Frequently asked questions for currently enrolled international students who are temporarily outside of Canada.
More than 85% of classes are scheduled to be in-person effective fall 2023. If the offering format of an TA or GA contract is for in-person teaching on campus, working remotely is not an option.
Remote work may be available if the offering format described in the TA or GA contract indicates remote delivery or ‘ONLN’. Before accepting the contract, however, you should verify whether you will be outside of Canada and possibly your country of de facto residence outside of Canada, which may or may not be your country of permanent citizenship. This statement is not meant to frighten you, but rather to encourage you to research and inform yourself about taxation in Canada and your current country of residence so that you will be aware of any potential risks regarding tax reporting and payment, if applicable.
York International provides a basic orientation to taxation in Canada.
The Government of Canada also provides a starting point for research:
Please visit York International - Work & Finances
The Government of Canada also provides a starting point for research:
More than 85% of classes are scheduled to be in-person effective fall 2023. The ability to begin your degree online will be determined by the degree requirements of your specific program. You may reach out to your Graduate Program Director to talk about options that may be available in your program.
There may be a limited number of TA and GA contracts that will be offered in a remote or online format. The answer to this question involves different elements of Canadian and international taxation laws and agreements, including how these intersect with:
- residency restrictions and, if and when applicable, visa regulations;
- employment regulations in Canada to which the university abides as well as how your home countries’ laws and regulations pertaining to York university as a foreign employer;
- for some countries, there are restrictions that disallow the sending of money, including employment wages, across the border.
International students at York come from over 60 countries, which makes no single, catch-all explanation possible in a single communication. While the mechanics of doing the work remotely seem simple enough, the mechanics of being paid for it trigger a substantial set of different risks for York University and for the student-employee. The heart of the matter for new, international students is that without an approved study permit and visa, the latter of which is finalized upon arrival in Canada, you will not yet have a Canadian Social Insurance Number, which is necessary for York to employ you for the type of unionised TA and GA work we provide. We have explored the possibility of whether students in other countries could apply for an Individualized Tax Number (ITN), which is sometimes used to hire non-Canadian nationals as independent contractors; however, we do not have the ability to offer what at York is unionised employment work (TA or GA) to an ITN-holder, who would be designated as a foreign, independent contractor. Furthermore, you would not be eligible for the unionised employment benefits, and the taxation implications would be your risk to manage on your own.
You will not be able to hold a work assignment in Fall 2023.
If employment is a component of the funding package that was offered to you when you were admitted, employment will be offered when you do arrive in Canada and are legally able to work in Canada. To find out about working in Canada as an international student, please visit Working in Canada as International Students.
Before accepting any employment contract, please verify whether you will be outside of Canada for more than 183 days of the calendar year since this matter can make a difference to your taxation in Canada and possibly your country of de facto residence outside of Canada, which may or may not be your country of permanent citizenship. This statement is not meant to frighten you, but rather to encourage you to research and inform yourself about taxation in Canada and your current country of residence so that you will be aware of any potential risks regarding tax reporting and payment, if applicable.
York International provides a basic orientation to taxation in Canada.
The Government of Canada also provides a starting point for research:
Deferrals are at the discretion of the graduate program. Please reach out directly to your Graduate Program Director if you are considering deferral of your acceptance to the next admissions window. For some programs, this may be possible in Winter (January 2023) or Summer (May 2023) terms. For others, the next intake will be Fall 2023.
Your financial package is made up of a combination of funds – and can include a mixture of Fellowship, awards, research assistantships and employment (TA/GA). Your Fellowship and award funds will be deposited to your student account; any credit balance on your student account after tuition is paid will be held for you until a Canadian bank account is linked to the student account for a refund. The employment component of your funding will not be paid to you until you can legally work in Canada. When you are able to move to Canada, and if your funding package includes an employment component, employment will be arranged at the first available opportunity.
You do not. Additional information on requirements can be found on the York International website.