Part-Time Job Options in Canada for International Students

When you are studying abroad, you are obviously burdened with high tuition fees or even leisure activities that might just cost you too much. The best way to ease the burden or help you pay off your tuition fee is to work part-time, be it on-campus or off-campus.

In a country like Canada, where foreign students need to pay a fee ranging somewhere between $9,341 and $37,700, you might want to work part-time for the sake of covering not just tuition fees, but also daily expenses, or simply just for extra allowances. 

The Government of Canada’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) is an initiative to help young students make an easy transition into the labour market. Under this are programs including Skills Work, Summer Work Experience and Career Focus that aim at helping international students in their part-time job hunt.

Part-Time Job Regulations For International Students In Canada

Find out what are the part-time job regulations prescribed by the Canadian government for international students in the country:

Working Part-Time On-Campus:

You can work on-campus in Canada only if your study permit so mentions. However, you can work without a work permit, if you:

• are a full-time post-secondary student at a private college in Quebec that is run under the same rules as public schools and is at least 50% sponspored by government grants; a public post-secondary Canadian college or university or CEGEP in Quebec; or a private school that is allowed to award degrees under provincial law.

• have a valid study permit.

• have a Social Insurance Number (SIN).

You will NOT be allowed to work on campus if:

• if you are not studying full-time.

• your study permit is expired.

• you are on an authorised leave from studies.

• you are transferring to another school and are not currently studying.

In Canada, your on-campus recruiter can be the university you are enrolled at, a faculty member, a student organisation, yourself if you run a business, a private business or a private contractor that has some on-campus business on campus.

Regarding working hours for international students with part-time jobs, the Government of Canada does not limit the number of hours.

Also Read: Study in Canada: Timeline for January 2022 Intake

Working Part-Time Off-Campus:

You can work off-campus in Canada only if:

• You are a student at a designated learning institution (DLI).

• You are enrolled in a secondary-level vocational training program or a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional training program.

• You are enrolled in a program that is at least 6 months long and that leads to a diploma, certificate or a degree.

• You are a holder of a Social Insurance Number (SIN).

• You have already started studying.

Part-time students in Canada can also work off-campus if:

• You satisfy rest of the requirements, as mentioned above.

• You are studying part-time because you are in the last semester and you do not require a full course load or you were a full-time student, up until your last semester.

Students are on an authorised leave from their studies, are changing schools or not currently studying will not be allowed to work off-campus.

As per the Government of Canada, an international student can work part-time off-campus for 20 hours a week during regular school terms or full-time (no set number) during breaks.

Top 10 Part-Time Jobs and Salary in Canada for International Students

Here is the list of the top 10 part-time job options for international students in Canada along with their approximate respective salaries:

Job Position	Salary
Bookkeeper	25 CAD/hour
Sales Assistant	12 CAD/hour
Customer Service Assistant	11 CAD/hour
Office Assistant	13-15 CAD/hour
Cook	13 CAD/hour
Programme Facilitator	13 CAD/hour
Uber Driver	14-25 CAD/hour
Nanny	14 CAD/hour
Server/Bartender	74 CAD/night
Dog Walker	14 CAD/hour

Also Read: Guide for Int'l Students Travelling to Canada During the COVID-19 Pandemic

To give you a better understanding of the most-rewarding job options for international students in Canada, find the same in detail:

Bookkeeper: A bookkeeper is usually responsible for conducting daily banking activities, recording transactions such as purchases, sales revenue, invoices, payments and expenses, producing various financial reports, processing payments and reconciling reports to third-party records. A good bookkeeper should have a strong sense of time management and organisational skills and mathematical knowledge.

Sales Assistant: A sales assistant is reliable support for any sales team in any organisation. His/her primary role is to increase the sales volume and maintain in regular contact with significant customers. A sales assistant would be responsible for working with the sales team to monitor active purchases and making sure that the orders are delivered on time. Besides good communication skills, a sales assistant should also be computer literate and have good product knowledge.

Customer Service Assistant: The activities of a customer service assistant include answering customer enquiries, giving information and helping to solve customer problems, selling products and taking orders, arranging services for customers, processing complaints and so on. While anybody can pursue this role, make sure you have extremely good communication skills in order to be a right fit for the job.

Office Assistant: All in all, the duties of an office assistant are to oversee clerical tasks, maintaining the files, welcoming visitors to the office, taking and delivering messages, keeping an inventory of office supplies, answering phones, scheduling meetings and more. 

Cook: Well, the role of a cook is one of the most popular part-time job options for international students in Canada. Duties of a cook include preparing  food, adhering to the menu, and following food health and safety procedures. If you think you have a way with food, then becoming a cook in a foreign country can be quite rewarding. 

Programme Facilitator: With the primary responsibility to execute programme projects, initiatives, curricula, etc., a programme facilitator directly reports to the programme director or the programme manager. The programme may incorporate workshops and/or training, community service endeavours, outings/ field trip exposures/ tours, projects and presentations and more. 

Uber Driver: This job role comes with dependency on certain factors such as the province of study, your vehicle and your travelling history. Meet the minimum age requirements and you are all set to drive an Uber in Canada as an international student. 

Nanny: One of the easiest jobs to find in Canada as an international student is the job of a nanny. If you like children, then this job is certainly for you. The major responsibilities of a nanny include taking care of the children, planning their daily schedule, taking them to and from school and other activities, cleaning, laundry, among other things.

Server/ Bartender: While bartenders have to do everything with mixing and serving alcoholic beverages, servers or waiters have to serve both food and beverages. Bartender jobs are mostly on offer in the Canadian cities of Ontario, Vancouver and Toronto. 

Dog Walker: Also known as a pet sitter, dog walkers are indeed in demand in Canada. They walk dogs of their clients, provide them with food and water and are also responsible for taking the pet to a veterinarian whenever required.

Apart from these, international students can also find opportunities or positions of painter, camp counselor, baker, reading programme leader, programme facilitator, festival coordinator and so on.

How to Find a Part-time Job in Canada?

Now the question is how do you find these part-time jobs in Canada? Before you start looking for part-time jobs in Canada, make sure of the following:

• As mentioned above, be it for on- or off-campus jobs in Canada, you would need a Social Insurance Number. Make sure that you have it ready before you begin your job hunt. Also, not just for work, an SIN will also help you access national programmes and other benefits.

• Update your CV or resume, cover letter and start preparing for interviews.

Moving on, here is how you can find both/ either an on-campus or off-campus job in Canada:

• On-campus: On-campus part-time job advertisements can usually be easily found on campus, on notice boards or the official website of the Canadian university. For an effienct job search on campus, join a student association or committee, do volunteer work, participate in information sessions, webinars, and more.

• Off-campus: International students often wonder if it is at all possible to find part-time jobs off-campus in Canada. Well, it is possible provided you have access to the industry you want to join. Try and build your business network and make connections with leaders or people who might be able to help you.

Top Cities in Canada to Study and Work

Given below are the top five cities in Canada that welcome international students and offer them a pool of innovative job opportunities, according to 2019 global ranking by QS:

City	Global Ranking	Employer Activity
Montreal	6	78
Toronto	11	78
Vancouver	16	72
Ottawa	45	35
Quebec	115	1

Popular Universities in Canada for International Students

Here is the list of the top-ranked Canadian universities, curated on the basis of THE World University Rankings 2021:

Name of the University	Tuition Fees (In INR)	Disciplines Offered	Province
University of Toronto	12,91,662-32,00,000	List of Courses	Ontario
University of British Columbia	4,86,452-31,00,000	List of Courses	British Columbia
McGill University	4,44,882-25,00,000	List of Courses	Quebec
McMaster University	9,10,793-52,09,630	List of Courses	Ontario
University of Montreal	6,49,743-14,03,765	List of Courses	Quebec
University of Alberta	3,95,541-18,00,000	List of Courses	Alberta
University of Ottawa	14,80,167-34,80,640	List of Courses	Ontario
University of Calgary	4,60,000-11,30,000	List of Courses	Alberta
University of Waterloo	8,60,000-11,30,000	List of Courses	Quebec

Also Read: 

Travel Guide for Int'l Students to Enter Canada for Higher Education	Canada September 2022 Intake: Timeline & Admission Requirements
Part-Time Work Options for Foreign Students in Canada	Top Canadian Universities for MS Business Analytics
Top Canadian Colleges to Study Master of Data Science	Top Canadian Universities to Pursue MBA

While this article talks about only the top 10 part-time job options in Canada for an international student, the country has a lot more to offer, about which you can learn by writing to us at abroad@collegedekho.com.

Stay tuned!