Hire an international student
On this page you will find information regarding employing international students.
Please select what type of employer you are:
All international students must have:
- have a valid Work Permit*
- a Social Insurance Number
*Students must abide by rules established by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. For more information please visit the Working in Canada Off Campus section.
Students can work with implied status
A Temporary Resident must apply to renew their status before it expires. If they have done so, their original temporary status (whether as a student, worker or visitor) continues until a decision is made and they are notified (R183(5)).
If a visitor or any other class of Temporary Resident leaves Canada while under this implied status, their status as a temporary resident expires.
Part-time vs. full-time work load?
Participating students can work up to 20 hours per week during their regular academic sessions, while they are registered as full-time students. They may work full-time during scheduled breaks (e.g., winter/summer holidays, reading week) and during the transition time to a post-graduation work permit. Please refer to the information on this handout to find out the number of hours you are allowed to work according to the term.
Some intensive programs may not have scheduled breaks. Students participating in such programs would therefore be limited to working for a maximum of 20 hours per week during the entire program of study. www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-offcampus.asp
Social Insurance Number
Responsibilities of an employer with regards to a SIN:
Expired SIN:
Why hire international students?
- International students have limited work opportunities
- Tuition fees and living costs are high for international students
- Workforce/office diversity
- Students have Canadian advanced education and credentials
- Proficiency in multiple languages
- A new perspective in your workplace
- Having a diverse student staff in your department promotes a welcoming atmosphere for visitors
- Immigration regulations make it easier to retain international students as they can apply for a post-graduation work permit.
All international students must:
- have a valid Study Permit
- be registered as a full-time student
- have a Social Insurance Number
Which international students are eligible to work on campus?
International students may work (part-time) on campus at the institution where they study without a work permit if they:
- are a full-time student at a public post-secondary institution, such as a college or university, or a collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) in Quebec.
- have a valid Study Permit.
Students can work up to 20 hours per week during their regular academic sessions.
International students are not required to study during the summer session.
Students may work full-time during scheduled breaks (e.g. summer holidays).
Continuing Education students cannot work at Concordia University.
For more information, please see: www.cic.gc.ca/EnGLIsh/study/work-oncampus.asp
Students can work with implied status
A Temporary Resident must apply to renew their status before it expires. If they have done so, their original temporary status (whether as a student, worker or visitor) continues until a decision is made and they are notified (R183(5)).
If a visitor or any other class of Temporary Resident leaves Canada while under this implied status, their status as a temporary resident expires.
A student who is in restoration or a stuent without a valid study permit cannot work on campus.
How does an international student obtain a Social Insurance Number (SIN)?
In order to obtain their SIN card, an international student will be required to present the following three documents to one of the Service Canada Centres:
- Passport
- Valid Study Permit
- Employment Contract
As an employer it is important that the employment contract you provide to your international student follows the specific guidelines listed on Service Canada's website. Service Canada has developed a sample contract of employment to help employers who are hiring students on campus. If this sample is used, the original version of the contract of employment MUST be printed on LETTERHEAD. All shaded areas on the sample contract of employment are mandatory fields, and must be completed to process a request at a Service Canada Centre.
**Important: Contract must be printed on letterhead to be valid.
The student must then bring the above-mentioned documents to one of the Service Canada Centres, where a SIN will be issued. The nearest Service Canada Centre to Concordia University is located at:
Southwest Montreal Service Canada Centre,
Guy-Favreau Complex, Suite 034
200 René-Lévesque Blvd. West
Montreal, Quebec
Hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
See the full list of the Service Canada Centres in Quebec
Responsibilities of an employer with regards to a SIN
- www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/sin/employers/responsibilities.shtml
- www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/sin/employers/expiry.shtml