Working in Canada as a student

If you're an UCalgary student registered full-time and have a valid study permit, you may work on-campus.¹

Your study permit should state the following:

• "May accept employment on the campus of the institution at which registered in full-time studies."
• "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 those criteria."

If your study permit does NOT have one of the statements listed in the previous paragraph, you may have to apply to amend your study permit. This process is free, can't be done online, and can take up to 8-10 weeks to process. Click here for current processing times.²

There are no legal restrictions on the amount of hours you can work on-campus, as long as you remain a full-time student. You may also work more than one job. Please note that there may be union restrictions to the amount of hours you may work. Your on-campus employer can provide further details on union restrictions.

You may work for either the University of Calgary itself or for a vendor located on the physical campus. Campus includes:

• UCalgary main campus
• UCalgary downtown campus
• Portions of Foothills Hospital (ask the prospective employer if they're within UCalgary facilities)
• McMahon Stadium
• Spyhill Campus

¹NOTE: It's your responsibility to ensure you're in compliance with these regulations. If you work over the number of hours allowed, this may result in an investigation by IRCC. The University of Calgary is required to report on the enrolment status of all international students. If you're classified as full-time and you're also working full-time off campus, this may result in serious negative repercussions for you.

²NOTE: If you're an exchange student, you would be able to work off campus if you hold a study permit. Please visit the IRCC website for details.

The following student groups are not eligible to work off-campus:

• Visiting students
• Students registered in English Second Language (ESL) programs
• Students registered in general interest programs that don't lead to a degree, diploma or certificate (example: Open Studies or Continuing Education students)
• Visiting Student Researcher (VSR) 

• Updated Nov. 15, 2024: 24 hours per week during regular academic sessions (fall and winter terms) off-campus
  (note: You may hold both an off-campus position and on-campus position at that same but please remain within the working hours for each position).
• Full-time during scheduled breaks provided you remain a full-time student before and after your break. Please refer to academic dates in the academic calendar for scheduled breaks.
  • The break between terms starts at the end of term date and ends at the start date of the next term.

Note: Some Master's and ALL Master's (thesis-based) students & ALL PhD students  are enrolled full-time all year long and do not have a scheduled break in their program. As such, these students may only work 24 hours/week off-campus all year (January through December); this includes some course-based Master's students. Please confirm with your program advisor if your program has a scheduled break.

Learn if you meet the requirements: Work off campus as an international student - Canada.ca

No. Your study permit is also your student work permit.

Your study permit should state one of the following:

1. "May work 24 hours per week off-campus or full-time during regular scheduled breaks if meeting criteria outlined in section 186(v) of IRPR."
2. "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."

Only certain undergraduate programs offer these opportunities. They include the Faculty of Arts, Haskayne School of Business, Schulich School of Engineering, the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Nursing, the Faculty of Social Work and Werklund School of Education.

Most graduate programs do not have formal co-op/internship opportunities as part of their programs. As a result, most graduate students will be unable to obtain a co-op work permit. 
Please contact your Graduate Program Advisor to confirm whether your program has a formal internship component. 

Policy change: Effective April 1, 2026, post-secondary international students are no longer required to obtain a co-op work permit to participate in mandatory work-integrated learning components such as co-ops, internships, or practicums.

If you were planning to apply for a co-op work permit, you may no longer need to do so.

Who is eligible?

You can participate in a required work placement without a co-op work permit if you meet all of the following conditions:

• Your study permit allows you to work on campus
• You have a letter from your faculty confirming the placement is a required part of your program
• You hold a valid study permit (or applied to extend it before it expired)
• You are enrolled as a full-time student
• Your program is at least 6 months in length and leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate
• Your work placement accounts for 50% or less of your total program

Note: You may still be asked to provide confirmation from your faculty that the placement is mandatory for all students in your program.

What you should do next

1. Review the eligibility criteria above to confirm you qualify
2. Obtain a letter from your faculty/department confirming the placement is required for your program
3. Check whether you need a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to begin your placement

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/intern.html