Working in Canada During Your Studies

In terms of off-campus work authorization, it is crucial to respect the maximum number of hours per week. In short, IRCC stipulates that a student can work:

• a maximum of 20 hours per week during regular semesters*;
• full-time (unlimited hours) during regular scheduled breaks indicated in the academic calendar**

*Regular session: At ÉTS, the fall and winter semesters are considered to be regular semesters for all programs. The regulatory framework at ÉTS makes a distinction between programs with a research profile and course-based programs with respect to the summer semester. For more detailed information, consult the section below that discusses the specific characteristics of the summer semester.

**Regularly scheduled breaks: The break must be part of the ÉTS academic calendar, such as the holiday period at the end of the year, the student break week, break periods between semesters, etc.

Attention! – These hours are not transferable from week to week. For example, you are not permitted to work 30 hours during a given week because you only worked 10 hours during the previous week.

For the summer semester, it is important you familiarize yourself with the specific conditions that apply to your study program in order to avoid placing yourself in an illegal situation.

For research-based programs (M.A.Sc., PhD) 

• The summer semester is a regular term for Doctoral and Master with thesis programs. Therefore, full-time registration is mandatory, and off-campus work must be limited to 20 hours per week.
• If you do not wish to register for the summer semester, you must apply for an authorized absence from ÉTS. In such a case, you are not authorized to work on campus or off campus, as stipulated on the IRCC website under the section Authorized leave from studies.

For course-based programs (bachelor, certificate, Specialized Graduate Program (DESS), M.Eng.)

• If it is not your first semester in the program, registration for the summer semester is not mandatory although it is strongly recommended to accumulate course, internship or project credits. 
  Registration during the summer semester also allows you to finish your studies within the prescribed timeline, therefore avoiding renewing your immigration documents, while also ensuring you are registered full-time every semester.
• You may decide to register for part-time or full-time studies, or not to register at all, while still taking advantage of the authorization to work full-time, subject to certain conditions:
  1. You were registered full-time during the preceding winter semester; AND
  2. You will be studying full-time in the same program during the subsequent fall semester OR will exceptionally be studying part-time if the fall semester is your final semester.

For more information, please consult the section Full-time or part-time course load during a scheduled break on the IRCC website.

You maintain your authorization to work off campus up to 20 hours / week, even if you are studying part time during the final semester of your study program, as long as you were registered for full-time studies throughout the rest of your program.

There may be certain nuances related to your study regime at the end of your program, depending on the type of program:

• Programs with a research profile: Even if you have accumulated all of your research credits and are registered for zero (0) credits (REDAC – writing), ÉTS considers that you are studying full-time, even in the case of an extension of your program, as long as you were studying full time for all of the previous sessions of your program (mandatory according to the Regulations).
• Programs with a project profile: If you are in your final session with zero (0) credit activities (ACTIVIT) AND you were registered for full-time studies throughout the rest of your program (including summer semesters), ÉTS considers that you are studying full-time. However, if you have exceeded the normal length of your program and have extended your studies, ACTIVIT will be considered as part time.

If you wish to confirm whether you were considered full-time or part-time for a given semester, please contact the Registrar’s Office at accueilbdr@etsmtl.ca

If your final semester is a summer semester, you must limit your work to 20 hours per week, regardless of your study program, as the authorization to work full-time is conditional to also being registered for the subsequent session.

For more information, consult the Full-time students with a part-time course load in their final academic semester section of the IRCC website.

IRCC has clarified the rules governing self-employment, reiterating that it is subject to the same conditions as on- or off-campus work, depending on the physical location where the self-employment is carried out.

Considering that off-campus work is limited to 20 hours per week, it is important to document all of your hours, and it is your responsibility to do so. As indicated on the IRCC website, hours are calculated as any time you spend doing any of the following:

• Earning wages;
• Being paid wages for performing a service or selling a product;
• Collecting a commission for performing a service or selling a product.

The PGWP is an open work permit, meaning it is not associated with a specific employer and does not require a valid job offer at the time you apply.

Eligibility criteria

• Have successfully completed your program of study and have received the transcript and certificate of completion from the Registrar’s Office (request your official documents online – in French only).
• Submit your application within 180 days following confirmation of program completion
• Have maintained full-time student status for all regular semesters of your study program (some exceptions apply). If you do not meet this requirement, attach a letter of explanation as well as supporting documents.
• If you submit the application:
  • from within Canada: hold a valid study permit
  • from outside Canada: have held a study permit that has been valid over the last 180 days
• Have never been issued a PGWP following completion of another study program.
• Respect the distance learning conditions according to your situation
• Find the detailed eligibility criteria as well as the procedure to apply for the PGWP on the IRCC website.

PGWP validity

The PGWP duration varies according to the normal duration of the program and cannot exceed your passport expiry date*:

• program of 2 years or more (bachelor's degree, master's degree, doctorate): 3 years
• programs of less than 2 years (DESS, certificate): duration equivalent to the normal duration of the program (e.g., 16 months for the DESS; 12 months for the certificate)
• programs of less than 8 months: not eligible for the PGWP

*If you could not benefit from the maximum validity of the PGWP due to your passport expiry date, you could exceptionally request an extension of the PGWP with your new passport by following the IRCC instructions in this matter. In all other cases, the PGWP is not renewable and is only issued once.

Processing times and fees

Processing times may vary during the same year and depend on where you submitted your application from. Verify the current processing times on the IRCC website.

The current processing fees for the PGWP are $255, in addition to biometrics fees, if applicable.

Biometrics

If you have not provided your biometrics (fingerprints, photo) for a previous application (e.g., study permit) within the last 10 years, you will need to pay the fees and complete your biometrics as part of your work permit application. Fees are $85 per person or a maximum of $170 per family.

A few hours after submitting yourpost-graduation work permit application online, you will receive a letter instructing you to schedule an appointment at a Service Canada centre. View detailed information on biometrics.

Online from within Canada

The application is made online through your IRCC secure account. For your application to be processed within Canada, you must hold a valid study permit or be eligible for restoration of status.

1. Carefully read the instructions on the IRCC website
2. Login or create an IRCC secure account and answer the various questions
   • Answer “Yes” to the question “Have you recently graduated from a participating Canadian post-secondary institution for which your study program was full-time and a minimum of eight months?”
3. Complete the form “Application to Change Conditions or Extend Your Stay in Canada (IMM 5710)”
   • In the section “Details of intended work in Canada”, indicate PGWP and 'Not applicable' / N/A.

*Please note that in-Canada applicants with visitor status or maintained status must submit an application for a work permit “from outside Canada” – using the form IMM1295

Traveling outside of Canada

If you are awaiting approval of your PGWP and wish to travel outside the country, you must have a valid Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).

As indicated on the IRCC website, if you were authorized to work while awaiting the decision on your post-graduation work permit application, “if you leave and re-enter Canada after applying for your post-graduation work permit, you can still work full-time while you wait for a decision. Leaving and re-entering Canada does not stop you from being able to work full-time while you wait.”

Approval

If your work permit application is approved, you will receive an approval letter in your online portal. If you need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada, it will be renewed automatically. The work permit will be sent to the address you indicated in your application by mail within 6 weeks. It is thus important to make sure to include a complete address.

Online from abroad

The application can be made online through your IRCC secure account. If you are in Canada at the time of submitting this application, but must apply “from outside Canada” since you do not have a valid study permit (e.g., maintained status or visitor), you will need to ensure that you maintain a legal status in Canada during processing and until you receive the work permit, as this type of application does not confer maintained status.

Please note that if you are outside Canada upon submitting your application and during processing, you are not required to have a legal status in Canada.

If the application is approved, you will receive a work permit introduction letter for the Canadian port of entry, as well as a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).

You can only begin working full-time if you have a valid study permit allowing you to work off-campus when you apply for your PGWP, and meet the other eligibility requirements to do so. If you have maintained status, are a visitor or have lost your legal status in Canada, you must wait to receive the PGWP in order to start working.

Once the post-graduation work permit has been obtained, other administrative procedures are necessary.

• Health and hospitalization insurance:
  • RAMQ: You could be eligible for the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) for the validity period of your post-graduation work permit. Apply for or renew your health insurance card online, on the RAMQ website.
  • Desjardins: Your ÉTS insurance coverage will finish at the end of the month following completion of your program. If applicable, request a refund for the remaining months by contacting accueilbdr@etsmtl.ca
• Social insurance number: The SIN obtained during your studies will expire at the same time as your study permit. Apply for or renew your SIN from Service Canada. Find out about the procedure on their website.
• Temporary Resident Visa (TRV): IRCC does not issue a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) when you apply for a work permit from within Canada. You will need to submit a separate application for a new TRV if your current visa has expired and you wish to travel abroad.
• Tax obligations: see the tab for this purpose in the Administrative procedures section.