Canada Immigration Student Employment Validation Exemption

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Student Exemption

The following students require an employment authorization, but are exempt from validation under the code indicated at right.

Spouses of students	E07
Post graduation employment	E08
Canadian International Development Students	D30
Co-op education and employment integral to studies	D35
Destitute students	C05
Students petitioned by a university	E30
International Student and Young Worker programs	E35

Spouses of Students - Code E07

Spouses of foreign students are allowed to accept employment in the general labour market without the need for validation. This exemption is intended for spouses who are not themselves full-time students. Applicants must provide evidence that they are:

the spouse of a holder of a student authorization who is attending a post-secondary institution on a full-time basis, or
the spouse of a person who has a valid employment authorization to work at a job related to the course of study, after graduation (under Code E08 following).

Spouses of full-time students are eligible for open or open/restricted employment authorizations, depending on whether or not a medical examination has been passed. These is no need for an offer of employment before issuing an employment authorization.

Employment Following Graduation - Code E08

Students may accept education-related employment for a maximum period of one year following successful completion of their studies, without the need for employment validation. The following criteria apply:

the student must have graduated from a program at a post-secondary institution;
the student must be in possession of a valid student authorization;
the employment must be consistent with the recently completed course of study;
the employment must commence within 60 days of issuance of marks;
the student must not have been formerly issued an employment authorization under this exemption following any other course of study.

Canadian International Development Students - Code D30

This validation exemption applies to students sponsored by CIDA when the intended employment is part of the student's program as arranged by CIDA.

Employment Integral Part of Course - Code D35

This validation exemption applies to foreign students whose intended employment forms an essential and integral part of their course of study in Canada, and whose employment has been certified as such by responsible academic official of the training institution. This exemption does not apply to:

medical interns and externs, resident physicians (except those in veterinary medicine);
students of accountancy (except those who are in Canada under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding between Canada and Malaysia).

In cases such as these, the letter provided by the educational institution should establish clearly that the work is a normal component of the academic program which all participants are expected to complete in order to receive their degree, diploma or certificate. The most common example would be undergraduate co-op programs at universities and colleges.

Destitute Students - Code C05

Due to circumstances beyond their control, foreign students already in Canada sometimes find themselves completely cut off finances on which they had been counting for their day-to-day needs, as well as for their tuition. While academic institutions do grant some leeway insofar as tuition and residence fees may be concerned, there is no source of relief for the subsistence of destitute students unless they can help themselves through employment. These students should be granted employment authorizations exempt from validation, under Code C05.

Scholarship Students Petitioned by a University - Code E30

This exemption applies to foreign students who are the subject of a petition by a Canadian University or college on the basis that the student was accepted by the institution on an academic or athletic scholarship and whom, in the opinion of the institution and the Director of Immigration, it would be in the best interests of all concerned to permit to take employment arranged by the institution.

International Students and Young Workers - Code E35

There are a number of International Student and Young Worker Employment Programs which qualify under validation exemption. These programs are usually based on reciprocity and exchanges with a number of countries. Authorizations can be issued for between 1 to 18 months, depending on the type of program.

The employment can be open or employer specific. When issuing an "open" employment authorization, an occupation restriction must be specified if the applicant has not passed an immigration medical. Once the applicant has completed the medical requirements, the terms and conditions can be removed.