Working in Canada: challenges & opportunities

By Makhbuba Ergasheva, February 24th , 2017

Temporary Residents in Canada can they work?

Your Workplace Rights are protected

International students are Temporary Residents in Canada and Canadian laws protect International students from the risk of being exploited.

Your Canadian Employer:• must pay you for your work (including overtime, where required);• must make sure that your workplace is safe;• must give you proper break time and days off;• cannot force you to perform duties for which you were not hired or

trained;• cannot take your passport or work permit away from you; • cannot threaten to have you deported from Canada or to change

your immigration status.

Reference: IRCC web-site

Your rights & ResponsibilitiesYour Workplace Rights Your Workplace Responsibilities

• To have a written Employment Agreement signed by your Employer and You;

• Employment Agreement (Contract) must specify hours of work per week and pay rate, sick benefits, overtime work, vacations;

• To be paid on Statutory holidays, unpaid leaves, Safety in the Workplace,

• You may refuse to perform tasks due to harassment, discrimination or if your safety is at risk

• Show up to work on time, do a good job, be honest & responsible;

• Wear mandatory uniform or equipment; • Attend mandatory orientation & training;• The employer deducts Canada Pension

Plan, EI, Income Tax from your wages• Please know that “YOU HAVE NO LEGAL

RIGHT” to your job. The employer can fire you with just cause i.e. theft, dishonesty, violence

Working “Under the Table” is Illegal

• If your Employer did not ask for your Social Insurance Number (SIN) you are working illegally in Canada.

• If you are working illegally you are not PROTECTED by the Employment Standards Act of BC, or Work Safe BC .

• You & Your Employer are breaking Employment Income Tax Law.

• Consequences of such illegal work may be severe: if you have an accident on the job site, you may not have legal rights to claim compensation, even if you were working in unsafe conditions.

• Your Employer may not pay your work hours in full or may not pay you the minimum wage in BC which is $10.85 as of September 15, 2016

Reference: Working in BC, Your Legal Rights & Responsibilities (Peoples Law School)

Minimum hourly pay rate in BC

Gross annual payment in BC $38,898

Median hourly pay $15

Min.hourly pay

$10.85

Working while studying in Canada

ON or OFF campus if;

enrolled full time -9 credits, NOT an ESL student

in good academic standing GPA 2 or more

obtained a Social Insurance Number (SIN)

Can work 20 hours a week

ON or OFF campus if;enrolled part time, studies ONLINE, on Leave (Medical or other)

on probation or suspension. High School student

not eligible for PGWP

Can NOT work

If your Study Permit has authorization to work; If you are enrolled full time at VIU in Academic, Vocational or Professional training program

Students with families

• If student is enrolled full time at VIU their spouses with them in Canada are eligible for open work permit

• Student’s children under 19 year old may attend public schools without study permit and studies are free at the pre-school, primary and secondary levels

• Students themselves under the age of 19 are considered minor in British Columbia

Benefits of working legally• By obeying the laws & regulations in

Canada, You will lay solid foundation for your future

• You will qualify for PGWP if successfully graduate your program

• The legal system of Canada will protect you from the risk of being abused or exploited

• The primary intention of the student is to STUDY

• Working more than the Study Permit “work authorization” allows, is ILLEGAL

Students can legally work full time

Program Christmas Break Summer Break Study Days

Undergraduate programs (degree and 2-year diploma)

One-year Diploma programs (e.g. Post Degree Diploma in Business, Post Degree Diploma in Fisheries)

No

Certificate programs

No

Masters programs (MASLM, MBA, MCP, MEDL, MEDS)

*See note below

Masters level: The MBA Program does not have scheduled summer

breaks. MASLM, MCP, MEDL, MEDS, programs have only one

scheduled summer break during the transition to second year, if

the program started in a Fall semester.

Types of Work Permits students may need while in Canada

Students:Co-op, Internships,

Practicums

Temporary Foreign Workers

Post Graduate

Work Permits

International students maybe eligible for two types of Work Permits

Working while studying: practicums, internships, co-ops

• Only a few Programs at VIU have co-ops, practicums or internships. MBA, ECEC, Culinary Arts, Hospitality & Tourism management

• Short-term practicums, research and thesis writing do not require a Co-op Work Permit

Valid Study

Permit

If Program has

Internship, Co-op

Co-op Work

Permit is FREE

Can apply online or on Paper

Co-op WP is only

valid for Internship

The Co-op Work Permit is a Part of Your Study Permit

• Employer is listed as Vancouver Island University on your Co-op Work Permit

• It is valid only for the duration of the practicum or internship

• It is an open work permit & FREE

• Students can take an internship or practicum anywhere in Canada.

Working in Canada after graduation –Post graduate Work Permit (PGWP)To be eligible for a PGWP a student must have:

• graduated from a full-time academic, vocational or professional program which is longer than 8 months duration, at VIU

• written notification that the student has completed the program

• received a graduation letter or transcript (Bldg.255)

• a valid study permit and have complied with its conditions

• continuously studied full time (except for the final semester where part-time studies are allowed) & have been in good academic standing

• applied within 90 days of completing the program of studies

Students can work anywhere in Canada with a PGWP, it is an open work permit & granted only once in lifetime.

IMPORTANT• Upon completion of the Program of studies students must

cease any kind of work, unless they apply for PGWP

• Note: Program Completion date is not the same as Convocationdate

• As soon as the graduate applies for PGWP the student can continue their work on a FULL time basis

• Students must apply for their PGWP within 90 days of completing their program of studies on a valid Study Permit

• The Study Permit will be INVALID after 90 days of completing the program of studies

Status changed from Student to Worker

Once a student receives a PGWP, their status changes. They became a Worker & no longer eligible for VIU’s immigration or other services.

How to search for a job in Canada?

• The Canadian labor market is very competitive. You need to polish your resume as well as your skills to qualify for a job.

• Please take advantage of Career Services at VIU https://www2.viu.ca/career-services/services-for-students.asp

• Once you gain basic job search skills, you may start looking for suitable jobs and start applying through portals such as:

• Indeed https://ca.indeed.com/jobs-in-Nanaimo,-BC• Workopolis http://hiring.workopolis.com/• Jobs in not for profits Charity Village http://charityvillage.com/• BC Jobs.ca https://www.bcjobs.ca• WorkBC https://www.workbc.ca/• Employment Agencies

Immigration to Canada is a step by step process

Canadian Citizen

ImmigrantPermanent Resident

WorkerPGWP –Temporary

Resident

Student

Study Permit –Temporary

Resident

NOTE:Each step has specific eligibility requirements

Questions are guaranteed, answers aren’t