Acadia University - Working in Canada

Permits to work in Canada

Many international students work during their time at Acadia in order to build experience, participate in paid research, and earn money to help finance their education and living expenses.

You will need a permit to work in Canada. Your study permit allows you to work in many jobs, but others may require a separate permit. You cannot begin working in Canada until after your classes begin.

Type of work	Permit
On-campus or Off-campus (up to 24 hours a week, during regular study period)	You do not need a work permit to work on- or off-campus while you study full-time. However, your study permit must indicate that you can work. It should include the condition "May work 24 hrs off-campus or full-time during regular breaks if meeting criteria outlined in section 186(v) of IRPR" If your study permit does not have this note, please contact immigrationadvising@acadiau.ca for assistance.
Co-op work term or an internship part of your academic program	You will need a co-op work permit.
Volunteering or internship unrelated to your academic program	Certain volunteer positions or internships may be considered "work" by IRCC and require a work permit. If you are volunteering to do work that would otherwise be done by a paid employee (ex. customer service, office administration), it would be considered work even if you are unpaid.
After you graduate	You will need a post-graduate work permit.
Work for your spouse or common-law partner	Your spouse/partner requires a work permit.

Social Insurance Number (SIN)

You must apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to work in Canada and to access government programs and benefits. We also host in-person SIN application clinics at the beginning of the fall and winter semesters. Join our email list or follow us on Instagram for updates.

Working on campus

There are a variety of student jobs available at Acadia, from retail positions to tutoring and research.

• You can work anywhere at Acadia, or research locations off-campus formally involved in Acadia research, such as a research facility, hospital, or library.
• Your employer does not have to be Acadia University. You can work for various organizations on-campus, such as:
  • A student organization (ex. ASU)
  • A faculty member (ex. being a research assistant)
  • A private business or contractor that provides campus services (ex. Dining Services)
  • ISEP, a program specifically for international students to find work on campus

More information - IRCC

Hours

There is no formal limit on how much you can work on campus. However, some employers on campus may restrict the number of available hours, and we recommend working no more than 10-15 hours per week. It's important that your work doesn't negatively impact your studies.

Requirements

• You will need to apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN).
• You must be a full-time international student with a valid study permit that states that you can work in Canada. If you study permit does not include a condition that you are eligible to work and "May work 24 hrs off-campus or full-time during regular breaks if meeting criteria outlined in section 186(v) of IRPR", you will need to amend your study permit. You will need to complete the IMM 1436 form and gather documents, including your original study permit.
  
  If your study permit does not have this note, please contact immigrationadvising@acadiau.ca for assistance.

Working off-campus

If you are a full-time student with a valid study permit, you can work up to 24 hours per week during the academic year and full-time during academic breaks.

More information - IRCC

Hours

• You can work up to 24 hours a week during the academic year. You can work more than one job, but they may not add up to more than 24 hours per week total.
• You can work full-time during scheduled breaks in the academic year (ex. summer, breaks between terms, Reading Weeks). You cannot work full-time before you start your first term at Acadia, or after you have finished your last term.

Requirements

• You will need to apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN).
• You must be a full-time international student. Students in an EAP/ESL program or who are taking individual courses or university preparatory courses are ineligible.
• You must have a valid study permit that states that you can work in Canada. If you study permit does not include a condition that you are eligible to work and "May work 24 hrs off-campus or full-time during regular breaks if meeting criteria outlined in section 186(v) of IRPR", you will need to amend your study permit. You will need to complete the IMM 1436 form and gather documents including your original study permit.

Where to find work

Always keep your resume updated with your latest work experience and keep printed copies for when you're ready to start applying.

• Look for 'We are hiring' signs. Sometimes employers will have a sign outside their business inviting interested individuals to drop off a resume in-person. This is where making physical copies of your resume comes in handy!
• If you're not sure if a place is hiring, go in and ask. You can ask to speak to the manager or the person at the front desk. Don't be discouraged if they say they're not hiring. Thank them for their time and move on.
• You are highly encouraged to limit your job search to Wolfville, New Minas and Kentville due to transportation limitations to the surrounding communities. You can use various job posting websites to look for work around the area such as: Acadia University Job Board, Government of Canada Job Bank, CareerBeacon, and LinkedIn.

Co-op work terms and internships

If your program has a mandatory co-op placement, internship, or practicum, you will need to apply for a co-op work permit. The permit is a requirement for this type of work: it does not matter if the work is paid or unpaid, on- or off-campus, full- or part-time, or in the academic year or during the summer.

The co-op work permit is different from an off-campus work permit, and you can have both if you meet the requirements for each.

More information - IRCC

When to apply

• If you are directly entering an academic program that requires this type of work placement (such as the Bachelor of Education program), you must apply for your co-op work permit at the same time as you apply for your study permit.
• If you choose to participate in this type of work placement after you begin your academic program, you can apply for the co-op work permit after your study permit, once you are studying in Canada. Because of processing delays, we recommend that you apply for your permit six months before you will start working. For example, if you are accepted into a summer internship, you should apply for your permit in the fall.

If you are a full-time student with a valid study permit, you can work up to 24 hours per week during the academic year and full-time during academic breaks.

Requirements

• You will need to apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN).
• You must be a full-time international student. Students in an EAP/ESL program or who are taking individual courses or university preparatory courses are ineligible.
• You must have a valid study permit.
• Complete the application, including the IMM 5710 application form.

Your co-op work permit will usually expire at the same time as your study permit. You can renew the co-op work permit at the same time as you extend your study permit.