You are probably interested in working while studying in Vancouver. The working ecosystem in Vancouver can be a little confusing for a newcomer. There are the technical parts of working in Canada ‘we are not referring to the job itself’ and there are the cultural aspects. In this article, we will give you an overview of what to expect when you start your search for a job in Canada.
Your student visa
When you first enter the country, at the airport, you are issued a student permit, make sure that it indicates under ‘conditions’ that you are able to work in Canada during your study period.
Look-up 'Canadian Student permit' and get familiar with how a permit looks like!
Once you have your permit you are able to get your Social Insurance Number (SIN). Having a SIN is what actually allows you to work and get paid!
Note: other than your employer and your accountant do not give your SIN to anyone else, even if they ask for it on official documents. Check the government website to know who you can share your SIN with.
Finding a job
Now that you have your SIN you can start looking for jobs. You are allowed to work up to 20 hours a week unless it’s at your school, so you will probably look for part-time jobs. You can look for jobs online through workbc.ca, indeed.com, LinkedIn, Google Jobs, 86network.com or Kijiji and Craigslist (with caution of course). You can also keep an eye for job ads while walking around the city. You might even want to go to websites of your favourite brands and see if they are hiring for part-time jobs.
You got the Job, now what?
Congrats on getting the job, it’s probably not the most glamorous but hey… honest work is honest work, and trust me it is fun and you will have a lotta stories to share with your friends.
So let’s talk money! The minimum wage in BC is $15.65 an hour, which means it is the minimum amount an employer can pay you, depending on your job, that excludes tips. Most employers here pay employees biweekly, meaning every other week you will receive either a cheque or money directly deposited to your account from your employer. You will also receive a Payslip which will indicate your earnings, how much was deducted from your pay to taxes (federal and provincial) and if you received prorated vacation pay, it’s all there! Warning, checking your payslip can cause temporary sadness 😅.
Paying taxes
Now it’s time to pay your taxes, no… wait, you already paid your taxes! Now it’s time to file your taxes. Taxes are filed yearly, between January and April, most of us file them in April because we need to gather all our documents and something called T4 forms that are given by employers.
You can file your taxes online through Turbotax or similar websites that work with the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) online platform.
This is the basics of what you must know if you are interested in working in Canada. Overall it is a simple and straightforward system, you just need to give it some time and you will become an expert on working in Canada as an international student.
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