Full-time international students can apply for an Off Campus Work Permit if they have been registered full-time for at least 6 months out of the last 12 months and have maintained good academic standings. To continue to be eligible to hold an off campus work permit, you must maintain academic eligibility. However, in your final term (eg. Winter term) of studies you may be registered part-time and continue to use your Off Campus Work Permit.
You cannot apply for the Off Campus Work Permit if you are:
- participating in a Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program funded by Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)
- participating in a Government of Canada Awards Program funded by DFAIT
- receiving funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
- participating in the Equal Opportunity Scholarship Program, Canada-Chile
- participating in the Canada-China Scholars Exchanges Program
- participating in the Organization of American States Fellowships Program
- registered in either an English as a Second Language or French as a Second Language program or
- a visiting or exchange student.
You don’t need to have a job offer before applying for the Off Campus Work Permit. You cannot begin work off campus until you receive your OCWP. The Off Campus Work Permit does not guarantee you a job. It is your responsibility to find a position. If you work, it is important to remember that your studies is the main reason why you are in Canada.
What does full-time mean?
An undergraduate student Is considered full-time if they are enrolled in 9 or more credits per term (eg. Fall term). If a student has taken a 6 credit course (usually year long) it would be considered to be two 3.0 credit courses, one taken in each of the semesters.
A graduate student is considered full time if they are registered as Full-time/Active with the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
How to apply for OCWP online
- Read the ”Applying for a Work Permit- student instruction” guide carefully.
- Create a MYCIC account (if you don’t currently have one). It will ask you for a Client ID-this eight digit number is on the top right of your study permit.
- Place an “Eligibility Verification Number (EVN) Request” through MyCIC.
- Email the OCWP supplementary form to York International. Email: ocwp@yorku.ca
- Once this EVN request has been put in within 2 weeks York University will contact you to determine if you meet the eligibility requirements for the Off Campus Work Permit. If you are eligible, you will be able to log into MYCIC and proceed with your application. There is a $150 fee for the application. You will also need to scan in the marked pages in your passport (including photo page) and scan your study permit.
- Check the current processing times
If you have any questions about the Off Campus Work Permit please email ocwp@yorku.ca or attend one of the following information sessions:
Keele Sessions
Dates Time Location Wednesday, September 28, 2011 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm 280A York Lanes Monday, October 03, 2011 10:00 am – 11:00 am 280A York Lanes Thursday, October 20, 2011 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm 280A York Lanes Friday, November 04, 2011 10:00 am – 11:00 am 280A York Lanes Wednesday, November 16, 2011 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm 280A York Lanes Tuesday, November 29, 2011 11:00 am – 12:00 pm 280A York Lanes Monday, December 05, 2011 10:00 am – 11:00 am 280A York Lanes Wednesday, January 11, 2012 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm 280A York Lanes Tuesday, January 24, 2012 11:00 am – 12:00 pm 280A York Lanes Thursday, February 09, 2012 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm 280A York Lanes Wednesday, February 22, 2012 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm 280A York Lanes Wednesday, March 07, 2012 11:00 am – 12:00 pm 280A York Lanes Friday, March 23, 2012 10:00 am – 11:00 am 280A York Lanes Tuesday, April 03, 2012 10:00 am – 11:00 am 280A York Lanes
Career Centre Sessions for International Students
Dates Time Location Tuesday, January 31, 2012 Making a Great First Impression 10:00 am – 12:00 pm 103 McLaughlin College Thursday, February 02, 2012 Job Search Strategies 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm 103 McLaughlin College
Glendon Session
Dates Time Location Wednesday, February 29, 2012 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm York Hall B217
Osgoode LLP Students Session
Dates Time Location Tuesday, February 07, 2012 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm 1 Dundas St. W. (26 Floor)
Graduating International Student Seminar
Dates Time Location Thursday, February 16, 2012 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm 280N York Lanes
Surrendering your OCWP
If you are no longer a full-time student or do not maintain satisfactory academic results, you must return your work permit to a local Citizenship and Immigration Canada office. See how to surrender your OCWP for more information.
