Work While You Study

You can work in Canada while you study at the University of Alberta as an international student, and for three years after graduation!

Getting Canadian work experience is an excellent way to build your career skills, develop language skills, make new friends, and earn some extra income. 

• Work on campus
• Work off campus
• Cooperative work programs
• Academic internships
• After you graduate

Please note: working while you study is not a sufficient way to finance your education at UAlberta and you must not rely on potential employment to meet your tuition and basic living expenses. You should ensure that you have adequate and secure funding for all four years before beginning your studies.

Work on campus

Working on campus can be very convenient, especially if you live in a student residence and have extra time between classes.

Here are just some of the great places where students work on campus:

• UAlberta offices—many hire interns, assistants, receptionists, and more
• Stores and restaurants in SUB, HUB, and CAB
• UAlberta bookstores
• UAlberta libraries
• Coffee shops

Work off campus

As a UAlberta international student, you can get help from the Off-Campus Work Program to find employment anywhere in Edmonton during the school year... and anywhere in Canada during your holidays!

Edmonton is full of great job opportunities. Here are some examples of places where past and current UAlberta international students have worked off campus:

• Companies in their field of study—interns, research assistants, coordinators, and more
• Banks—tellers, customer service representatives
• Restaurants—servers, hosts, cooks
• Stores—customer service representatives, cashiers, designers of store displays, etc.

Students must meet certain conditions to be part of the Off-Campus Work Program.

Cooperative work programs

The School of Business and the Faculty of Engineering both offer cooperative work programs that are open to international students. In a co-op program, you can get valuable work experience related directly to your field of study. When you graduate, you will already have experience in your field and valuable contacts in your industry.

Academic Internships

There are various academic programs at UAlberta that offer paid or unpaid work opportunities to give you practical experience related to your studies. 

You'll graduate knowing that you have had some real-world experience in your field, and will be ready to take on your new career!

After you graduate

Once you graduate with a degree from the University of Alberta, you are eligible to work for three years in Canada, as long as you have a post-graduation work permit. A job offer is not necessary to get a work permit.

• Working after graduation (Citizenship and Immigration Canada website)