Working in Canada
Working with a Study Permit
Your study permit will allow you to work up to 24 hours per week during the regular academic sessions, and full-time during academic breaks such as winter break, spring break, and summer holidays, provided you meet the following criteria:
- you have a valid study permit,
- you are a full-time student (see below)
- you are studying in a program that leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate that is at least six months in duration.
Note: You can also work remotely for an employer located outside of Canada, so long as you comply with the terms of your study permit. Such work does not count toward your 24 hours per week off-campus work limit. An example of this type of work would be translating or editing text.
If you plan to work in Canada, you will need a Social Insurance Number (see below).
For more information on working in Canada, visit the IRCC website.
For work opportunities at Regent College, check our Student Employment page.
Defining Full-Time Study
Regent College offers full-time graduate studies programs. Students on study permits are expected to take a minimum of 9 credits per term in the Fall and Winter terms, unless otherwise permitted by the Registrar’s Office due to exceptional circumstances, an internship placement, or enrollment in a final project.
Students on study permits enrolled in the ThM program are expected to take a minimum of 6 credits per term in the Fall and Winter terms or be enrolled in a final project.
Students on study permits enrolled in the MALTS program are considered full-time. However, since MALTS is a low-residency program, international students should not normally reside in Canada for the duration of the program.
Note: The information provided above applies specifically to international students who want to work while residing in Canada on a study permit. Be aware, however, that "full-time study" may be defined differently in different contexts or for different purposes. For further information, please see the Full-Time Status section of our academic catalogue.
Getting a Social Insurance Number
You need a Social Insurance Number (SIN) from Service Canada to work in Canada or to receive benefits and services from government programs.
You must have one of the following conditions or remarks printed on your study permit in order to apply for a SIN for off-campus work. When you first enter Canada, please ask the border guard to write the statement that applies to you on your study permit):
- May work 24 hrs per week off-campus or full-time during regular breaks if meeting criteria outlined in section186(v) of IRPR
- May accept employment on or off campus if meeting eligibility criteria as per R186(f), (v) or (w). Must cease working if no longer meeting these criteria.
If your study permit does not have one of the above conditions or remarks, you must submit a request for an amendment to your study permit before you can apply for a SIN. There is no fee for this request.
If your study permit has "This permit does not permit the holder to engage in off campus employment in Canada" printed on it and you have changed your program of study, you must apply to change the conditions of your study permit and pay the applicable fee.
Learn more on the Government of Canada's Social Insurance Number page.
Post-Graduate Employment
Regent College graduates are not eligible to apply for a post-graduate work permit.
