If you’re an International student or planning to apply to Canada to study your bachelor’s or master’s or diploma program.
Then,
You are always concerned about how I can pay my second semester fees, rent, and other living expenses in Canada on your own, and how much money should I earn to pay all my bills?
And probably,
As an International Student, These are the questions in mind such as:
- How much a student can earn in Canada per hour, per day, per week, per month, and per year?
- What are the best highest paying part time jobs in Canada to cover all my expenses?
In this blog, we will calculate how much you can earn as an international student in Canada.
So, let’s get started.
Before we calculate how much you can earn from a part-time job in Canada as an international Student, we need to understand the duration of work, the average payout, and the potential expenses.
Duration of Part-Time Work for International Students
If you’re an international student in Canada, you’ll need to know the work duration of a part time job. You can work up to 20 hours per week during your academic semester.
However,
During the scheduled breaks, such as winter and summer vacations, you can be allowed to work up to 40 hours per week as a full time job.
Please Note: It’s important for you to understand that exceeding the limit of 20 hours per week during your ongoing semester will have a serious consequence because of a violation of your study permit.
That’s why you need to follow the guidelines which are set by IRCC to avoid any issues while on a study permit.
Average Pay of International Student
As of 2022, the minimum or average hourly pay is around $12 to $15 for international students in Canada it can vary depending on several factors such as:
Province and city:
- Minimum pay and cost of living for each province in Canada can differ
- The minimum wage in Ontario is $15 per hour
Industry and job type: Specialized skilled based jobs can make you pay well such as web developer, programmer, content writer, translator, technician, laborer, uber driver, etc.
Experience and qualifications: if you have relevant expertise and experience can help you make more part time earning around $13 to $45
Average hourly pay in Canada: $12 – $15
Possibility: $12 – $75+ (depending upon various factors including tip, bonuses, and other benefits)
Average monthly expenses of a student
If you’re an international student coming to Canada, you’ll likely have expenses of $2500 in the first month. These expenses may include winter clothing, medication, furniture, new connection charges, and other things.
Once you settle down in the next one or two months, you’ll have the regular expenses. These are as follows:
1. Accommodation: If you live in a shared room far from downtown, it will cost you around $250 and if you prefer to live in a personal room in the downtown area, it will cost on average $700.
2. Groceries: On average, grocery expenses range from $70 to $150 per month.
3. Transportation: If you reside in a city like Toronto, then you’ll need to buy a Presto card for transportation, which costs around $128.
But, if you live in smaller cities like London, Thunder Bay, St. Catharines, your bus pass may be included in your college fees which means no extra cost for public transport.
4. Phone Connection: On average, Phone plans range from $25 for unlimited calls & messages to $60 for some data and unlimited calls/messages per month.
5. Eating out & Shopping: On average, if you’re eating out and doing shopping, it will cost you $150 to $200 per month.
Total Monthly Expenses: $600 to $1300
Once you know how much it will cost per month to live in Canada, we can now calculate how much you can earn in a part time job as an international student in different intakes and know which intake is most beneficial for you to take admission in.
Let’s calculate!
How much a student can earn in Canada?
How much money you can earn from a part-time job in Canada depends on which intake you are applying to.
Here are the calculations for each intake so you can determine which one is best for you and why.
Which Intakes are there to study in Canada?
Universities and colleges in Canada mainly offer 3 major intakes for International Students. These are as follows:
Fall Intake usually begins in September and is the most popular intake among international students. Fall intake offers a wider course selection and is competitive due to its popularity.
So,
If you are planning to apply in the fall intake you have an opportunity to earn $34,440 as a part-time earning.
Let’s assume!
You study in Canada for 2 years for a master’s or any program. Here is the detailed calculation as an International student you can earn.
Semester 1: (September, October, November, and December 2024)
- Duration of work: 20 hours per week
- Average pay: $14.35 per hour (minimum wage in Ontario)
- 1 Month: 4 weeks
1 Month part time earning = Duration of Work * Average Pay * 4 Week
= 20*14.35*4
= $1148
4 Month part time earning = 1 month earning*4 months
= $4592
Similarly,
Semester 2: (January, February, march, and April 2025)
- Duration of work: 20 hours per week
- Average pay: $14.35 per hour (minimum wage in Ontario)
- 1 Month: 4 weeks
1 Month part time earning = Duration of Work * Average Pay * 4 Week
= 20*14.35*4
= $1148
4 Month part time earning = 1 month earning*4 months
= $4592
During Scheduled Break: (May, June, July, and August 2025)
Suppose, you got 2 jobs in which your current job you converted into full time during scheduled break and if you are smart enough then you’ll get a second job before the scheduled break starts.
- Duration of work: 70 hours per week (35 hours per week for each job)
- Average pay: $14.35 per hour (minimum wage in Ontario)
- 1 Month: 4 weeks
1 Month part time earning = Duration of Work * Average Pay * 4 Week
= 70*14.35*4
= $4018
4 Month part time earning = 1 month earning*4 months
= $16,072
Semester 3: (September, October, November, and December 2025)
- Duration of work: 20 hours per week
- Average pay: $14.35 per hour (minimum wage in Ontario)
- 1 Month: 4 weeks
1 Month part time earning = Duration of Work * Average Pay * 4 Week
= 20*14.35*4
= $1148
4 Month part time earning = 1 month earning*4 months
= $4592
Semester 4: (January, February, march, and April 2026)
- Duration of work: 20 hours per week
- Average pay: $14.35 per hour (minimum wage in Ontario)
- 1 Month: 4 weeks
1 Month part time earning = Duration of Work * Average Pay * 4 Week
= 20*14.35*4
= $1148
4 Month part time earning = 1 month earning*4 months
= $4592
Total earning = 1 semester + 2 semester + 3 semester + 4 semester + scheduled break
= $4592 + $4592 + $4592 + $4592 + $16072
= $34,440
The total earning potential as an international student in Canada for 2 years is $34,440, and if we minus the total expenses of 14,400 expenses for 2 years. It’ll be $20,040 net part time earnings before paying tax.
Please Note: it can vary from person to person and factors affecting such as IRCC rules for part time jobs and provincial policies across Canada. These are hypothetical situations we calculate for the Ontario region.
Winter Intake takes place in January. If you missed the chance to apply for fall intake still you can have a chance to apply for winter intake but, make sure winter or January intake has lesser course or program options as compared to fall or September intake.
So,
If you are planning to apply in the January (winter) intake you have an opportunity to earn $50,512 as a part time earning even more than the Fall intake. Because you’ll have two scheduled breaks during the winter intake.
Let’s assume!
You study in Canada for 2 years for a master’s or any program.
Semester 1: (January, February, Match, and April 2024)
- Duration of work: 20 hours per week
- Average pay: $14.35 per hour (minimum wage in Ontario)
- 1 Month: 4 weeks
1 Month part time earning = Duration of Work * Average Pay * 4 Week
= 20*14.35*4
= $1148
4 Month part time earning = 1 month earning*4 months
= $4592
During Scheduled Break: (May, June, July, and August 2024)
Suppose, you got 2 jobs in which your current job you converted into full time during scheduled break and if you are smart enough then you’ll get a second job before the scheduled break starts.
- Duration of work: 70 hours per week (35 hours per week for each job)
- Average pay: $14.35 per hour (minimum wage in Ontario)
- 1 Month: 4 weeks
1 Month part time earning = Duration of Work * Average Pay * 4 Week
= 70*14.35*4
= $4018
4 Month part time earning = 1 month earning*4 months
= $16,072
Semester 2: (September, October, November, and December 2024)
- Duration of work: 20 hours per week
- Average pay: $14.35 per hour (minimum wage in Ontario)
- 1 Month: 4 weeks
1 Month part time earning = Duration of Work * Average Pay * 4 Week
= 20*14.35*4
= $1148
4 Month part time earning = 1 month earning*4 months
= $4592
Semester 3: (January, February, March, and April 2025)
- Duration of work: 20 hours per week
- Average pay: $14.35 per hour (minimum wage in Ontario)
- 1 Month: 4 weeks
1 Month part time earning = Duration of Work * Average Pay * 4 Week
= 20*14.35*4
= $1148
4 Month part time earning = 1 month earning*4 months
= $4592
During Scheduled Break: (May, June, July, and August 2025)
Suppose, you got 2 jobs in which your current job you converted into full time during scheduled break and if you are smart enough then you’ll get a second job before the scheduled break starts.
- Duration of work: 70 hours per week (35 hours per week for each job)
- Average pay: $14.35 per hour (minimum wage in Ontario)
- 1 Month: 4 weeks
1 Month part time earning = Duration of Work * Average Pay * 4 Week
= 70*14.35*4
= $4018
4 Month part time earning = 1 month earning*4 months
= $16,072
Semester 4: (September, October, November, and December 2025)
- Duration of work: 20 hours per week
- Average pay: $14.35 per hour (minimum wage in Ontario)
- 1 Month: 4 weeks
1 Month part time earning = Duration of Work * Average Pay * 4 Week
= 20*14.35*4
= $1148
4 Month part time earning = 1 month earning*4 months
= $4592
Total earning = 1 semester + 2 semester + 3 semester + 4 semester + scheduled break 2024 + scheduled break 2025
= $4592 + $4592 + $4592 + $4592 + $16072 + $16072
= $50,512
Total earning potential as an international student in Canada for 2 years is $50,512, and if we minus the total expenses of 14,400 expenses for 2 years. It’ll be $36,112 net part time earnings before paying tax.
Summer Intake takes place in May or June in Canada. This intake has few course options to select as compared to Winter and Fall Intake.
Which Intake you must avoid and why?
You should avoid the summer intake, which begins in May in Canada. I suggest that you do not arrive in Canada during the summer.
Here are the main reasons why you should avoid it:
- Difficulty in finding jobs: Due to scheduled breaks, many people are already engaged in full-time work, reducing the chances of finding part-time employment.
- Limited course options: There are fewer courses or programs available during the summer compared to the fall and winter intakes.
- Time-consuming settlement process: Most of your time will be spent finding accommodation and securing a part-time job since you’re not yet settled in Canada.
- Reduced job opportunities: The scheduled break for the summer intake takes place from January to April, and due to the Canadian atmosphere, businesses may be running less, making it harder to find employment.
- Availability of professors: Many of the best professors may take a summer break, potentially affecting the quality of education during this intake.
- Missed fun activities: You’ll miss out on fun activities organized by the student union during the summer breaks.
How much a student can earn in Canada per hour?
As an International Student in Canada, You can earn $14.35 per hour which is the minimum wage in the Ontario region. It can vary between provinces across Canada.
How much a student can earn in Canada per day?
As an International Student, you are allowed to work 20 hours per week rule set by IRCC. which means you can work 4 hours a day.
Duration of work: 20 hours per week
Average pay: $14.35 per hour (minimum wage in Ontario)
Per day earning = Duration of work/days * average pay
= 20/5 *14.35
= $57.4
How much a student can earn in Canada per week?
As an International Student, you are allowed to work 20 hours per week in Canada.
Duration of work: 20 hours per week
Average pay: $14.35 per hour (minimum wage in Ontario)
Per day earning = Duration of work * average pay
= 20/5 *14.35
= $287
How much a student can earn in Canada per month?
As an International Student, you are allowed to work 20 hours per week in Canada and you can earn an average of $1148 in one month.
Duration of work: 20 hours per week
Average pay: $14.35 per hour (minimum wage in Ontario)
1 Month: 4 weeks
1 Month part time earning = Duration of Work * Avarae Pay * 4 Week
= 20*14.35*4
= $1148
How much a student can earn in Canada per year?
As an International Student, you are allowed to work 20 hours per week in Canada and you can earn an average of $1148 in one month.
Duration of work: 20 hours per week
Average pay: $14.35 per hour (minimum wage in Ontario)
1 Month: 4 weeks
12 Month part time earning = Duration of Work * Avarae Pay * 4 Week
= 20*14.35*48
= $13,776
We are not considering the scheduled break in this calculation.
FAQs: How much a student can earn in Canada?
Is $30 an hour good in Canada?
Yes, earning $30 per hour in Canada would generally be considered a good wage, especially for a part-time job. It’s typically higher than the minimum wage in Canada.
Why do International Students pay more in Ontario?
Ontario typically has one of the highest minimum wage rates in Canada. As of 2022, the minimum wage in Ontario is $15 per hour. This higher baseline wage can translate to higher wages for international students, even in entry-level or part-time positions.
What is the 3 hour rule in Ontario?
In Ontario, the “three-hour rule” refers to a provision in the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) that requires employers to pay employees for a minimum of three hours of work even if they work less than three hours.
Can International students work more than 40 hours in Canada?
Currently (as of March 1, 2024) International students can work full-time up to 40 hours during breaks, but this is a temporary public policy set to expire on April 30, 2024. This means it can be increased by IRCC.
Do International students pay income tax in Ontario?
Yes, international students in Ontario, like all other individuals working in the province, are required to pay income tax on the income they earn from working. Tax rates are the same as those that apply to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
