Working in Canada

As an international student you may accept part-time employment on campus as long as you are a full-time student at FDU—Vancouver and hold a valid study permit. “On campus” is defined by Citizenship and Immigration Canada as employment facilities within the boundaries of the campus. Your employer can be the university, a private business contractor who provides services to the university or yourself (e.g., as a private tutor), or a private business or private contractor providing services to the institution on the campus. Students are not required to have a work permit to work on campus.

An international student with a valid study permit, who is pursuing full-time studies in a undergraduate or graduate program at FDU Vancouver Campus is eligible to work off campus.  Effective November 15, 2022, until the end of December 2023, international students who are in Canada and who have off-campus work authorization on their study permit will not be restricted by the 20-hour-per-week rule. Upon graduating, FDU Vancouver students are eligible to apply for a three-year post-graduate work permit.  A post-graduate work permit allows you to live and work in Canada, after graduation for up to three years.  For more information about work permits, visit the Student Services office or visit the Citizenship and Immigration website. You can also contact Jobin Mojtabavi in the Office of Student Services at jobin@fdu.edu.

You may still be required to have a work permit even if you are not getting paid for that work. “Work” is defined by Citizenship and Immigration Canada as “an activity for which wages are paid or commission is earned, or that competes directly with activities of Canadian citizens or permanent residents in the Canadian labour market.” Certain types of work may not require a work permit. An example would be volunteer work, which is usually only done by volunteers in Canada and people would not usually be paid. Before volunteering, it is a good idea to check with the FDU Student Services office to be sure.

Upon graduating, FDU Vancouver students are eligible to apply for a three-year post-graduate work permit. A post-graduate work permit allows you to live and work in Canada, after graduation for up to three years.

For more information about work permits, visit the Student Services office or visit the Citizenship and Immigration website at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-offcampus.asp.

You can also contact Jobin Mojtabavi in the Office of Student Services at jobin@fdu.edu.