As a student in Canada, making money can help you cover your expenses and become more financially independent during your studies.
Having more money also allows for more social activities and savings while also helping with tuition and other educational expenses.
Common ways for students to make money in Canada include:
- Part-time jobs
- Internships
- Side Gigs/Micro Jobs
- Applied Business Projects
- Financial Aid
Canada offers many choices, resources, and earning opportunities for students beyond just traditional jobs.
By considering your goals, network, and skill set – you can explore various options to make reasonable money while still focusing on your academics and future career.
This article will cover actionable recommendations on key ways for students in Canada to earn money.
Campus Jobs For Students in Canada
On-campus jobs provide convenient earning options for Canadian students. Common campus jobs include:
Student Office Roles
- Administrative jobs help in University office operations across faculties. Provides learning on processes.
- Technical roles like IT support assist in labs, servers management. Build digital skills.
Library Assistant Jobs
- Help with book circulation, stacks organization and admin functions. Ideal for book lovers.
Retail Jobs
- Many campus cafes, restaurants and shops need staff for sales and service. Builds customer empathy.
- Residence Reception Attendant – Provides service to visiting parents and new students.
Most campus jobs offer between 10 to 15 work hours per week. The pay ranges from $15 to $18 per hour depending on role – competitive for students in Canada.
Some key advantages of campus jobs apart from earnings include:
- Flexibility to schedule work hours according to your classes and due dates.
- Don’t need transportation to commute for work – location convenience.
- Chance to make new connections with diverse students and staff across campus.
- Develop crucial job skills from retail to research that boost future employability.
Part-time Jobs For Students in Canada
Part-time jobs with 10 to 15 hours per week commitment is an alternate option offering more variety beyond campus. Entry-level roles like:
Software Development Intern
For students with programming skills – becoming an intern technologist provides practical experience, mentorship and pay.
Content Writing Intern
With good writing abilities – Content Writer interns get to learn marketing strategies and writing disciplines earning additional income.
Retail Jobs
Due to high attrition rates, retail and food services like restaurants have frequent vacancies. Flexible scheduling works for students.
Tutoring & Babysitting
Local tutoring in subjects you excel in or babysitting gigs can provide decent pay leveraging spare time productively between classes.
Some best practices for part-time jobs while studying in Canada:
- Understand Employer Expectations: Be clear on role and time requirements during job application to avoid over-committing. Negotiate work dates around exam seasons or projects.
- Leverage Campus Recruitment Drives: Many employers specifically look to hire students for temporary jobs on campus or nearby locations. Explore virtual job fairs and career centers.
- Find Paid Internships: Design relevant education or skills training projects with potential employers for paid project stipends or enhanced learning while building network.
- Freelancing Skills: Can offer freelance tutoring, music lessons, writing services etc. depending on your abilities for earning experience. Define clear work policies and payment terms.
Financial Aid Options
Canadian universities offer diverse financial aid programs to support students through awards, grants or bursaries including:
University Scholarships
Over 80% of Canadian schools provide merit-based entrance scholarships for strong academic profiles. Maintain performance for continuation.
Government Grants
Federal and Provincial student grants given yearly to assist with tuition based on financial need and enrollment status. Check eligibility amounts.
Student Line Of Credit
Banks provide credit line of up to $15,000 per year at reasonable interest rates. Use judiciously.
Co-op Programs
Alternating paid work terms and study terms provides income source while earning course credits advancing program completion.
Student Business Projects
Many schools offer startup incubation, contests and funding programs. Explore them to work on revenue focused ventures with mentor network access.
Teaching & Research Assistantships
Some graduate and final year students can apply for salaried teaching assignments, faculty research projects for earnings boost while resume building.
External Private Scholarships
Beyond school-provided aid, many charitable trusts, employers, and diversity-focused agencies provide aid yearly for qualifying students. Research them.
Financial planning right from the university application stage with aid options analysis enables you to balance costs and available assistance for steady progress of education ambitions in Canada.
Side Hustles Ideas For Students in Canada
Side hustles leverage your skills, talents or possessions for part-time income generation through gigs. Great for entrepreneurial students given flexible schedules.
Popular Gig Economy Side Hustles for students in Canada:
1. Ride Share Driver
Companies like Uber, Lyft enable students to provide ride share services using their own cars at convenience making decent income.
2. Delivery Driver
Similar flexibility for food delivery platforms like SkipTheDishes or grocery delivery apps like Instacart using your availability.
3. Brand Ambassador/Demo Officer
Leverage people skills to promote newly launched products through in-store brand awareness campaigns and events marketing.
4. Online Reseller
Sourcing products from discount stores or online auctions to resell on platforms like Facebook Marketplace for profits tapping the recommerce wave.
5. Virtual Assistant
Provide administrative, data entry or customer service assistance to startups and teams remotely as per your schedule.
6. Social Media Marketing Consultant
If you have good grasp of platforms like Instagram, TikTok – provide content strategy, influencer partnerships guidance to brands on project basis.
7. Photographer/Videographer
Freelance photography or video production gigs available from real estate promotions to event and creative shoots leveraging hobby skills.
With some planning, testing and calculated risk appetite – side hustles allow Canadian students to expand income buckets beyond traditional jobs fitting work across other commitments flexibly.
How much international student can earn in Canada part-time?
The amount an international student can earn in Canada part-time varies significantly depending on several factors, including:
1. Hourly wage:
- The minimum wage in Canada varies by province and territory, ranging from $11.45 to $22.50 per hour. However, many student jobs and freelance work pay more than the minimum wage.
- Average hourly wages for student jobs in Canada fall between $13 and $25 per hour. Some fields like tech, finance, and healthcare can offer even higher rates, approaching $30 to $75 per hour for skilled individuals.
2. Type of job:
- On-campus jobs, such as working in the library or cafeteria, typically pay around minimum wage.
- Off-campus jobs, like retail, restaurant work, or administrative positions, may offer slightly higher wages.
- Specialized skills and experience can open doors to higher-paying gigs in tutoring, freelance work, or research assistance.
3. City and province:
- Generally, larger cities like Toronto and Vancouver have higher wages compared to smaller towns.
- Some provinces have higher minimum wages than others.
4. Hours worked:
- International students are typically allowed to work up to 20 hours per week during academic sessions and full-time during scheduled breaks. The more hours you work, the more you can earn.
5. Other factors:
- Your language skills and education level can also influence your earning potential.
- Negotiation skills can help you secure a better hourly rate.
An international student could potentially earn anywhere from several hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars per month working part-time in Canada. It depends on the factors mentioned above.
How much student can earn in Canada per month?
The average international student salary in Canada is $63,108 per year or $32.36 per hour.
Entry-level positions start at $51,742 per year, while most experienced workers make around $37,058 per year or $19 per hour.
However, the actual amount a student can earn will vary depending on their job, experience, and education level.
International students are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week during academic sessions and full-time during breaks.
The minimum wage for students in Canada is around CA$13, but the hourly pay for foreign students typically varies from $13 to $25.
Depending on their work type and expertise, international students may make as much as $30 to $75 per hour in Canada.
Some high-paying part-time jobs for international students in Canada include:
- Library attendant
- Sales executive
- Server/bartender
- Sales assistant
- Barista
- Dog walker
- Teacher
- Freelancer
- Fitness instructor
Working as a freelancer is also growing in popularity, particularly in the creative industries.
Minimum wage for international students in Canada
There is no specific minimum wage for international students in Canada.
Instead, the minimum wage applies to all workers in Canada, regardless of their immigration status or student status.
However, the minimum wage does vary depending on the province or territory where you work.
Here’s a breakdown of the minimum wage in each province and territory as of January 2024:
- Alberta: $15.64 per hour
- British Columbia: $15.20 per hour
- Manitoba: $13.50 per hour
- New Brunswick: $15.00 per hour
- Newfoundland and Labrador: $15.00 per hour
- Northwest Territories: $16.77 per hour
- Nova Scotia: $13.60 per hour
- Nunavut: $17.00 per hour
- Ontario: $15.50 per hour
- Prince Edward Island: $14.00 per hour
- Quebec: $15.55 per hour
- Saskatchewan: $13.00 per hour
- Yukon: $17.25 per hour
While the minimum wage is the legal minimum that an employer must pay, this doesn’t mean that you can’t negotiate for a higher hourly rate.
The average hourly wage for international students in Canada can range from $13 to $25 per hour, depending on the type of job, your skills and experience, and the location.
Recommendations To Make Money As A Student in Canada
To succeed in making optimal additional money as student in Canada – following tips worth considering:
1. Track Expenses
Prepare a detailed tracking of estimated tuition, rent, food, transport, social budgets to objectively estimate funding needs and gaps.
Allows planning.
2. Apply Early
Explore financial aid options ideally 6 months before admission cycle providing buffer to understand eligibility and apply with preparation.
3. Campus First
Give priority preference to convenient campus jobs before exploring off-campus roles to minimize commute time impeding studies.
4. Pick One Initially
As first timer, avoid trying to balance too many income streams together. Do one role well before diversifying.
5. Stay Legal
Verify international student work permit rules applicable across campus jobs, off-campus gigs for compliant status.
6. Let Studies Drive
Ensure roles aligned to career goals while allowing sufficient time and energy for academic progress as top priority.
Say no temporarily to nonessential work that affects grades.
7. Network Strategically
Attending campus job fairs, industry talks allows discovering openings, project opportunities to earn while elevating skills.
8. Show Initiative
Being proactive in pitching ideas or business case for funding support or paid projects increases chances of supplemental aid consideration.
Following workplace etiquette, legal compliance aspects while selectively collaborating with variety of employers aids Canadian students in discovering manageable and meaningful income opportunities.
Key Takeaways
Some key highlights for students in Canada to earn money:
- On campus jobs build connections conveniently fitting with class schedules.
- Look for paid internships elevating career skills with employers.
- Financial aid options diversity with varying eligibility – explore them thoroughly.
- Side hustles provide part-time income leveraging flexi-schedules using existing skills.
- Let academic goals guide role decisions to balance finances and progress responsibly.
Here are some resources to help you find a part-time job in Canada as an international student:
- Job boards:
- Jobs for Immigrants Canada: https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/findajob/foreign-candidates
- Work Study Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work.html
- Indeed Canada: https://www.indeed.com/q-full-time-l-california-jobs.html
- University career centers: Many universities have career centers that can help you find jobs and prepare for interviews.
- Online communities: There are online communities for international students in Canada where you can find job tips and advice.