Study And Work In Canada: Everything You Need to Know

One of the advantages of studying in Canada is the ability to work while studying in Canada. This is a form of good news for a lot of students looking to study in Canada. This might be a good means to support themselves while in school.

There is more to know about studying and working in Canada. The purpose of writing this is to give you a detailed guide that will tell you everything you need to know about studying and working in Canada.

Everything You Need to Know Study and Work in Canada

So, I will be answering several questions that will help you to understand the concept of working while you studying in Canada.

You must know that before you can work and study in Canada, you must be admitted to one of the designated learning institutions.

These institutions are the institutions that are authorized by any provincial and territorial government to accept international students. Each designated learning institution is numbered.

You might be able to get a post-graduate work permit. This is one of the advantages. Not all the institutions make you eligible though, you must be able to source information on the specific institution you have in mind. You can check this on the Canada designated learning institution list page.

Read 8 Things You Need To Know About Proof Of Funds Canada

Ways to Find Designated Learning Institutions in Canada

Here is a way to find the designated learning institutions in Canada, at the moment:

• Choose the territory or the province where you want to study in Canada, on the Canada immigration website.
• Then search for keywords like the name of the school you intend to study, or the name of the city where it is located.
• Find the designated learning institution number and insert it under “details of the intended study in Canada” when applying for your study permit.

Note that if you are age 18 or more, you don’t need to have been vaccinated to come to Canada. If you don’t have a covid-19 vaccine, you should choose designated learning institutions with an approved covid-19 readiness plan.

Can I Work?

Once you get admitted into an institution, you need the acceptance letter or the admission letter to process your study visa. If you are approved, you can get to work up to 20 hours per week. You should know that you must not work more than that number of hours, but you can work lesser than that.

Now, there is a catch. Once the school is out of session, you can work fully. You can work all day. That is a great one for those looking to support their tuition and living expenses.

I should make this clear that you can work either on-campus or off-campus with your study permit.

Upon your arrival in Canada, you will receive your study permit that shows your status in the country and the working conditions, like 20 hours of work per week, etc. You are going to use the study permit to apply to get your Social Insurance Number. It is like an ID number for identification which is necessary for applications and work.

It should be done as soon as you get into the country. Note that you cannot start working if your study program has not started yet.

Read: How Express Entry Works In Canada (August 2022)

What If I Need to Do a Practical Placement?

If your study needs you to do a practical placement, more like an internship, you will need to apply for a co-op work permit.

You need to apply as soon as possible, so you can get your application on time before the time you need. If you delay in applying, you might be delayed in the internship.

What If I Graduate?

If you need to work after graduation, you will need to get a post-graduate work permit. It allows you to work after graduation.

Can the Job Pay for my Tuition?

Most of the jobs don’t pay too much, so it won’t be enough for your tuition. It can support your expenses, not the whole tuition. You shouldn’t have such a high expectation.

High Paying Job Opportunities for International Students in Canada

There ain’t so many high-paying jobs for international students but you can still get them. First, you need to know the minimum wage in Canada. The minimum wage is dependent on the province you are living in.

In Ontario, the minimum wage is $14.37/hour. In British Columbia, it is $15.20/hour. While in Quebec, it is $13.50/hour. Let us conclude that the average minimum is $14/hour.

You must know that working in a restaurant means getting lower pay. And it is not illegal. People working in a restaurant are prone to getting tips from customers.

Here is a list of work that can pay well for a student:

1. Uber/Lyft driver

You can earn up to $19 per hour working for Uber, and you can earn up to $22 per hour working for Lyft. Some cities do not have Lyft, so make sure to check which cities have Lyft and which cities do have Uber.

Now there are things you need to be able to drive for Uber and Lyft. You will need a driver’s license. If you have a driver’s license from your country, you can exchange it once you are in Canada. It is just advisable for you to own a Canadian driver’s license to work with Lyft or Uber.

You must be able to speak in English language or French language fluently. This does not mean you have to pass IETLS for this. Just enough for you to communicate well with customers.

2. Delivery driver

This is much related to the first job I talked about. It can be working with FedEx, Uber hits, etc. You will also need a driver’s license because many deliveries are made with cars.

Some deliver by foot or bicycle, like uber hits. This can be the alternative for you if you don’t have a driver’s license. Just check with what you need to work for this company in your cities.

3. Call center representative

If you are the kind of person that is very great at communicating and talking with people, this will be perfect for you.

Don’t go for this if you don’t communicate so well in the English language. It is not a job for you to practice your speaking ability. Be good enough to do this job.

Most organizations, companies, or even malls need call center representatives. This makes this job more available.

It is understandable if you think your accent might be a disturbance but here I am affirming that you are perfectly fine even with your accent. As long as you can hear what is being said and also communicate to customers effectively.

You can get a call center rep job for about $15 to $20 per hour depending on where you work.

4. Be a tutor

If you are a sound student, you can double as a tutor for your colleague, either on-campus or off-campus. You can be a teacher assistant. These opportunities are available in some institutions.

Being a teacher assistant means you will be on campus, and this is a great plus for you. Being a tutor on campus or campus can make you $15 per hour.

If you are probably teaching your mother language or any other course that is pretty hard, you might be able to earn yourself more money.

5. Be a receptionist.

Most small businesses need a receptionist. So, you can give some small businesses a shot when it comes to applying to be a receptionist.

If talking is something you find enjoyable, this will be good for you. The job is much more like a call center representative job, but you might need to make reservations for people. You can get about $20 per week.

6. Hotel jobs.

This is another great option for you. There are many jobs available in a hotel for you to take. One of the jobs that will be perfect for international students is front desk agent. You will need to be able to communicate well in the English language and great with people.

If you speak multiple languages, this is a great advantage for you. Most often, people come from other parts of the world come on vacation and lodge in hotels. It will be great to have people communicate in their languages.

7. Any other job on campus

This includes working in the school library, school cafeteria, etc. it is an advantage because it is within your campus because you won’t have to do a lot of moving around. You can just work when you are not in class or studying.

Final Thoughts

Getting a job as a student makes life easier for you in Canada. Some jobs can even add to your work experience in Canada and might be useful in the future. I hope this guide helps you with all the information you need on studying and working simultaneously in Canada.