Top 10 Part-Time Jobs in Canada for Students
In recent years, Canada has been one of the most popular destinations for international students to travel to and study. It has great infrastructure, a strong economy, highly-regarded educational standards and so much more. While it does have a lot to offer, it may not always be the most affordable to students who have to fund their day-to-day lives out of their pocket. This is why many international students get part-time jobs to offset the cost of their studies.
As a foreign student, you might wonder if you can work while studying in Canada, as in, would it be viable? The answer to that is a resounding ‘yes’. While you do need a government permit or legal approval, it is doable. Certain part-time jobs in Canada might only require you to work weekends or evenings. Some might be even more flexible, allowing you to plan your schedule around them. In this blog, we explore 10 such part-time jobs in Canada for international students looking to support themselves.
1. Teacher’s Assistant
This is by far one of the most convenient part-time jobs to have when studying in Canada. Many schools and teachers hire teaching assistants to help them with various tasks throughout the term. Some of these duties might include tutoring, helping students, formulating lesson plans, administrative work and even grading student papers.
There are some requirements for the candidates who take up this role. Applicants should have completed at least a year of university or college. They should also have exceptional organizational skills and experience in a relevant course with which they will be assisting. What makes this job so convenient is that you don’t even have to leave campus frequently. There is a caveat though, you have to stay on top of your studies while helping others stay on top of theirs.
2. Server/ Bartender
If you’re a little more inclined towards the service industry and prefer to work in shifts or nights, then this might be more to your liking. Serving or bartending is usually done at night, be it weekdays or weekends. While the hourly wages of this job don’t quite keep pace with the other jobs on this list, it does give you more room to breathe in terms of time management. You get more time to focus on your studies with this part-time job, and hey, there are always those customers who tip well. At the end of the day, how much you earn depends on the establishment you work at, your customers and your people skills.
3. Uber or Lyft Driver
If you’re not much one for sitting behind a desk or waiting on customers, and if you much rather prefer a little movement in life, then this is a part-time job you should consider. This is a rather popular part-time job for students in Canada as they get to drive around, it’s more accessible and flexible as well. All you need is a driver’s license, be 21 years of age, a car and a phone. What’s great is you get to set your work timings with this job.
4. Tutor
This is sort of in line with what we mentioned about the teacher’s assistant. Tutoring is a great part-time job for students who excel in certain areas of study. As long as you have the qualifications, knowledge and patience to teach others, you will succeed at this job.
5. Freelancer
Here we have yet another job that allows you to set your timetable. If you are someone who enjoys working from home or remotely, a freelance job like freelance writing, web designing, copywriting or even graphic designing can be good options for students in Canada. What’s more, often you can set your rates, have a diverse range of clients and have complete control over the quality of work that you produce. This is one of the better part-time jobs if you need more time on your hands.
“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.“ – Vidal Sassoon, British hairstylist
6. Nanny
Many students often take up au pair work due to its flexible timings and generally easy-going nature of the job. If you enjoy working with children and have experience caring for them, then this is a good role for you. Many parents seek assistance taking care of their children, from picking them up at school to preparing meals, entertaining them or just simply babysitting. Typically, the hours are flexible and the added advantage here is that you can do your assignments while they sleep. You drive up your chances of landing jobs in this department if you have first-aid and CPR training.
7. Barista
Studying and caffeine go hand-in-hand most of the time. How can you say no to a job where you work with caffeine all day? It is generally very easy-going and enjoyable. Coffee shops love to hire students for their flexible schedules. However, if we are being honest, this is not one of the higher-paying part-time jobs on this list, but it has its upsides. For example, if you work for a big brand like Starbucks, then you get impressive benefits, perks and a decent day’s wage. Fair to say, it is a worthwhile part-time job to have.
8. Salesperson
This job is all about people skills. While nothing can be said for certain when it comes to working as a salesperson, there are benefits. There could be flexible timings and a decent income in it for you, but that all depends on where you work and the kind of role you take on. Some stores might offer you a commission-based salary or a general monthly income. So, choose wisely based on your schedule and studies.
“Studies serve for delight, for ornaments, and for ability.“ – Francis Bacon, Former Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain
9. Dog Walker
If you’re an animal lover, this is one of the best part-time jobs you can have. Keep in mind that, while this job does sound relaxing, it is a little more time-consuming at times. Some dog walkers may be on-call so there is that to consider. You may also have to walk certain dogs, for a certain amount of time, and it varies. There is also the weather to consider, which may not always be ideal. All things considered though, it isn’t that time consuming compared to most jobs. What’s ideal about this is, you can charge higher prices depending on the services you offer and the number of dogs you walk. This could be turned into a free-lance job if you were so inclined. You could add on service offerings like dog-sitting and even grooming if you had the time and facilities.
10. Translator
If you are someone who speaks more than one language, you might be in luck! In Canada, the demand for translators is quite healthy. However, to be a translator, you need to be able to speak, read, and write the language fluently. You need these skills as you may be asked to work on documents, facilitate communication between two or more parties and so on. You could work with a company, or you could do it as an independent agent too. Either way, there is a good scope for this part-time job in Canada for students.
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