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In Canada, the average cost of living for an international student is S12,000 CAD per year. So, it makes sense to both work and study in Canada to help cover some costs - as well as to enrich your professional experience abroad.
Now, what’s the job market like for international students? There are plenty of jobs out there that will allow you to work while you study. In this blog, we’ll outline our 10 top picks for part-time student jobs in Canada:
What you could make: about $11.45-$16 CAD/hour across Canada
Looking for a job close to university? Well, why not work right at your university? There are a whole range of jobs for international students on campus - such as at the athletic center, the library, or with an organization whose work you care about.
And, getting a job on campus isn’t just convenient. It also lets you become even more involved in the student community - as well as help you network with other students and professors you may not have otherwise met through your studies.
How much you make will depend on where you work on campus. However, you will make at least minimum wage. This is different in each province but ranges between $11.45 and $16 CAD/hour across the country.
What you could make: $13.26 CAD/hour on average across Canada
Canadians love coffee. In fact, Canada is actually one of the largest coffee-consuming countries in the world. So, what better place to experience Canadian culture than at a coffee shop? Working as a barista will not only teach you how to make some delicious hot drinks, but also give you the chance to practice your English skills as you chat with customers.
Canada’s famous coffee chain, Tim Hortons, is by far the most prevalent coffee shop in the country. There are more than 5000 Tim Hortons restaurants worldwide (and the big majority of them are in Canada!).
What you could make: $20 CAD/hour on average across Canada
If you don’t mind the cold, snow removal might be a great high-paying job for you. This involves shoveling snow from sidewalks and driveways, as well as putting salt down on walkways or stairs so people don’t slip and fall. Since it doesn’t snow all-year-round, snow removal companies often work with the same people to landscape in the spring and summer, or rake leaves in the fall - it’s a four-season job!
What you could make: $17 CAD/hour on average across Canada
Being a sales assistant is a great way to practice your language skills in a fast-paced environment. As a sales assistant, you’ll operate the cash register and support customers in the store. It’s a job that requires you to be on your feet all day, but you likely won’t have to work very early mornings or late nights.
What you could make: $12.20 CAD/hour on average across Canada
The restaurant industry is a great place to work in Canada. Tipping is part of Canadian culture - it’s common to tip 15-25% - so you can expect to get paid quite well. In fact, some servers at busy restaurants can make hundreds of dollars in tips a night! It’s one of the reasons being a server is so popular among students who work and study in Canada.
What you could make: $15.50 CAD/hour on average across Canada
Are you an energetic people person? Being a tour guide could be a great opportunity. Whether you work with a museum, walking tour company, or tourist attraction, you’ll get to share the knowledge you have of your new city. You also have the chance to meet interesting people from around the world, and perhaps even give tours in your own language to tourists from home.
What you could make: $13 CAD/hour on average across Canada
If you’re used to having a dog at home, it can feel weird to be without your furry friend while studying abroad - we get it! So, why not try out dog walking? It’s great exercise, and better yet, spending time with a dog can help reduce stress. Sounds like the perfect job to us.
What you could make: $25.15 CAD/hour on average across Canada
Being a teaching assistant is a popular job for university students in Canada - especially since it’s a position that gives you professional experience in your industry. As a teaching assistant you’ll help with lectures, marking, and support students in their studies, and professors usually require you to be a graduate student or have experience in the course.
What you could make: about $7500-$9000 CAD/2 semesters
A residence advisor is an undergraduate student who lives in residence with fellow students (usually 1st years) and is responsible for their well-being on campus. They act as role models, help to build community, and plan team-building events for students. It’s an excellent job to put on your resume to demonstrate those important leadership skills. Plus, many residence advisors get a rent subsidy - which is a good benefit.
What you could make: $563-$1274 CAD/week (when working full time)
The Student Employment Program by Canada’s National Research Council (NRC) is an opportunity open to international students studying full-time at Canadian educational institutions. It offers you the chance to work at a Canadian research facility for four months. You will contribute to research and development projects in STEM (Science, technology, engineering, math), business, marketing, finance, and more. Learn more about the program here.
If you are a full-time student at a designated learning institution, you can work up to 20 hours each week off-campus during the semester. Then, during scheduled breaks (like during summer vacation) you can work full time. Unlike in the UK, you can also be self-employed as an international student in Canada.
You might be interested in our blog: How to apply for a Canadian student visa
There are plenty of websites that can help you look for work in Canada. The Government of Canada’s Job Bank is designed specifically for people aged 15-30 to look for both full-time and part-time jobs. There are also websites like Indeed, Workopolis, and Monster.
Overall, there are many job opportunities for international students in Canada. And after you graduate, you can also apply for a Canadian post-graduation work permit – which may allow you to stay in Canada to work for up to three years.
Read more about Canada’s post-graduation work permit our blog, and learn more about how PTE Academic can help you succeed in Canada today.
PTE Academic is completed on a computer, including the speaking part of the test.
So make sure you are prepared by familiarizing yourself with the equipment you will use during your test. Reading these test tips and you will be fully prepared.
There are many ways you can improve your chances of gaining points in Part 2: Reading during PTE Academic.
To improve your reading skills, practice increasing your reading speed and comprehension at the same time. In turn, you will improve your writing, grammar and vocabulary skills.
To do well in this part of the test, you need to be able to read quickly, using effective reading strategies, as there is a limited time to answer all questions.
Speed reading tasks will help improve your reading speed. Practice speed reading every day and:
Aim to be reading at least 220 words per minute
Reading short articles of around 300 words
Read often for short periods of time
You can also try this as a challenge with your friends to help keep motivated. Once you are happy with your comprehension and speed, focus on chunks (groups of words) rather than individual words.
When your reading skills reach a level you are happy with, you will feel more confident to answer the questions.
In the Multiple-Choice, Single Answer question type, some test takers make the mistake of scan reading and matching the words in the text to the words in the answer. Generally, the words in the text are not used in the correct answer, therefore it is important to learn how to use synonyms and paraphrasing as it will be used in the test.
Learn how to improve your grammar in our Reading: Core Skills part 1 article.
In this question type, you will need more time than in the Multiple-Choice, Choose Single Answer question type, as you need to intensively read the stem (the part before the options) as well as the options, then scan read the text on the screen until you find the part of the text that contains information that was in the stem.
Read the options very carefully and match the meaning of the option with the text. Do not match the words – this is something test takers may make errors with.
You should also make sure not to choose all the options since you lose one point for each incorrect choice. However, you cannot score below zero.
To do well in the Re-order Paragraphs questions, you will need to have a strong understanding of cohesive devices and how they work. You will also need to understand how articles work, as well as the logical and chronological order of information.
In this question type, skim-read the text to get the ideas of the topic of the text. From there, you should read all the sentences carefully.
For both Fill in the Blanks and Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks question types, you will need to understand a range of vocabulary, collocations, grammar, pronouns, and cohesive devices, as well as being able to identify when plural nouns are needed.
You will also need to be able to skim read to get an idea of the meaning of the text, then read intensively before and after each blank. If unsure, you should guess based on the context.
Make sure you do not leave any spaces blank. You do not need to correctly fill in all spaces to get points.
To go back and review the question types within the reading test, we suggest learning more about the reading questions.
Explore Smart Prep, which combines all our practice materials in one place, so it's easier for you to stay on track with your PTE preparation.
Smart Prep is a clear path to test day, guiding you through the official paid and free resources available for your test
It can be accessed whether you’ve booked a test or not – just create, or sign in to your myPTE account
Preparation materials include guided practice tests, introductory videos, video courses and test tips.
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Do you have your heart set on studying in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland? The UK is a wonderful place to live and learn, but you’ll most likely need to get a UK study visa before you start packing your bags.
This comprehensive guide covers who needs a UK student visa, the requirements for getting one, how to apply, how much it costs, and how long it takes.
If you’re an international student hoping to study in the UK, you’ll most likely need a student visa. The only exceptions are nationals of Switzerland and countries in the European Economic Area (EEA), who don’t need a visa to enter the UK. *
* Please note: The outcome of Brexit may alter this after 2020. Check the UK government’s website for up-to-date information about this.
There are several UK study visa requirements you’ll need to meet to successfully apply. These include:
You’ve been offered a place in a full-time course from an eligible university (i.e. the school must be a licensed Student route visa*Tier 4 sponsors)
You can understand English (both written and spoken)
You have enough funds to support yourself and any dependants, while also paying for the course.
These requirements apply to students from all over the world. This means the UK student visa requirements for Indian students and American students are exactly the same for Chinese students and Australian students (and so on).
