Working on-campus

IRCC Co-op work permit update

Read the latest announcement for students participating in a Co-op, practicum, or internship.

What is considered “on-campus” work?

On-campus employment is defined as employment within the boundaries of the campus or in facilities owned, operated, or affiliated with UBC. For example, your employer may be the University, a student organization, or a private contractor operating within the boundaries of the campus.

Your employer can be:

• The University of British Columbia
• A UBC student organization
• A UBC faculty member
• A private business or a private contractor that provides on-campus services which operate within the boundaries of the campus. 

On-campus work can also include university-related work at facilities which may be located off-campus but have a formal association or affiliation with UBC, such as teaching hospitals, clinics, and research institutes. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), you must be working as a teaching or research assistant and your work must be related to a research grant. See the IRCC webpage on Work on-campus for further details.

You can only work at the campus where you are studying full-time or at a campus within the same municipality. For example, if you are enrolled full-time at UBC’s Okanagan Campus, you cannot work at the Vancouver campus with your on-campus work authorization. 

Make sure you’re eligible to work on-campus

In most cases, you may work on-campus starting the first day of the term you begin at UBC, if you:

• Are a full-time student at UBC.
• Hold a valid study permit.
• Have obtained a Social Insurance Number (SIN).

You may also want to consider the following:

• If you plan to work in jobs that require a medical exam, such as working with children or in health care settings, you must have taken a medical exam and have the right conditions on your study permit before starting your position.
• If work is required for your program, review information about the Co-op and Student Work Placements page so you understand what is considered a Co-op or a student work placement and what steps you may need to take.
• If you are doing volunteer or unpaid work, this might still be considered work in Canada and you must be eligible to work on-campus.
• If you are enrolled in a UBC graduate program , you must be enrolled full-time in the summer session to be eligible to work on or off campus.
• You aren’t allowed to work in jobs at risk of exploitation.

Non-degree seeking students, such as Visiting International Research Students (VIRS), exchange students, visiting students, and unclassified students are eligible to work on campus if meeting the above requirements, but cannot work off-campus. Furthermore, you are not eligible to work during scheduled breaks.

Taking courses during a scheduled break, such as undergraduate students taking summer session courses, does not impact your ability to work if you are a full time student in the term before the summer and will be enrolled full time in the term after the summer.

How many hours can you work on-campus per week?

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) does not limit the number of hours students are permitted to work on-campus. However, some UBC employers may restrict the hours students can work.

You can work unlimited hours on campus during regular academic terms.

You can work unlimited hours on campus during your program’s scheduled breaks if you’re enrolled full-time in the academic terms immediately before and after your scheduled break. For example, if you are enrolled full-time in Winter Term 1 and will enrol full-time in the following Winter Term 2, you can work unlimited hours on campus during the winter break. If you are not full-time in the terms before or after your scheduled break, you cannot work during the scheduled break.

You are permitted to work full-time on or off campus during a scheduled break for a total of 180 days per calendar year, but not more than 150 consecutive days.

You cannot work full-time on campus during a scheduled break for more than 150 consecutive days, and cannot exceed a total of 180 days per calendar year.

If you are completing your program at UBC, be sure to visit the off-campus work page for additional requirements to maintain your eligibility to work in Canada.

When can I start working? 

You cannot start working until you’ve begun full-time studies at UBC—starting from the first day of the term in which you are enrolled, according to the Academic Calendar—and meet the above requirements.

When must I stop working?

You must stop working immediately if you no longer meet the above requirements. For example, do not continue working if your study permit expires and you did not apply to extend it.

If you are no longer enrolled full-time and/or take time away from your studies, you are not allowed to work and cannot work during the scheduled breaks before or after your break. Learn about taking time away from studies.

If you are an undergraduate student and withdraw from courses (leading to a part-time course load), you must stop working right away, and cannot work during the scheduled breaks before or after you are enrolled part-time. Learn how your enrolment impacts immigration.

If you are in your final term

If you are an undergraduate student and have fewer than 9 credits in your final term to finish your program requirements, you are considered full-time for immigration purposes and can work.

If you are in your final term, regardless of when the final term occurs, you may continue to work on campus until your Letter of Completion becomes available.

After you have finished your last program requirement, be sure to check Workday every day if your Letter of Completion has become available. Starting from the day after your Letter of Completion becomes available, you must stop working until you meet additional requirements to resume working, such as one of the following:

• You apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit and meet the requirements to work after submitting your application. 
• You have received a letter of acceptance for another program and meet the requirements to work up to 150 days between programs.

Contact International Student Advising to discuss your options if you have not received your letter of acceptance for your next program yet, or if you have more than 150 days between programs.

Benefits of working on-campus

By working on-campus, you can expand your social and professional networks, be more involved in the campus community and enhance your learning through work experiences in an academic setting. A portion of international undergraduate student tuition fees goes towards subsidizing on-campus work opportunities for eligible international students through Work Study.

If you plan to work off-campus

If you are also eligible to work off-campus, you can work off-campus at the same time as working on-campus.

If you plan to work on-campus during your co-op or internship

As of April 1, 2026, you do not need a work permit for required student work placements, such as a UBC Co-op, internship, or practicum, provided you meet the eligibility requirements. 

While a work permit is no longer required, you still need to be admitted into a Co-op program or registered in a formal required practicum term, work-integrated learning course, or similar program-required student work placement course or term. Visit Co-op or student work placements to learn more.

You may work unlimited hours on-campus in addition to your Co-op or student work placement if you meet the eligibility requirements.

UBC job opportunities

• Work Study
  Build work experience through a part-time, on campus job.
• Student & Alumni Job Board
  Browse and apply for work or volunteer positions on UBC’s student and alumni focused job board.

If you have questions

You can connect with International Student Advising for questions related to immigration, health insurance, and life as an international student in Canada.

The information on this page may change

The immigration information on this page has been reviewed and endorsed by Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) or Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) in compliance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations. However, this is not a legal document and information may change without notice. Always refer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the most up-to-date information.