Before you start: make sure you understand which type of work permit is right for you.
International Students (with valid Study Permits) who are from TRV/Entry Visa-exempt countries can now apply for their Post-Grad Work Permits at the following border crossings in Quebec (instead of online):
- Lacolle/Champlain
- St. Armand/Phillipsburg
- Stanstead
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE:
1. Log into MyCIC (or register for an account)
A - First, register or log in using a GCKey or Sign-In Partner. You can register with either one, however the GCKey is the simplest option, and the one we recommend. The Sign-In Partner option connects your CIC account to your Canadian bank account.
B - Once you've logged in - or registered - Select the TYPE of WORK PERMIT for which you want to apply.
C - The Personal Checklist Code is provided once you've completed the online questionnaire (it looks like this: QK4350881372). If you have not yet completed the questionnaire, click "Don't have a personal checklist code?".
2. Tips on Filling out the Questionnaire
You will be led through a questionnaire; the questions listed below are those that sometimes cause confusion. To help, here are some clarifications:
- What would you like to do in Canada? Work (Off-Campus, Co-op/Internship, or Post-Graduation).
- What is your country of residence? Unless you are commuting from the US, your current country of residence is Canada.
- What is your current immigration status in Canada? Student
- Do you plan to work on campus? If you indicate “YES”, you cannot apply for the Off-Campus Work Permit, the Co-op/Internship Work Permit or the Post-Graduation Work Permit. You have to indicate “NO” to gain access to these applications. Despite this yes/no answer, please note that you can legally work BOTH on- AND off-campus if you meet the eligibility requirements for both.
- Are you a full-time student at a participating Canadian post-secondary institution and want to work off-campus up to 20 hours per week? Answer “YES” if you are applying for an Off-Campus Work Permit. In addition to being able to work a maximum of 20 hours a week during the academic year (September – May), you can work full-time, anywhere in Canada, during scheduled breaks (e.g. May – August, Winter Holidays, Reading Week).
- Have you recently graduated from a participating Canadian post-secondary institution from which your study program was full-time and a minimum of eight months? Answer “YES” only if you have already completed all the requirements to graduate and are applying for a Post-Graduation Work Permit.
- Is your work an essential part of your studies (for example, a Co-Op or internship program)? Only answer “YES” if the co-op or internship is a requirement of your program (i.e. necessary in order to graduate). If it’s not required, answer “NO”. For optional summer internships, you can simply use an Off-Campus Work Permit. You cannot get a permit to do optional internships during the academic year.
- Do you need a bridge extension? For most, the answer will be “NO”. A bridge extension is a short extension to cover the 90 days after finishing your program (i.e. the time during which you need a valid Study Permit to apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit).
- Do you have a written job offer? You can indicate “NO”, as a job offer is not required to apply for an Off-Campus Work Permit, a Co-op/Internship Work Permit or a Post-Graduation Work Permit.
- What is your province of destination? Since you are studying at McGill, we recommend stating “Quebec” – even if you do intend to move upon completing your degree.
- When does your status in Canada expire? Indicate the expiry date of your current Study Permit.
- Do you have an Electronic Verification Number (EVN)? If you applied for an Off-Campus Work Permit, you will be asked whether you have an Electronic Verification Number (EVN). If you don’t have one, indicate “NO”; you will be directed to apply for one (which takes you out of the work permit application). Once your EVN is approved by McGill (generally 2-3 business days), you can sign into MyCIC once again, and complete your application.
3. Tips on Completing the Fillable PDF Form
Once you have finished the questionnaire, you will be directed to complete a pdf fillable form. Here is clarification for some of the questions that may cause confusion:
- The UCI or Client ID number is listed in the box above the expiry date of your Study Permit.
- I am applying for... Check: "A work permit with a new employer"
- When asked: What is the date of your original entry to Canada?, we recommend putting the original date of entry for when you came to start your studies in Canada.
- When CIC requests the Study Permit document number, they actually want the black number (which starts with only 1 letter) listed under the large red number on at the top right of the Study Permit.
- What type of work permit are you applying for? Your options are "Off-Campus Work Permit", "Co-op/Internship Work Permit" or "Port-Graduation Work Permit".
- If you indicate "Off-Campus Work Permit", you will be asked to provide an Electronic Verification Number (EVN). See information below.
- CIC asks for “Employer”, “Employer Address”, "Job Title" and "Brief Description of Duties"; indicate "Not Applicable" for all of these field even if you have found a job and employer. You are not required to have a job offer to apply for a Co-op, Off-Campus or Post-Graduation Work Permit.
- For "Intended Location of Employment" indicate "Montreal, QC" even if the job will be elsewhere in Canada. Indicating another city/province seems to produce a system glitch.
- “Duration of Expected Employment”: if you are applying for an Off-Campus or Co-op/Internship Work Permit, indicate the expiry date of your Study Permit. If you are applying for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, provide a 3-year period for the last question.
- Labour Market Opinion: leave blank, as you are not required to obtain one.
- You will also be required to enter past employment, otherwise you cannot validate the form. Any employment you’ve had (in Canada or abroad) can be included. If you have never been employed, simply indicate “Student” and provide the dates during which you have had this occupation.
- The electronic signature section of the form does not work; advisors across Canada have been telling students to submit the document without the signature.
- Once the fillable form completed and validated, save the document to your desktop, then upload it in the upload section. The form cannot be printed and scanned.
4. Upload required documents
- Upload your saved IMM5710 form to your application
- When asked to upload your passport, be sure to include ALL stamped/marked pages of your passport, and include any Study or Work Permit stapled into your passport (you may have to temporarily remove the staples). These should all be scanned into 1 document.
- If you are applying for a co-op/internship work permit, upload the letter provided to you by your Co-op Office at McGill in the designated area. If no designated area is provided, you can upload it in the additional documents section.
- If you were required to do a medical exam as part of your work permit application, you can upload proof of this (i.e. a receipt) in the additional documents section.
You can check how long it will take before you get your Work Permit here. Processing times vary according to volume and time of year.
WHAT IS AN ELECTRONIC VERIFICATION NUMBER (EVN)?
An EVN is issued once McGill can confirm that a student is eligible for an Off-Campus Work Permit. The EVN is required to complete the Off-Campus Work Permit application.
- Apply for an EVN through your MyCIC account (under "My Requests" on the profile page)
- A request will be sent to International Student Services (ISS) to verify your eligibility
- Within 2-3 business days, eligibility will be confirmed (if you are not eligible, you will receive an explanatory email)
- An EVN will be sent to you via a message in the My CIC message box
(Note that the "click to continue" link from this message does not work; exit the message, and return to the original online application).
COMMON PROBLEM:
In my Off-Campus Work Permit Application, there was NO opportunity to indicate that I do NOT have an EVN.
Solution A
Check the My Requests section of your profile (before entering your application). There you should find a link to "Request an EVN".
If this option does not appear, see Solution B.
Solution B
You may not have provided your Client ID number when you originally registered with MyCIC.
To correct the issue:
- Select Exit to leave your Online Application;
- Select Next question to return to the Terms and Conditions page;
- Delete the e-Application currently in progress; and
- Re-register for a new GCKey using your client ID number.
Once the enrolment is complete, you can request an EVN by clicking on the link called OCWP – Request an EVN or a Transfer of Eligibility Verification under the Make a Request section of the MyCIC Welcome page.
If you are still having problems with your CIC online application, please contact International Student Services or stop by for Drop-In Advising.
