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Requirements for Student Work
On-Campus work
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ON-CAMPUS WORK |
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What does this mean? |
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What documents do students need? |
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How many hours can students work? |
The number of hours is not specified by Immigration Canada. However, please note that Study Permit holders must be "actively pursuing their course or program of study" - i.e., "making continuous progress towards the completion of their degree". Also, Immigration Quebec requires CAQ holders to remain enrolled full-time for the duration of their studies. Students may work an unlimited number of work hours during an academic term and scheduled breaks. |
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Who is eligible? |
Students registered in full-time studies** McGill degree, certificate, diploma students, visiting/exchange students, and who have a valid Study Permit. To work during scheduled breaks, students must be registered full-time before and after scheduled breaks. |
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Who is NOT eligible? |
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Where can students work on campus? |
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How can I support my Student Employee? |
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* If a McGill degree-seeking student has a Study Permit issued June 1, 2014, or later, it will likely include conditions and/or remarks that clearly state that they are eligible to work on or off-campus if they meet the eligibility requirements. This will be necessary in order for a student to be able to apply for a Social Insurance Number.
If a McGill degree-seeking student has a Study Permit that does not include a reference to their eligibility to work on or off-campus, they can submit a request for an amendment to their study permit in order to be able to apply for a Social Insurance Number. The Request to Amend can only be submitted by mail - there is no fee for this request -and they can check the current processing time required.
** Definition of "Full-time" studies:
- If you are hiring an undergraduate student: They must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 credits per term (exceptions: scheduled breaks - like Reading Week & Summer - and the final term before graduation, when they are permitted to be registered part-time and still maintain working privileges)
- If you are hiring a Non-Thesis Masters student: They must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 credits per term (exceptions: Department scheduled breaks (students can ask Dept. if unsure) and the final term before graduation, when they are permitted to be registered part-time and still maintain working privileges)
- If you are hiring a student in a Graduate Thesis program (Masters, Phd): Students must be registered full-time in every academic term, including the summer, regardless of the number of credits per term. Note: thesis programs do not have any scheduled breaks.
For full details, please refer to the Immigration Canada website.
Off-Campus work
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OFF-CAMPUS WORK |
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What does this mean? |
Immigration Canada Definition. See more detailed information on the Government of Canada website. |
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Documents needed |
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How many hours can students work? |
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Who is eligible? |
Full-time*** McGill degree, certificate, diploma students and visiting/exchange students |
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Important Update on Off-campus Work: On March 12, 2018, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) published new guidelines concerning off-campus work.
Two important updates that we would like to highlight are the following:
- The new guidelines confirm that students who have regularly scheduled breaks during the summer as per their program of study and who decide to study part-time or full-time during the summer are eligible to work off-campus on a full-time basis during the summer as long as they meet the eligibility criteria for off-campus work.
- The new guidelines confirm that students who complete one program of studies and then commence a new program within 150 days from the completion of their program are eligible to work off-campus full-time until the start of their program.
For full details on all the changes to the off-campus work program for students, please see IRCC’s website.
* If a student's Study Permit was issued June 1, 2014, or later, it will likely include conditions and/or remarks that clearly state that the student is eligible to work on or off-campus if they meet the eligibility requirements. To be able to apply for a Social Insurance Number, these conditions must appear on the student's Study Permit.
If a student's Study Permit does not include a reference to their eligibility to work on or off-campus, they can submit a request for an amendment to their study permit to be able to apply for a Social Insurance Number. The Request to Amend can only be submitted by mail and there is no fee for this request. Students can check the current processing time required for the Request to Amend.
** Please note that in order to work full-time during a scheduled break, students must be full-time*** before and after the scheduled break, with the exception of their last semester.
*** Definition of "Full-time" studies:
- If you are hiring an undergraduate student: Minimum 12 credits per term (exceptions: scheduled breaks - like Reading Week & Summer - and the final term before graduation, when they are permitted to be registered part-time and still maintain their working privileges)
- If you are hiring a Non-Thesis Masters student: Minimum 12 credits per term (exceptions: Department scheduled breaks (student can ask Dept. if unsure) and the final term before graduation, when they are permitted to be registered part-time and still maintain their working privileges)
- If you are hiring a student in a Graduate Thesis program (Masters, Phd): Students are registered full-time in every academic term, including the summer, regardless of the number of credits per term. Note: thesis programs do not have any scheduled breaks.
For full details, please refer to the Immigration Canada website.
Co-op/Internship work
A student who has a mandatory co-op/internship requirement as part of their academic program must obtain a co-op/internship work permit before work begins. With a co-op/internship work permit, the student can work full time to complete the co-op internship.
A remark at the bottom of the work permit should state: "Issued under R205(C)(I); only for work forming an essential/integral part of the course as per McGill University."
A student wanting to complete an optional internship must respect the requirements for Off-Campus work (see above). The student may not use their co-op/internship work permit to complete a non-mandatory internship.
For full details, please refer to the Immigration Canada website.
Post-Graduation work
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| Who can do Post-Graduation Work: |
A McGill student who has completed a program of at least 8 months in length may be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) that can span up to 3 years. The PGWP is an open work permit allowing the student to work anywhere in Canada, in any field, for any employer(s). The student must apply for this work permit within 180 days of receiving proof of completion of their academic program. A remark at the bottom of the work permit should state: "Post Graduate Work Program". |
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Can the student work while waiting to receive their PGWP? |
YES, as long as the student applied for their PGWP before their Study Permit expired and they were continuously enrolled in full-time studies during each academic term for the duration of the program with the exception of their last term. (See IRPR Section 186(w)). |
| How can I verify whether a student has in fact graduated from McGill? | Employers, employment agencies, academic institutions and others requiring confirmation of issuance of a student's McGill University credential and graduation date must submit their request through AuraData. Details are available on the McGill Student Records website. |
For full details, please refer to the Immigration Canada website.
What if the student's Study Permit (or Work Permit) has expired?
As long as the student applied to renew their Study (or Work) permit before it expired, they are considered to have maintained status. As stated on the Immigration Canada website:
If a temporary resident applies for renewal of their work or study permit and their permit expires before a decision is made, R186(u) and R189 (the right to continue working or studying under the same conditions pending a determination of their application for renewal) apply only as long as the person remains in Canada.