Comprehensive reference for international students at UBC.
Applying for a permit
Off-campus work permits
Eligible international students attending participating post-secondary institutions can apply to work off campus while studying. This permit will be issued with the same expiry date as your study permit. If your study permit will expire soon, you may wish to first extend it online and then apply for your off-campus work permit online.
After you complete your studies, you are permitted to work full-time for three months with a valid off-campus work permit. If you want to stay in Canada and work longer than three months, you should apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit.
Eligibility
To be eligible for an off-campus work permit, you must:
- Hold a valid study permit issued for six months or longer
- Be currently academically eligible and in a degree, diploma, or certificate program at UBC
- Have been academically eligible at a participating post-secondary institution for at least six out of the past 12 months (including co-op work terms)
- Have maintained satisfactory academic standing in your program of study (defined at UBC as “eligible to continue”)
You are not eligible to apply for an off-campus work permit if you:
- Are a visiting, exchange, unclassified, Continuing Studies, or Access Studies student at UBC
- Have a partial or full scholarship from:
- the Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program, funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)
- the Government of Canada Awards Program, funded by DFAIT
- the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
- Are participating in the Equal Opportunity Scholarship Program (Canada–Chile), the Canada–China Scholars Exchange Program, or an Organization of American States Fellowship program
- Are registered in a program that consists either exclusively or primarily of English or French as a second language
- Have previously held an off-campus work permit, failed to maintain your eligibility, and failed to surrender your work permit (However, if you became ineligible for the program and surrendered your work permit, you may reapply for a work permit if you meet the eligibility requirements at a later date)
Number of hours you can work
Undergraduate students with off-campus work permits who are academically eligible may work a maximum of 20 hours per week during the regular academic year (September to April) and full-time during scheduled breaks (Summer, Winter
Undergraduates who were academically eligible in the previous Term 1 and Term 2 and have an off-campus work permit are eligible to maintain their off-campus work permit during summer break and are eligible to work full-time, regardless of their summer course load. They can also apply for an off-campus work permit at this time.
Graduate students are normally considered to have an ongoing, full-time relationship with the University and therefore may work a maximum of 20 hours per week throughout the year. They may work full-time during Winter break and Reading break.
How to apply
If you are unsure of your responses, complete the application to the best of your ability, save and print the answer summary page, and meet with an International Student Advisor before submitting your final answers electronically. Bring the summary page printout to your appointment.
TIP
You may download the I. House tutorials for general instructions (1.28MB PDF), or step-by-step instructions on completing an Online MyCIC Application (2.72 MB PDF) or a Paper Application (484 KB PDF) for an off-campus work permit.
Have your passport and study permit available, and plan to spend at least an hour completing your online application.
1. If you have not already done so, Create an Access Key and applicant profile by registering with MyCIC: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/e-services/mycic.asp
*Please note that if you created a MyCIC account in the past, you probably used the old service (e-pass). As soon as you login to your MyCIC account you will be prompted to update to the new Access Key sign-in service.
2. When prompted, request that UBC provide you with an Electronic Verification Number (EVN).
3. Log out of the CIC website after you have submitted your request for verification. Your online request for verification will be processed by UBC in three to five business days. You will receive a notification from CIC in your MyCIC account once it has been processed. This message will contain an EVN and a link to the next part of the online application. If your EVN has not been issued in six business days, contact International Student Development.
4. At the end of the application, you will be asked to submit a copy of your passport, including the information and photo page and any pages that refer to your stay in Canada. Upload this information as a PDF.
5. If CIC has any questions, they will contact you at the email address or phone number on your application.If you are applying for an off-campus work permit but you also need to extend your study permit, you can apply for both documents online at the same time. Just indicate in the application that you are applying for both permits, and attach all relevant documents and fees.
Processing time and fee
Current processing times for the off-campus work permit can be found on the CIC website.
The off-campus work permit costs $150. You can either pay online with a credit card or at a local bank with a receipt form available at I. House. If you pay at a local bank, you can scan and upload the receipt as a PDF. The maximum file size for your PDF is 2MB.
