Forgive the tone of this article. We always get serious when we are talking about money. We understand the implications of a job on your life as a student, so we take this responsibility very seriously.
As you already know, international students with visas over 6 months (on a study permit) are allowed to work up to 20 hours a week. This is considered part-time work. Check out this article about your first job in Vancouver as we discuss more about the study permit and how to find a job. Part-time jobs in British Columbia are mostly, if not always, paid hourly. Now, what’s the least you can get paid in BC 😅 before tax? The current minimum wage in Vancouver, BC, is $15.65 an hour.
So the minimum you can make before tax is:
Hourly Wage | Weekly | Bi-weekly | Total in a month |
$15.65 | $313 | $626 | $1252 |
Part-time jobs are generally labour jobs, meaning that they are jobs such as waitressing, kitchen staff, sales, cashier, customer service ... etc. Unless you have specifific in-demand skills, such as software engineering or digital marketing, you will probably spend your job hunt on craigslist. Small and medium businesses post on Craigslist or Kijiji because it is free but beware of scams! And be safe going to in-person interviews. The rule of thumb is always google any opportunity before you move forward.
Types of jobs available for students and the average wages for each job before tax:
Job Type | Average Rate/Hour |
Restaurant (front of house) | $16 (plus tips) |
Kitchen Staff | $17 (plus tips) |
Cleaning/housekeeping | $18 |
Security guard | $17 |
Retail | $18 |
Caregiver | $25 |
Moving company | $20 |
Events company | $25 |
Customer service | $17 |
Receptionist | $19 |
These are just a few examples of the jobs you may encounter as a student. The wages differ from one listing to another but this is to give you an idea of how much you can get paid in Vancouver. There are many more jobs out there for you to look into. Keep in mind that sometimes finding a job is a job on its own, so be patient and be positive that this is all part of the wonderful journey of being an international student.
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