Working Part-Time in Your Field as an International Student

April 12, 2022

Studying abroad is full of unique experiences. One way to enhance your time as an international student—and make living abroad more affordable—is working part-time. You may wish to find work related to your field of study, as this experience can make you a stronger candidate for jobs after graduation. In this blog, we’ll look at strategies for finding work in your field while studying abroad.

Here’s five ways that studying abroad can boost your career!

Understand Your Work Eligibility

Before you start applying to jobs, it’s important to understand if and where you’re eligible to work. For example, international students studying English as a Second Language or French as a Second Language courses are not eligible to work in Canada without a work permit.

The rules for working on- and off-campus are different, too. In Canada, students eligible to work on-campus may work as many hours per week as they like. You’re considered an on-campus employee if you’re employed by the institution, a faculty member, or a private contractor or business who provides services to the college or university. You can even be an on-campus worker if you’re self-employed, provided you run a business that’s located on campus.

Off-campus work is limited to 20 hours or fewer per week when classes are in session. However, you may work full-time during scheduled class breaks like summer holidays. The Government of Canada notes that international students may work off-campus in Canada without a work permit if they fulfill all of the following conditions:

They’re a full-time student at a designated learning institution.
They’re enrolled in
- A post-secondary academic, vocational, or professional training program
  or
- A secondary-level vocational training program in Quebec.
Their study program is at least 6 months long and leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate.
They’ve started studying (no working beforehand)!
They have a Social Insurance Number (SIN).

Chart Your Course

Now it’s time to think about the goals that you’d like to accomplish. All work experience will add to your resume, but some opportunities offer more than others.

Think about the place you’d like to work, too. For example, students looking for business experience can learn a lot from small businesses, while bringing current skills to their role. It’s worth noting that larger companies have more specialized roles, where smaller ones look for adaptable workers who can pivot between different tasks. Smaller companies can be more flexible, where larger organizations often have established practices.

Try This: Map out your goals on paper, or talk with a friend, student advisor, or family member to help you stay accountable to yourself.

Ready to go? Find job opportunities:

On campus and regional online job boards.
Through connecting with advisors at your institution; check out Career Support offices and International Student offices.
At virtual or in-person campus job fairs.
At companies you complete work-integrated learning requirements with.
During community, industry, or volunteer events.
Through informal connections with other students, faculty, or community members. This is known as the “hidden job market” where employers don’t post a job publicly, and rely on internal promotions or referrals from current employees to fill it. As many as one-third of all jobs are never posted publicly.

Learn strategies for graduating with a strong resume!

Build Your Soft Skills

Peter Schutz, a past CEO of Porsche, once recommended that employers “hire character; train skill.” It’s a popular saying in the North American business community, and suggests that while technical skills can be learned, what really makes an employee stand out is their character.

What does that mean for you? While it doesn’t mean that you should apply for a CEO role just because you’re a good person, it shows that soft skills you can build in any part-time job, like integrity, flexibility, and cooperation, are traits employers are looking for.

Your time as an international student is a good chance to work in different industries, and learn how the skills you’re building complement each one. For example, if you’re a computer science student working at a concert hall, and you notice their system for tracking merchandise could use an update, ask about using your coding skills to create a tracking program. This action shows empathy and creativity—skills all employers look for. Helping your early workplaces address pain points can also help you stand out when you apply to jobs directly in your field.

Some fields, like veterinary medicine or law, require certification, so it may not be possible to find related work outside of school-sanctioned internships. In situations like this, consider working in a non-certified role in those environments, and attending industry events. That way, you can build your knowledge and professional network. If you’ve been providing operations support to a vet’s office while in school, and want to work as a vet there after graduating, they already know what kind of an employee you’ll be, which can help your application.

Curious which soft skills are most in demand? Find out on our blog.

Share Your Skills

Employers understand that their employees have many interests. However, candidates whose education reflects who they are as individuals will always stand out. This can mean anything from participating in hackathons to creating a marketing plan for a local charity as a volunteer.

In fact, volunteering can be a great way to gain unpaid experience in your field. From sports to social issues, volunteering opportunities exist in every community, both on- and off-campus, ranging from one-day event support to specialized long-term roles. Plus, other volunteers can be great career connections (if you’re both volunteering your time, you both care about at least one of the same things!) Sometimes, volunteer roles can also lead to a paid role.

No two employment paths are the same, but we hope some of these strategies help you find part-time work in your field while studying abroad. Best wishes!