provides tracking. Print the receipt showing the package has been received by CIC and keep this print-out for your records.

Social Insurance Number:

In order to be paid for employment in Canada you MUST have a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN).  To qualify for a SIN, you must apply in-person to the local Service Canada Office located at 200 John Street, Midtown Mall in Oshawa and provide the following documents:

• A valid passport;
• A valid study permit; and
• A valid work permit for off-campus work or an offer of employment for on-campus work.

Once you have applied and it is determined that you qualify, you will receive a stamped receipt to prove you have applied. Your receipt can be shown to your employer so you may be paid while you wait for your SIN card to arrive in the mail.

Applying for Post-Graduation Work Permit:

As soon as your final marks are available or you have submitted your thesis or dissertation to the library, you have 90 days in which to apply for your post-graduation work permit. The date of your graduation ceremony does not affect the application period. You do not need a job offer to apply for the post-graduation work permit.

· The processing time is faster online 

· It costs less (no mailing and photocopying fees)

· It provides document tracking and the ability to communicate online with CIC about your application

Who can apply online? 

Students who:

· are in Canada (you cannot apply after you leave)

· have a valid study permit

· have completed all degree requirements within the last three months

Note: If you must also extend the documents of your dependant family members, you may extend their documents online at the same time that you apply for your post-graduation work permit.

1. If you have not already done so, Create an Access Key and applicant profile by registering with MyCIC:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/e-services/mycic.asp

*Please note that if you created a MyCIC account in the past, you probably used the old service (e-pass). As soon as you login to your MyCIC account you will be prompted to update to the new Access Key sign-in service.

2. Log into the secure online portal and provide some basic information about yourself.

3. When you are asked "what do you want to do today?" choose the link that takes you to the post-graduation work permit application site.

4. When you are asked how long you want to stay in Canada, use the following guidelines:

- For bachelor's degree or PhD:three years

- For master's degree and diplomas: the regulations provide that if you have completed a program ranging from eight to 23 months, you are entitled to post-graduation work permission equal to the number of months spent in studies.  If you have completed a program of 24 months or more (or the equivalent), you are eligible to apply for three years of post-graduation work permission.

- We strongly suggest to master's and Diploma students to include a copy of their official transcript in the application so that the CIC officer making the application decision can easily determine the number of months you have been enrolled.

5. Upload the required supporting documents:

- You are required to submit proof that you have completed your program of studies.  You can collect your letter of graduation from UOIT International.

- You are required to submit a PDF of your passport. This needs to include the information (face) page and any stamps made by Canadian officials when you have entered Canada.  Create one PDF that contains all of this information and upload it.

6. Pay the $150 fee

- You can pay by credit card from within the CIC website, or

- You can pick up a bank receipt at UOIT International, pay your fee at a bank, and upload a PDF of the receipt showing that you paid.

Bridging Extension: 

After completing your studies, you may work full-time with a valid Off-Campus Work Permit (OCWP) for 90 days, and if you submit your application for post-graduation work permit during this same period, you may continue to work until the post-grad permit has been approved.

If your study permit expires within 90 days after your final marks are available or you have submitted your thesis or dissertation, prior to the permit's expiry date you can apply for a study permit "bridging extension."  This is a study permit extension and can be submitted online to MyCIC.