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Off-Campus Work Permit Application

Are you eligible to apply?

  • You must have a valid study permit
  • Be currently enrolled as a full time student
  • Have been a full time student for at least six of the 12 months preceding your work permit application
  • Be in good academic standing (undergraduate students must have a minimum 2.0 GPA, graduate students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA)

You will need to have the following:

  • Your passport
  • Digital Photo- You will be asked to upload a digital photo of yourself. Make sure your photo meets the following criteria:
    • Show a full front view of the person’s head and shoulders showing full face centered in the middle of the photograph
    • Be a color photo with a plain white background
    • The image must be 240 (kB kilobytes), no less than 60 kB (kilobytes)
    • If an existing photo is being scanned, the minimum resolution must be 600 pixels per inch
    • The file may be submitted in JPEG or JPEG2000 format
  • A credit card. Please note: the ONLY payment method accepted for online applications is a credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express or gift credit cards that can be purchased at stores such as Wal-Mart, Superstore or Shopper’s Dug Mart.  The fee for an Off-Campus Work Permit is: $150.00
  • An Electronic Verification Number (EVN). Follow steps 7 and 8 below.

Get your Personal Checklist Code

Step 1:  Click HERE to go to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website.

Step 2:  Click “Apply Online”

Step 3:  Select the application you are applying for from the drop down list, then click GO.

Step 4:  Under the Temporary Residence heading, follow Step 1 and determine if you are eligible to apply. You will need about 10-15 minutes to complete the questionnaire. If you are eligible to apply online, you will receive a Personal Checklist Code to retrieve the list of documents you need to submit with your online application.  Use the answer guide found HERE to help you answer the questionnaire.

Step 5:  Write down your Personal Checklist Code. (It looks like this: QK4350881372) It will be valid for 60 days.

Step 6:  Print out and follow the instructions provided.

Make sure you have gathered the required documents to be scanned.

Request an Electronic Verification Number

Step 7:  Click HERE  to register or log in. You can register or login using either a GCKey or Sign-In Partner.

Step 8:  Once you are logged into MyCIC, you can request an Electronic Verification Number by clicking on the link called "OCWP - Request and EVN or Transfer of Eligibility Verification". You will find this link under the "Make a Request" section of the MyCIC Welcome Page.

When you complete this step, an email requesting verification of your student status is sent to the International Student Advisor’s Office here at UNB. UNB’s International Student Resource Coordinator will verify that you are a registered full-time student, have been full-time for at least six months, and are in good academic standing (undergraduates must have a minimum 2.0 GPA, graduate students must have a minimum 3.0) Within three days, you will receive a message on your email account to let you know that UNB has verified your status. Or check your MyCIC account for an update. Please note: When you get a message with your EVN please write the number down. The link "click to continue" does not work.

Complete the Application Form

Step 9:   Log in again to your MyCIC account and select “Apply Online” to continue. Enter your Personal Checklist Code.

Once you have entered your personal checklist code, you will be guided through the following steps to complete your application.    

  • Upload your documents
  • Review your application
  • Pay with a credit card
  • Submit your application

Please note:  If you decide to exit at any point, all responses submitted until that point will be saved for 60 days. The next time you access your MyCIC account page and click on the application you have in process.

Helpful Hints for Off-Campus Work Permit Application

  •  Ensure that your study permit is still valid. Your off-campus permit will not be issued any longer than your study permit. For example, if your study permit expired in six months, you will only receive a six month off-campus work permit.
  • The UCI is your Client ID, an eight digit number listed in the box above the expiry date of your Study Permit. Write it without spaces or hyphen.
  • “I am applying for one or more of the following,” select “A work permit with a new employer.”
  • “Current country of residence” we recommend you indicate “from” the date when you started your program of studies in Canada and “to” the expiry date on your current study permit.
  • Study Permit document number, write the black number that starts with only 1 letter listed under the large red number on at the top right of the Study Permit.
  • Indicate you are applying for: an "Off-Campus Work Permit", you will then have to enter the Electronic Verification Number (EVN) that you have been provided.
  • "Details of prospective employer", “Employer”, “Employer Address”, "Job Title" and "Brief Description of Duties" fields write the To Be Determined; unless you already have employment details.
  • Please note you are not required to have a job offer to apply for an Off-Campus Work Permit.
  • "Duration of Employment": select the current date as the start date.  The expiry date is the expiry date on your current study permit.
  • "Labour Market Opinion": leave this blank, as you are not required to obtain one.
  • "Have you had any post-secondary education?"  Answer: yes – you are required to include your highest level of post-secondary education, indicate your current program at UNB.
  • "Employment", indicate: Student.  "Current Activity/Occupation”, include: the details for your current program.
  • Do not sign or date the signature section of the application.
  • Once you have completed your application, make sure you validate the form by clicking on the “validate” button.
  • Save the application to be uploaded on your online application.
  • Please note you cannot print and scan the application form.

Processing Times

Check the off-campus work permit application processing times online at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/temp.asp

Important:

  • A computer, scanner, and personal assistance is available for you at the International Student Advisor’s Office—Call or email for an appointment.
  • If you have questions, or change your address, before you receive your Work Permit, call: 1-888-242-2100 When you hear the recordings select the following options to speak to an agent: 1 1 1 0

Maintaining Eligibility

In order to keep your off-campus work permit, you must:

  • Remain a full-time student
  • Continue being in good academic standing

If either of these two things change, you must return your work permit immediately to a local CIC office. It is illegal for you to work in Canada with an invalid work permit.  If you return your work permit to a local CIC office because you have become ineligible for the program for any of the reasons mentioned above, you may reapply to the program at a later date when you become eligible again.  If you do not return your work permit to a local CIC office, you will be found to be non-compliant. This could have a negative impact on your current stay in Canada, and any applications you make in the future.