Working in Canada

International students can find many opportunities to work in Canada while they study or after they graduate.

Throughout the year, the ISO regularly holds information sessions about proper work-related immigration documentation. Check out our information session!

• You are responsible for maintaining your immigration status and obeying immigration regulations during your stay in Canada.
• You must maintain full-time status throughout your studies:
  • Undergraduate students
  • Graduate students
• Always verify that your immigration documents (passport, CAQ, study permit, TRV or ETA) are accurate and still valid. NOTE: Your CAQ and study permit do NOT always have the same expiry date.
• Upload your immigration as soon as you get them or submit them in person at the ISO.
• Keep your contact information in your student service centre up to date as ISO may contact you with regards to your immigration documents.

International Students are eligible to work on the campus of their educational institution as long as they hold a valid Study Permit and are registered full-time during a regular academic semester (fall/winter). Jobs are available in many different departments on campus such as in labs, cafeterias, gyms, etc.

If you are interested in working on campus please visit the jobs on campus page, which includes a list of departments that employ students.

Graduate students are encouraged to check with their department concerning employment possibilities. They could be hired as a teaching assistant, or a research assistant. They can also apply to work as exam invigilators.

Undergraduate and graduate students may be eligible for the Work Study Program offered by the Financial Aid and Awards Office. The Work Study Program is designed to assist full-time Concordia University students, who are in financial need, to pursue their academic goals by providing part-time employment on campus (maximum 200 hours per term). Visit the Work Study website for more details and to find out if you are eligible to apply.

A Study Permit may allow you to work off campus as well. Your Study Permit must be valid. You must be registered as a full-time student and be studying in an academic program that leads to a degree, diploma or certificate that is at least six months in duration at a Designated Learning Institution (Concordia University is a Designated Learning Institution). You will be allowed to work for up to 20 hours per week during the academic sessions and full-time during scheduled breaks without the need to apply for a separate work permit.

Your study permit MUST state:

Student may accept employment on or off-campus if meeting eligibility criteria as per R186 (f), (v) or (w).

It your study permit does not mention the above information, please come by the ISO and meet with an advisor who will be happy to explain how to ask for an amendment.

As per IRCC regulations there is no maximum hour limit to full-time work. However provincial laws must be followed by the employer in relation to overtime and other benefits. You can refer to Labour Standards in Quebec for more information.

International students who participate in a co-op or internship program as part of your academic curriculum offered by a DLI (Designated Learning Institution) in Canada must apply for a co-op work permit.

Depending on the conditions of the work term authorized by the DLI, the co-op work permit allows international students to work full-time during the semester. The co-op work permit is required regardless of whether the mandatory work term is on or off campus, paid or unpaid and regardless of the number of work hours involved.

The co-op work permit is a closed work permit: it can only be used for one job and one employer. Concordia University will be the employer designated on the work permit.

The co-op work permit will be issued for a specific time period as authorized by the coordinator of the students' co-op work placement.  The validity period of the work permit usually coincides with the validity period of the study permit.

Prepare for the Canadian workforce by visiting signature Montreal-based companies!

Integrating the job market is often challenging for students, particularly international students. To help prepare for this transition, the International students Office and the Student Success Centre have partenered to offer an inside view of the Canadian workplace culture, all while developing networking skills for the future.

This program is currently on hold but should return shortly.

For further information on work while studying, please see the Canada Immigration website.

International Students who are graduating are eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) to allow you to work in Canada. You can apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) and be eligible to work for up to three (3) years in Canada. You must apply for a PGWP within 90 days of receiving your final marks, while still holding a valid Study Permit.

You can start working once you have applied for your PGWP as long as you meet the requirements from Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada.

The ISO does not advise on permanent residency matters.

This said, both Immigration Québec and Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada regularly offer in-person or virtual information sessions on applying for a CSQ and/or Permanent Residency. Please check our events calendar frequently to find out when the next sessions will be available.

As per IRCC rules, regulation R 186 (v) allows international students to work off-campus during their studies, the details of how this would apply to Concordia University students are explained below. 

For Concordia students, the Fall and the Winter terms are considered regular terms, which means that students are limited to working off-campus a maximum of 20 hours per week as long as they are registered full-time time with the exception of the final term where they do not have to be registered full time. The Summer term is considered as a non-regular term and students are allowed to work off-campus full-time if the student maintains a full-time status before and after the Summer term.

For the Summer 2024 term, Concordia students can work off-campus full-time from May 2, 2024, to September 2, 2024, as long as the above conditions are met. Even if the students are taking classes during the summer term they are allowed to work off-campus full-time.

In addition, International students are allowed to work off-campus full-time during scheduled breaks. At Concordia, this would apply to breaks between the terms and the mid-term break during the Fall and Winter term. These are specified below:

• May 2, 2024 to September 2, 2024 (Summer term)
• October 14, 2024 to October 20, 2024 (Fall Reading Week)
• December 20, 2024 to January 12, 2025 (Holiday break)
• February 24, 2025 to March 2, 2025 (Winter Reading Week

However, some students may benefit from the temporary policy from IRCC that came into effect on November 15, 2022.

The above information is on the IRCC website.

We also have a handout titled How many hours can I work? that you can refer to for more information.  

If you would like to have a proof of enrollment letter with the term dates and the start of the program dates, please ask the student to provide you with a letter of attestation. Also the information about the end date of the program is indicated on the offer of admission that was provided to the student when they were admitted to Concordia University.

If you have further questions please do not hesitate to contact us at iso@concordia.ca

• Co-op work permit programme (IRCC)
• Temporary foreign worker - understand your rights
• Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• Labor standards, pay equity and health and safety in Quebec
• Post-graduation work permit programme (IRCC)
• Labor standards, pay equity and health and safety in Quebec
• Income taxes for international students
• Career Advising and Professional Success
• Institute for Co-operative Education