Pre-Employment Preparation

Before you begin your job search, you must be aware of what is required from you as an international student in order to avoid any unnecessary challenges.

Checklist 

• You must have a valid study permit. Your study permit will indicate if you are allowed to work off campus. If so, you are allowed to work for up to 20 hours per week while your program is in session, and full-time during scheduled breaks in the academic calendar.
• You must have a Social Insurance Number. The Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a nine-digit number that you need to work in Canada or to have access to government programs and benefits. How to get a SIN as an International Student
• You must be aware of your rights under the Employment Standards Act. This guide describes the rules about minimum wage, hours of work limits, termination of employment, public holidays, pregnancy and parental leave, severance pay, vacation and more. If you have a question or would like to speak to one of the Ministry of Labour’s experts call the Employment Standards Information Centre. Service is available in multiple languages: 1-800-531-5551 (Toll-free) or 1-866-567-8893 (TTY for hearing impaired).

Labour Market Information 

Labour market information (LMI) can help international students and alumni who are looking for work while studying in Ontario in a number of ways. 

• LMI can help students and alumni identify in-demand occupations and industries. This can help students focus their job search on occupations that are more likely to have available positions.
• LMI can help students and alumni negotiate salaries and benefits. This can help students ensure that they are being paid fairly for their work.
• LMI can help students and alumni plan their career and learn more about work trends and the skills, education and training they need for jobs today, and in the future.

A great resource where international students can find labour market information in Ontario is the Government of Ontario website which has a variety of labour market information resources such as labour market exploration by region, job profile exploration, access to a career quiz and labour market reports.