How to get a job while studying in Canada? Are the student's family members eligible to work? Is it possible to remain legally working in Canada after completing my education? These are very important questions that almost every student planning to study in Canada tries to find answers to. Let's try and figure out these issues?
A large number of foreign students seek to study in Canada, as it turns out, not only because of the high quality of education, but also because of the opportunity to legally work not only during their studies, but, importantly, after completing their studies in Canada. So.
While studying, a foreign student has the right to work
From the first day of school:
No more than 20 hours a week during school hours and a full working week during vacations, and the student does not need a Study Permit. This right does not apply to foreign students of language schools, students of Canadian secondary schools, or certain other educational programs and educational institutions.
After completing their studies in Canada, a foreign student has the right under the Post Graduation Work Permit Program to legally work from 8 months to 3 years.
The duration of the work permit is calculated according to the following rules:
If a student studied in Canada from 8 months to 2 years, then a work permit is issued for a period not exceeding the duration of the study program.
- If the training program lasted more than 2 years, a work permit is issued for a period of 3 years.
This right does not apply to foreign students who are graduates of language schools, Canadian high schools, or certain other educational programs.
It is the right of an international student to remain legally working in Canada, but the success of his employment depends on him. Educational institutions usually teach their students how to write a resume correctly, give advice on how to properly look for a job in Canada, how to behave during an interview in order to leave a favorable impression, but the final success in finding a job depends only on the student himself, on how much he he followed the advice given to him accurately, how correctly he compiled his resume, and, finally, most importantly, how deep the knowledge he acquired during his studies.
It should also be noted that the employment rate of students educated in Canada is very high. Some educational institutions are rightly proud that the employment rate of their graduates in the first six months after graduation approaches 100% year after year.
Work permit for spouses of foreign students.
Spouses of foreign students who came to study in Canada with a Study Permit may apply for a work permit for the duration of the student spouse’s studies, but not longer than the validity period of his Study Permit.
Spouses of foreign students studying in Canada without a Study Permit cannot apply for a work permit.
The right to apply for a work permit does not apply to spouses of students at some educational institutions, for example, language schools.
Preparing to obtain a work permit (Post-Graduate Work Permit)
You should start preparing to extend your visa or obtain a new status as early as possible. Your employment status, educational level, profession and location in Canada will be the deciding factors that will determine how successful your application will be. First, you should apply for a work permit after graduation (Post-Graduate Work Permit). This must be done promptly; documents for applying for this permit are accepted for consideration within 3 months after graduation.
This status can be applied for by students from abroad who have successfully completed a study program in Canada. The period of such permission usually corresponds to the time spent on the study program, but cannot exceed 3 years. To be able to obtain a temporary work permit in Canada, you need to study in the country for a program that lasts at least 8 months (this allows many students who have completed advanced training programs to obtain a work permit).
The next step towards a residence permit is to obtain the status of an experienced worker (Canadian Experience Class)
Once you have worked in Canada for a total of one year, you are eligible to claim experienced worker status (but only if you do not live in Quebec). The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program is designed specifically for workers who have extensive experience in their professional field and speak English or French at a high enough level to communicate in it at work.
To apply for this permit, you do not need to have a job offer, but you can submit your application while already employed in Canada. CEC status has traditionally been the next step for international students who have gained work experience in Canada after graduation and now want to put down roots in the country more deeply. Applications for this status are accepted through the Express Entry system.
Another way to obtain a residence permit is to find your calling in one of the Canadian provinces (Provincial Nominee Programs)
Canadian provinces are constantly in need of experienced workers in a wide variety of fields, and often turn to international students to fill empty vacancies. Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) operate in all Canadian provinces, and they all have different requirements for candidates. Most often, you will need to live in the province for some time to be able to participate in the program, so many international students choose this route if they want to continue working in the same region in which they studied.
So, let's continue talking about professional adaptation in immigration using the example of how I looked for a job in Canada. My first paid job. Because a year after my arrival, I already had three volunteer unpaid work experiences. And an urgent need for money :)
In the previous episodes of the eighth series about the professional adaptation of immigrants, I talked about the fact that, having encountered serious difficulties on the way to obtaining a Canadian psychologist license, I decided to turn my career slightly to the side and went to free career counseling courses Bridge-to-HR.
I have changed professions so many times in my life that this change did not frighten or stress me at all. I was sure that everything would work out.
Bridge Program I found it quite interesting and, of course, was the cornerstone on my path to success.
As I already mentioned, it consists of four main parts:
- Seminars on writing resumes and cover letters, job searching and interviewing.
- Studying in college in a specialty.
- Internship in your specialty (work for nothing, in other words 🙂)
- Mentor program. You are assigned a mentor who teaches you the intricacies of job search, introduces you to the right people and tells you how and where best to look for a job.
I completed all four stages in about a year.
The benefits of the program were enormous.
How Bridge Program helped me find a job in Canada :
1. I learned to write a resume from scratch (even minus one, perhaps, since I somehow managed to live until I was 45 without one), and so well that now I teach others.
2.I received 4 free college courses in HR Management, which saved me a lot of money.
3. Thanks to the internship, I worked in a Canadian organization and strengthened my confidence in my abilities, I realized that I can do this. And the line on the resume is Canadian experience.
So, I highly recommend that anyone coming to Canada go for these programs, they exist for different professions.
While that's the point, I sent out my resume.
Oh, this is hard work, I have to tell you.
Finding a job in Canada is not easy
Here in Canada they say: “Looking for a job is a full-time job”. With my experience I would add: with constant overtime.
This is what the correct resume mailing looks like if you want to quickly get a good job in Canada:
- Carefully read the position description.
- You go to the employer’s website, look at the main points, who they are, what they do.
- You rework your resume template to suit the position, change the wording somewhere, shift the emphasis in the right direction. Add keywords from the description. You remove what is unnecessary.
- You redo your cover letter in the same way. It is advisable to reflect your knowledge of the company and understanding of how exactly you will be useful to it. It’s not they for you, but you for them - that’s important.
- Strictly following the employer's instructions, you submit your resume for the position. Often, in addition to sending the actual resume, this requires filling out online forms, and sometimes this takes a very long time.
This is a long, tedious, and most importantly, boring process.
It’s good if it takes an hour to complete one position. It often took me more. But, even if it’s an hour, you can send out 8-9 resumes in a day, and that meant working without lunch or distractions for other things. This rarely happened to me. Usually 3-5. And not every day.
And in general, I admit honestly - I was a lot lazy here and didn’t send out enough. Because I didn’t like this process, it didn’t turn me on and didn’t bring me pleasure. I forced myself.
I probably would have worked more and found a job earlier.
Motivation also dropped because there was no response to the resumes sent out. Well, or almost none.
My first interview happened in mid-May 2014, and I started active mailing in January. That is, almost 5 months have passed. Naturally, I failed this first interview. She was shaking like a wagtail.
And while I was struggling with sending out my resume, another internship came my way
York Region City Hall where I did my HR internship in the summer of 2014
Canada has a social assistance system. It consists of many components. I will write a long article about it separately. The topic deserves it.
The main component is poverty benefit, or Welfare. If you don't have a job or your own home, you can ask for help from the state. That’s what we did when the money we brought from Kazakhstan ran out.
In addition to paying you benefits and health insurance, the state is trying in every possible way to get you a job so that you can get off its neck. Which, in general, is understandable. There are many who want to sit on this neck.
As part of these attempts to get me off my back, I was asked to strengthen my competitiveness in the labor market by working in the HR department of the municipality of the district where I lived. It’s like our regional akimat or regional government, to make it clearer.
Lord, how they received me there! As an HR industry star on tour, no less! I’ve never heard so many compliments on my cognitive abilities per unit of time before and, I’m afraid, I never will again :)
In general, it should be noted that the people in Canada are simply wonderful
They support, praise, help. I haven’t met any other attitude in three and a half years. I’ll definitely write about the meeting. I’ll even create a separate section for this: “The obvious is the incredible.”
This internship was very interesting.
I was assigned to an employee who at that time was developing a strategic plan for the development of human capital. And there was something to develop - more than 2,500 workers, and more than one million people in the vast territory that this municipality serves.
We formulated the organization’s values and ZUNs, which were then to be tested during hiring in order to make fewer recruiting mistakes and hire the right people for the organization.
It was very exciting. The work allowed me to get acquainted with the structure of the organization, the hiring process, better understand the internal HR “kitchen”, and at the same time train my strategic thinking.
I worked two days a week, the contract was for six months. I continued to submit my resume.
Meanwhile, my husband found a job. He completed a course for heavy truck drivers, passed everything on the first try, received a license, and was hired by a Russian company. “Russian” I mean Canadian companies whose owners and top managers are compatriots from the former USSR, and in which mostly employees communicate in Russian, with a few exceptions.
There are many such companies in the Greater Toronto Area.
And when you don’t know the language well yet, then the road is right there
In theory, such companies should be a “transshipment point” for immigrants. Everyone needs money, so people try to get a job as quickly as possible, reasoning that they will learn the language along the way.
But there is a cunning trap here. If your job feeds you well, but there is almost no energy and time left to learn the language (after all, your language does not develop at work when everything is in Russian), then many people get stuck in such companies for a long time. Some even for life.
Here, of course, one can argue until they are hoarse whether it is their choice or not. Usually such people say that they had no choice - they had to feed their family. And this is true, but not the whole truth.
The other part of the truth is that they had no motivation to go further. Otherwise, we would have found the strength and time.
During that first year, I also constantly wanted to become a cashier at a supermarket. Drink the immigrant cup to the bottom, so to speak. As befits Russian intellectuals.
In Canada it's called survival job, work for survival.
But some kind of internal protest and intuitive feeling of imminent success stopped me from this step. And it’s right that I didn’t go. Then there would be no time left to look for a job. And self-esteem would drop below the baseboard.
And my intuition once again did not let me down
So, this is what I think about working for survival.
- You need to resist to the last and go for it only as a last resort. It’s better to go on welfare and cut down on expenses. In the short term, this is, of course, a big minus in everything, but then it will be good when you find a job in your specialty or something similar, but in any case, more decent and status.
- If you were forced to agree to it, then this is also not a death sentence. We need to make a realistic step-by-step plan on how to get off it now. I emphasize – realistic! And implement it step by step.
Well, okay, I digressed from the main line of my story.
A very interesting story happened when I got a job.
I received two invitations for an interview in a row. They called right on the same day. And this was after a rather long break; I didn’t go to interviews for two or three months.
In general, it turned out so strange for me with invitations to interviews. They always walked in pairs.
Some people called, a couple of days later others called. When this happened two times in a row (that is, 4 interviews took place in this way), and they called me with an invitation to the fifth, I already knew that they would soon call me for the sixth. And sure enough, they called the same day after lunch :)
The interviews were scheduled on two different days, one after the other. I had a couple of days to prepare, but somehow I wasn’t very eager to prepare. Apparently, this was just a period of reduced motivation after long failures.
The first interview was for a 6 month contract position in college. I passed it incredibly poorly. Just out of hand!
Having prepared poorly, I was terribly nervous, tried to pretend to be something, in general, I made all the possible mistakes of an applicant.
I came home and burst into tears simply from despair. I knew right away that the interview was unsuccessful; I didn’t even have to wait for the letter that is usually sent to unsuccessful candidates.
And tomorrow is another interview. And somehow I was so angry with myself for my stupidity and for these stupid mistakes that something in me, apparently, clicked at that moment, and everything fell into place in my brain. I didn’t really prepare that evening either, I just had an internal dialogue with myself, sorting out all the mistakes of today’s interview and thinking about other, more effective strategies of behavior and the structure of answers.
And the next day I went to “surrender” to where they eventually took me.
I had a great interview
I didn’t show off, I wasn’t very nervous, by the way. And the interviewers were very pleasant and supportive (unlike yesterday). I felt much better after this interview, although the result was, of course, unknown to me.
During the interview you need to be moderately relaxed and moderately focused..
I wrote about this a few days ago in my article about).
The first call I received was the next day, they asked me to send recommendations.
And another three to four days of waiting for the final decision. By the way, the recommendations were checked very carefully; they even wrote to my former director in Astana. We weren’t too lazy and found a translator.
By the way, the translation was done by our employee, a Chinese woman who once worked as a translator from Russian. We then developed a very warm relationship with her. She always took the chance to talk to me in Russian, complaining that without practice the language is forgotten.
And here all my free internships, and even volunteer work, worked as they should. They called all my Canadian employers, and they gave simply excellent references to my humble person.
Hence the conclusion - take advantage of every opportunity to gain real work experience in a new country. Volunteer and look for all available internships. All this will then work for your success.
And on October 27, 2014 I went to work in Canada
A year and 3 months after moving!
This is record fast. Especially for an industry as competitive as HR.
Well, aren't I great? Well done, of course!
My job search experience confirmed such a simple truth that in order to achieve success, you need to do what you have to do step by step, persistently.
Accept periods of despair and slumps in activity, wait them out, gaining strength and energy, and pick up again from where you left off. And so on until the result.
There's no other way
True, it is important to periodically check the correctness of the chosen course and direction of action. Because priorities may change, new information and opportunities may appear, and who knows what else.
Systematic, meaningful actions in the right direction, given basic conditions, will always lead to success. Don't go to grandma's.
Self-tested
In the next series, I will talk about how I adapted to a new place of work and about the difference in corporate cultures in the post-Soviet space and in Canada.
My adaptation is especially interesting because before this I had not worked in the office for my uncle for more than 20 years, but exclusively for myself, my beloved. And to be honest, I was afraid that working a 9 to 5 job would be too much of a challenge for me.
Whether it was true or not, you will find out in the next episodes of my immigration saga.
Many people dream of building a career in Canada. This country truly offers great opportunities for young and ambitious people. But can foreigners count on a good position here? How to stay and find a job in Canada after graduation?
Work in Canada and the job market
The Canadian job market is quite large. The country has developed traditional sectors such as transport, banking and tourism. In addition, Canada has many job opportunities in the most developed sectors, including the oil and gas industry, software development, animation and animation, information technology and the service sector.
Employment of graduates
Foreign graduates of Canadian universities can find work in Canada after graduation. To do this, you must obtain a Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). This document allows you to stay in the country for a maximum of 3 years after graduation.
The validity period of a work permit depends on the number of years the student has studied in Canada. Thus, the longer you studied at university, the longer you can stay in the country after graduation. A work permit gives a graduate the opportunity to calmly find a suitable vacancy, find a job and gain the necessary work experience. Once your PGWP expires, you can apply for a Canadian work visa.
How to find a job in Canada?
Canada has an unusually developed system for searching for vacancies via the Internet. The most popular site that helps with employment is Job Bank.
Other popular Canadian job sites:
On these sites you can find a suitable vacancy and also leave your resume. Those interested can use more traditional methods to find work, such as advertisements in local newspapers and magazines. Many universities in Canada also have Career Centers that provide support to their students in finding vacancies and finding employment.
A good resume and work experience usually help graduates successfully find a job. You can gain the necessary experience by completing a work internship while studying at a university. You can find internship opportunities in Canada on the AIESEC website.
To gain experience in a specific field, you can find large Canadian companies active in that field and learn about the opportunities they offer for young professionals. In Canada, there is also a volunteer center Volunteer Canada, on the website of which you can find places to gain work experience.
Opportunities for immigrants
As you know, Canada values immigrants, as well as the talents and knowledge with which they come to the country. In Canada, there are many services to support foreigners. So, on the CIC website you can find out more about opportunities for immigrants in any region of Canada.
In addition, on the portal you will find a lot of useful information on how to find a job in Canada, write a resume correctly and prove yourself to an employer.
EDUSTEPSForeign students who have completed their higher education in Canada can obtain a work permit after graduating from a Canadian university. It is issued for a period of 1 to 3 years. The duration depends on the duration of training. What do you need to do to get a Post Graduation Work Permit?
Ukrainian students who choose higher education in Canada set themselves 2 important goals:
Get a prestigious diploma that is in demand by employers
Gain work experience in a Canadian company
Today, Canada provides the best opportunities for professional development for students and graduates. Since 2014, the Government of Canada has introduced new rules for international students. According to these rules, students who are admitted to accredited universities and colleges receive: a student visa and a work permit during their studies, a work permit after graduation.
How it works?
The goal of your studies in Canada is not only a prestigious diploma. First of all, it is an opportunity to gain practical experience. In simple words - employment in your specialty. Canada allows foreign students and graduates of Canadian universities and colleges to remain employed. You just need to get special permission. It's called Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
Why is Post Graduation Work Permit needed?
Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is a work permit for graduates of universities and colleges in Canada. It is issued for a period of 1 to 3 years. With this document, you do not need to look for an employer and apply for a work permit. The Canadian government gives you the opportunity - time to search and work.
Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is useful for those students who want to gain work experience in Canada. It is needed in order to subsequently obtain a residence permit/residence permit in Canada. We encourage you to carefully review the information on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website.
Canada is a country of immigration. It's no secret that many international students who study in Canada want to immigrate to this country in the future. Higher education provides such an opportunity. According to immigration rules, it gives the necessary points - advantages. Work experience also helps score for Express Entry. Canada is only interested in skilled immigration.
Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) provides the work experience that is needed for further registration of a residence permit in Canada and immigration.
For what period can I obtain a work permit?
A work permit is issued for 1, 2 or 3 years. The basic rule is that the duration of the permit is equal to the length of your training program.
Here are some examples:
Post Diploma Programs (1 year of study) - PGWP is issued for 8 months or 1 year
Certificates (8 months) - PGWP is issued for 8 months
Diploma (2 years) - PGWP is issued for 2 years
The maximum duration of a work permit is 3 years. It is important not to procrastinate with the training program. It must last at least 8 months.
What you need to consider to get PGWP
Detailed information on the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) website
Duration of training is at least 8 months
Residential training - full-time
Apply for permission no later than 90 days before the end of Study Permit
You must successfully complete the training program
Valid student visa at the time of application
Please note that not all educational institutions in Canada provide the opportunity for graduates to obtain a work permit. There are the following requirements for universities and colleges:
State college, university, vocational college or CEGEP (for the province of Quebec);
A private university that operates according to the same rules as public educational institutions;
Private educational institutions in the province of Quebec that offer training in programs with an academic load of 900 hours and lead to a diploma - diplôme d'études professionnelles (DEP) or attestation de spécialization professionnelle (ASP);
Canadian private educational institutions that are governed by provincial statute;
Contact an EduSteps specialist:
+38 044 333 60 04, [email protected]
There is an opinion among students that they can complete a minimum duration program and obtain a work permit for a fairly long period, over 3 years. In fact, this is a false belief, since the Canadian government has established a rule that a student can obtain a work permit, which in no case should be longer than the period of study.
If the official duration of the training program is:
Less than 8 months – you are not eligible to obtain a work permit;
Less than two years, but more than 8 months - the duration of the permit will correspond to the duration of your program (for example, a program lasts 9 months and the permit will be issued for 9 months);
Two years or longer – a work permit can be issued for no longer than three years;
Who is not eligible to apply for and receive a work permit:
Students who study in programs lasting up to 8 months;
Students participating in the Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program, which is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD);
Students participating in the Government of Canada Awards Program who are funded by DFATD;
Students who are funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA);
Students who participate in the Equal Opportunity Scholarship program, Canada-Chile;
Students participating in the Canada-China Scholars Exchanges Program;
Students participating in the Organization of American States Fellowships Program;
Students, participants in a distance learning program;
Students who previously had a work permit after completing an academic program;
CONCLUSION
Students may remain to work in Canada after completing their studies at a Canadian college or university. It is important to consider the length of the training program. We also advise you to be responsible when choosing an educational institution. You should remember that the length of your work permit will be influenced by: the type of institution, the accreditation of the college or university, the length of the program, and the type of program.
Detailed information about visas for foreign students can be found on the website.