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    How an Indian Student Can Balance Their Study and Work in Canada
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    • How an Indian Student Can Balance Their Study and Work in Canada

    How an Indian Student Can Balance Their Study and Work in Canada

    Team Careers360Updated on 27 Apr 2026, 06:20 PM IST

    The students' studies and part-time work in Canada have changed since IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) removed the co-op work permit. In addition, students’ work-life balance has also become an issue, as most students struggle to balance their part-time work with college time. Students need to ensure they take care of their mental health and work-life balance to continue their course time without any interruption.

    How an Indian Student Can Balance Their Study and Work in Canada
    how-an-indian-student-can-balance-their-study-and-work-in-canada

    The Imbalance between Studies and Work in Canada

    Many Indian students across Canada are struggling to balance their studies and part-time jobs. This has become a severe inconvenience for students who couldn’t find any time after their college and part-time jobs. Students are taking on part-time jobs to cover their living costs and tuition fees, but this leaves no time for their personal lives as they need to complete shifts and attend daytime classes.

    For this reason, students are working and studying uninterrupted, and this has become an inseparable loop. Students working extensive hours while attending college during the daytime may experience exhaustion. So, students planning to study abroad need to acknowledge this issue prior to joining any course.

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    Job market in Canada for International Students

    Many international students are actively looking for part-time jobs to cover their living costs and tuition fees. Moreover, it has become necessary for all international students as they need to pay for their studies, and earn to pay for them. In this routine, students are stuck in this inseparable loop and end up having no time for their personal lives.

    With current restrictions on student migration, students need to acknowledge all the necessary details of the work permit with regard to the ongoing crisis in Canada.

    The Co-op Work Permit for International Students in Canada

    The co-op work permit is an approval issued to international students to work full-time as a part of their academic programme. This enables them to train, complete an internship, and participate in practicums to complete their graduation. This is a special permit required for students studying courses with internships and practicums. Generally, international students receive a work permit, which allows them to work part-time jobs to cover their living costs.

    The co-op permit only applies to candidates who have:

    • Practicums

    • Internships

    • co-ops in their programmes

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    Students in a programme with fieldwork and internships that cover 50% of the course time need this permit.

    The removal of the co-op work permit by IRCC has nudged the existing guidelines for the medical students in Canada, and it also applies to students enrolled in an internship or fieldwork as part of their programme. The removal of this co-op permit emphasises that students need no additional permit from the university board or any higher authority in Canada to complete their internships or practicums. With regard to this notice, students who applied for the permit will withdraw their applications, and IRCC will cancel all pending applications as the permit is no longer needed.

    Conclusion:

    Indian students studying in Canada need to balance their studies and work to prioritise their mental health over academics and work pressure. Most students often fail to do so due to academic and financial constraints. So, it is advised for students to cross-check all aspects of student life before applying to a course in Canada.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Q: Do Indian students need a work permit in Canada?
    A:

    Yes, Indian students need a permit to work in the country while studying. This is enabled through the student visa employment.

    Q: How is a co-op permit different from a general work permit?
    A:

    The co-op permit is a special permit for students studying in a course that includes full-time work as a part of the programme. As of 1st April 2026, this special permit is no longer needed, and all students can work with the same general work permit.

    Q: Do all international students need to work in Canada?
    A:

    No, students are often supported with scholarships and funding. It is recommended to avail all the required means of sources before migration.

    Q: Why is working in Canada difficult for college students?
    A:

    College students have to manage their time between classes and work because it is necessary for some students to work in order to pay for their college expenses. However, this kind of schedule leaves less time for students as they need to work in shifts right after college.

    Q: Can MBBS students in Canada work off campus?
    A:

    Indian medical students in Canada can work off campus without any additional permit, but they should be able to manage their time for both internship and a part-time job.

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