Working in Canada

A Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a 9-digit number issued by Service Canada, a Canadian government department. You need a SIN before starting work in Canada, to file taxes, as well as access government programs and benefits, if eligible. You will also need to provide your SIN to UBC for tax purposes.

If you’re an international student, having a SIN alone is not enough to allow you to work in Canada. Make sure you are eligible to work in Canada with the information provided below.

For more information about applying for your Social Insurance Number (SIN), please visit: Social Insurance Number – Overview - Canada.ca.

In order to work while you are studying, you need a statement on your study permit that says you may accept employment on or off campus as long as you meet certain conditions. You are only able to begin working once you have started your program of study (after the first day of classes).

Working on-campus

It is important to note that you can only begin working after you have started your program of study.

There is no limit to hours that you can work on campus, in addition to working off campus. However, you must ensure that you are always meeting the eligibility criteria to work on-campus. To review the eligibility criteria, visit: Work on campus - Canada.ca.

“On-campus” means you can work at all the buildings that are physically located on your school campus. Since NBCC has more than one campus, you may only work at the campus where you’re studying. An on-campus employer is anyone who is physically located on the NBCC campus, including NBCC, NBCC Student Union, and private contractors/businesses located on campus.

Working off-campus

On October 7 2022, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced that 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 will not be restricted by the 20-hour-per-week rule and will have no upper limit to their working hours. Important to note: in order to engage in this extended employment off-campus, you must be studying full-time and you must have applied for/received your study permit before October 7, 2022. 

It is important to note that you can only begin working after you have started your program of study.

There are specific eligibility criteria that you must meet to work off-campus during your studies. Review this criteria carefully here: Work off campus as an international student - Canada.ca. If you meet these criteria than you are able to work:

• During the regular school term: you can work a maximum of 20 hours per week off-campus;
• During scheduled breaks from classes (i.e. Student Success Week, December break, and summer break): you are able to work full-time if you will be a full-time student in the term before and the term after the break.

For more details on these work limits, visit: Work off campus as an international student - Canada.ca.

Note: if you are a part-time student, it is possible that you are not eligible to work. You should contact NBCC’s International Immigration Advisor (international@nbcc.ca) to confirm your work authorizations as a part-time student.

If you have any type of work integrated learning in your program of study (i.e. internship, practicum, co-op, and/or on-the-job training) you will also need a separate Co-op Work Permit. This type of work permit is required when your employment is a required component to your program of study at NBCC.

This work permit is required before starting your work-integrated learning component in your program of study.

Applying for the co-op work permit

If possible, you should apply for your co-op work permit at the same time as applying for your initial study permit. You will do this by indicating that work is an essential component to your program of study and including the Mandatory Work Experience letter that is included in your NBCC letter of acceptance package.

If you were not issued a co-op work permit with your initial study permit application and you do require one, you have two options:

1. Apply for one online: you can submit an application online for the co-op work permit. There is no charge associated with the application and NBCC’s immigration advisor hosts webinars on this application every term. Contact international@nbcc.ca if you have questions. You must apply for this early.
2. Apply for one with a study permit extension: if your study permit will be expiring soon, you can submit a study permit extension application and include the co-op work permit application within it. You will need to indicate that work is an essential component to your program of study and include the Mandatory Work Experience letter that is included in your NBCC letter of acceptance package. NBCC’s immigration advisor hosts webinars on the study permit application every term. Contact international@nbcc.ca if you have questions.

Co-op work permit work authorization

The co-op work permit can only be used for work that is an essential component to your program of study. It is entirely separate from the work authorizations granted by your study permit. The co-op work permit:

1. Allows you to work up to full-time hours in a paid or unpaid position to meet the requirements of your program (mainly, completing an internship/practicum). This work is in addition to any part-time work that is granted by your study permit.
2. Does not allow you to work part-time while you are studying or full-time during breaks (work that is not considered part of an internship/practicum). It is only for doing a practicum/internship. That type of work is granted by the work authorization on your study permit and has other conditions that must be met.

It is important to note that your practicum cannot form more than 50% of your program of study. To learn more about the co-op work permit, please visit: Work as a co-op student or intern - Canada.ca.

After you have completed an eligible program of study at NBCC, you may be eligible to apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP). This allows you to stay in Canada temporarily (up to three years) after finishing your program of study to work. The duration of the PGWP is dependent on the length of the program of study that you have completed. You can learn more about the duration here: Post-graduation work permit (PGWP) validity and application - Canada.ca. The PGWP is an open work permit, this means that:

• You do not need to have employment arranged to apply for it;
• It is not tied to an employer or specific type of employment; and
• It is not tied to a specific location.

Staying eligible for the post-graduation work permit (PGWP)

It is important that you understand the requirements to remain eligible for the post-graduation work permit (PGWP) during the entirety of your NBCC program. You can review all eligibility requirements here: Work in Canada after you graduate: Who can apply - Canada.ca. Note: if you are a part-time student, it is possible that your PGWP eligibility may be impacted. You should contact NBCC’s International Immigration Advisor (international@nbcc.ca) to understand your PGWP eligibility as a part-time student.

Applying for the post-graduation work permit (PGWP)

You apply for the post-graduation work permit (PGWP) after you have officially finished your program of study at NBCC. The documents you will need to include from NBCC are a final transcript and a letter of completion (which is automatically issued via email by the Registrar’s Office). NBCC’s immigration advisor hosts webinars on the PGWP application every term. Contact international@nbcc.ca if you have questions. To learn more about the PGWP application, please visit: Work in Canada after you graduate: How to apply - Canada.ca.