Starting school in Ontario and need a steady paycheque? Good news: student-friendly shifts are everywhere—cafés, retail, grocery, warehouses, and on-campus roles. The real trick is fitting work around classes, staying within the 24-hour rule during term, and knowing when a co-op work permit is required. Below: realistic pay, a week that actually works, and plain-English rules so you don’t trip up.
When I helped a friend at Sheridan last term, we built the week around classes first—then added three short evening shifts. No 7 a.m. panic, no missed labs, and no rule trouble.
Here’s what you can actually do
- Off-campus during the semester: Up to 24 hours a week if you meet IRCC’s eligibility and your study permit says you can work.
- Scheduled breaks (winter/summer/reading week): You can work full-time during official breaks if you’re enrolled full-time before and after. However, you can’t work full-time for more than 150 consecutive days in any single break, and full-time work across all breaks can’t exceed 180 days per calendar year..
- On-campus: Separate bucket—can be as many hours as you want if you remain eligible.
- Co-op/internship: Different category. If the placement is required by your program, you need a co-op work permit and the placement can’t exceed 50% of the total program length.
- Before classes start: Not yet. Even with a SIN, you wait until the program officially begins.
Rules shift—literally. Double-check your permit before you say yes to extra hours.
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Part-time jobs for international students with real-world pay (2025-26)
Ontario’s general minimum wage is $17.60/hr (from Oct 1, 2025). Actual offers hover around that—more in busy cores or late shifts.
- Barista / café crew: $18–21/hr (tips can push busy shifts higher).
- Retail associate (mall/high street): $18–25/hr, sometimes more at fancy stores or for late closings.
- Cashier / grocery / convenience: around $18/hr in many areas; small towns often sit near the floor.
- Shelf stocker / warehouse helper: $18–21/hr; overnights can bump it slightly.
- On-campus roles (library, labs, athletics, peer mentor): near minimum with the upside of zero commute and flexible supervisors.
Local note: Downtown Toronto is slammed after 5 p.m. and weekends. In Brampton/Mississauga logistics zones, evening warehouse shifts come up often and fill fast.
A week that actually works
Let’s say you’re taking five courses (Mon–Fri), commute 30–45 minutes, and want two free evenings.
- Tue: 4–8 p.m. (4 h) — retail
- Wed: 6–10 p.m. (4 h) — café
- Thu: 4–10 p.m. (6 h) — café
- Fri: 5–10 p.m. (5 h) — retail
- Sat: 10 a.m.–3 p.m. (5 h) — retail
Total: 24 hours
Why this works: decent blocks, not so long you wipe out study time. Midterms coming? Drop Saturday and slide 2–3 hours to Sunday—or save the bigger pushes for scheduled breaks when full-time is allowed.
If you have two jobs: the 24 hours is the sum across all off-campus employers. On-campus hours don’t count toward that 24, but don’t run yourself into the ground.
Co-op vs regular part-time (don’t mix them up)
- Regular part-time = any job you pick (barista, retail, warehouse). Follows the 24-hour cap during term; full-time in scheduled breaks is fine.
- Co-op/internship = built into your program. You need the co-op work permit, your school confirms it’s required, and the placement must be 50% or less of the program length. Co-op terms are often full-time for a semester—that’s normal.
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Faster hiring with fewer headaches
Have the right documents ready (SIN confirmation, study permit with the actual work wording, school ID).
Be shift-flexible—evenings and weekends make managers smile.
Think commute math—an extra dollar per hour can vanish on transit; on-campus is often the net winner.
Write down your weekly totals before payroll closes; if you’re creeping toward 24, trim a shift.
Real story: A first-year at TMU kept two café shifts and one retail close each week, then loaded up hours during winter break. Grades stayed steady, and January overtime paid for textbooks.
Before you apply anywhere
Start with your class schedule—seriously, open that timetable first and block study windows.
Then find one solid anchor job with a manager who understands student life. After that, keep a flexible back-up (on-call weekends, event shifts, or an on-campus posting).
Check your study permit wording matches how you plan to work. If it doesn’t, fix that before the first shift.
Track all off-campus hours (two employers add up fast). Many students aim for 22 hours on paper to leave breathing room.
Key takeaways
- During term: 24 hours/week off-campus; on-campus is separate if you’re eligible.
- Typical pay in 2025: about $18–21/hr for cafés/warehouses; $18–25/hr in retail (sometimes more).
- Co-op is its own lane: co-op permit required; can be full-time for that term.
- Plan around classes first; track hours across all employers; use breaks for full-time work.
