The English Work Experience Program has two components: 12 weeks of Intensive English Instruction which includes job training workshops and a 6 week* co-op (work placement), which begins immediately after. The total length of the program is approximately 18 weeks, or 4.5 months.
∗ Work terms can occasionally be increased to a maximum of 12 weeks depending on the student and employers. Work terms in winter sessions (December to January) will occasionally be 4 weeks.
A co-op program is one that combines instruction in a particular field and work experience. These are very common amongst universities to provide students with practical experience after they have studied the theory of a subject. In this case, students are given 12 weeks of English language instruction and then placed in a local business where they are able to practice using their language skills in a natural and real way.
No. Students must have a work permit to participate in the program but the student will receive help applying for the permit once they have arrived in Canada.
You can apply for a work permit if you have a study permit and have paid for the EWEP program in full. You do not need to apply for a work permit from your home country. The program coordinator will assist students with the application process once they have arrived in Canada and have met the requirements for the program.
Some students may wish to consider working holiday visas, which are available only in certain countries and allow students to work and/or study for up to one year. They are different from work permits and must be applied for from the student’s home country. To see if your country is eligible for a working holiday visa, please visit the CIC website.
No. You must have a study permit to apply for the work permit. If you are in Canada with a visitor visa and you want to apply to work or study, you must leave Canada and apply from your home country.
Students generally receive their work permits 6-9 weeks after applying.
It is free to apply for a work permit.
If your study permit expires before the end of the program, you will have to apply for an extension when you apply for the work permit. This is at an additional cost of $125.*
Note: This fee is set by the government of Canada and is subject to change without notice.
The 18 week EWEP course is not paid. The ELC plans to begin paid internships in 2011.
Some positions are available through the EWEP on campus. However, these positions are still unpaid. The government of Canada does allow foreign students enrolled in full-time studies to work on campus while studying. However, since the internship portion of the EWEP begins after students have completed their full-time studies, they are not eligible for paid employment on campus.
Your work permit can not exceed your study period, therefore you will be provided with a maximum 12-week working permit. Occasionally, employers and students agree to extend their placement to 12 weeks, but this depends entirely on the student and employer and can not be guaranteed by the university.
In order to find out if you are the right level for the program, you must write a placement test at the English Language Centre on the first day of the program. Students who do not meet the language requirements may still be allowed into the program after an interview with the program coordinator. If a student is considered to be too low for the program after an interview, he or she will be placed in our 12-week intensive ELPI program and refunded the $1000 cost difference between the EWEP and ELPI.
The program requires upper-intermediate English.
Students who wish to participate in the program but do not meet the entry requirements may still be eligible to apply after a personal interview with the program coordinator. If a student is considered to be too low for the program after an interview, he or she will be placed in our 12-week intensive ELPI program and refunded the $1000 cost difference between the EWEP and ELPI.
Students who do not meet the requirements for the EWEP course, but are interested in participating in an English workplace may wish to consider the English and Volunteering program. For more information on our volunteering program, please email nheilke@uvcs.uvic.ca
Students who wish to participate in the program but do not meet the entry requirements may still be eligible to apply after a personal interview with the program coordinator. If a student is considered to be too low for the program after an interview, he or she will be placed in our 12-week intensive ELPI program and refunded the $1000 cost difference between the EWEP and ELPI.
Positions are often in tourism, customer service, office administration and event planning. Please Contact Us for a list of examples. The ELC does not guarantee placement in any specific field or position.
Every effort is made to place you in the position or field that you want. However, the University of Victoria can not guarantee placement in a specific job. Your preferences are considered when looking for a placement.
Students can occasionally work longer than 6 weeks, provided their employer agrees and they have a valid work permit. However, university supervision will not extend past the agreed 6-week placement.
To learn how to apply to the program, please visit www.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/apply/
Yes. If you register for both the ELPI and EWEP at the same time you must provide a deposit of $350 for each program. If you would like to apply for both the ELPI and the EWEP, your total deposit will be $700. This total is included in your tuition and not added to the total cost of the program.
During ELPI A (January to April) and ELPI C (September to December) students may stay with a homestay family for both the ELPI and the EWEP program.
Students in ELPI B (April to July) may stay with a homestay family for the ELPI portion of their program. However, during the Work Placement portion of the program, students will have to move to a campus dormitory.
Students are required to arrange accommodation with the UVic housing office at housing.uvic.ca.
If you do not wish to stay in a homestay or university dormitory, you may find your own accommodation here.
