Does deferring a co-op term count as semester off?

[karanbir498]

Hey Guys,

So this question was asked to me by a friend, but I didnt know the correct answer so here goes...
He is in 3-year diploma program which has 3 co-op terms. He has already done two, and is about to do his third and last co-op soon this summer.

Now, he wants to defer his co-op term (so he'll be doing it at the end of his course in January next year, extending his course by 4 months). Instead of co-op term, he wants to work on a college-project as an undergraduate researcher which means he'll be employed for 4 months working 5 hours per week by college on-campus. Along with this, he also intends to keep his part time job (still less than 20 hours per week).

The question is, technically this means that next 4 months are his college off (and its summer), but I am not sure if he can work or not. Can he work his part-time job in that time and also as undergraduate research (provided the total is 20 hours, part-time and undergraduate research)? And just out of curiosity, can he work full-time during this time off?

PS: He hasn't taken any semesters off before this besides the previous summer break that college provides regardless.

 

[selvakk]

Hey Guys,

So this question was asked to me by a friend, but I didnt know the correct answer so here goes...
He is in 3-year diploma program which has 3 co-op terms. He has already done two, and is about to do his third and last co-op soon this summer.

Now, he wants to defer his co-op term (so he'll be doing it at the end of his course in January next year, extending his course by 4 months). Instead of co-op term, he wants to work on a college-project as an undergraduate researcher which means he'll be employed for 4 months working 5 hours per week by college on-campus. Along with this, he also intends to keep his part time job (still less than 20 hours per week).

The question is, technically this means that next 4 months are his college off (and its summer), but I am not sure if he can work or not. Can he work his part-time job in that time and also as undergraduate research (provided the total is 20 hours, part-time and undergraduate research)? And just out of curiosity, can he work full-time during this time off?

PS: He hasn't taken any semesters off before this besides the previous summer break that college provides regardless.

Does the university normally close for summer, I.e no classes at all.

 

[selvakk]

Hey Guys,

So this question was asked to me by a friend, but I didnt know the correct answer so here goes...
He is in 3-year diploma program which has 3 co-op terms. He has already done two, and is about to do his third and last co-op soon this summer.

Now, he wants to defer his co-op term (so he'll be doing it at the end of his course in January next year, extending his course by 4 months). Instead of co-op term, he wants to work on a college-project as an undergraduate researcher which means he'll be employed for 4 months working 5 hours per week by college on-campus. Along with this, he also intends to keep his part time job (still less than 20 hours per week).

The question is, technically this means that next 4 months are his college off (and its summer), but I am not sure if he can work or not. Can he work his part-time job in that time and also as undergraduate research (provided the total is 20 hours, part-time and undergraduate research)? And just out of curiosity, can he work full-time during this time off?

PS: He hasn't taken any semesters off before this besides the previous summer break that college provides regardless.

Ask your friend If they have scheduled breaks in their program and if summer is considered one of them. IRCC lets colleges and universities decide what a scheduled break is.

 

[karanbir498]

Ask your friend If they have scheduled breaks in their program and if summer is considered one of them. IRCC lets colleges and universities decide what a scheduled break is.

Yes (I/he think), he in fact did have a summer break last year (co-ops start after first-3 college-semesters are complete), and I think even this year he would otherwise have a summer break if it wasn't co-op term (after 3 semesters, it alternates between one co-op term and one regular semester so you don't really get a "break").

Although we also have some small courses that run even during summers without break (think they are called "fast-track" 16-month courses with no breaks in-between).

 

[selvakk]

Yes (I/he think), he in fact did have a summer break last year (co-ops start after first-3 college-semesters are complete), and I think even this year he would otherwise have a summer break if it wasn't co-op term (after 3 semesters, it alternates between one co-op term and one regular semester so you don't really get a "break").

Although we also have some small courses that run even during summers without break (think they are called "fast-track" 16-month courses with no breaks in-between).

In that case he could do the co-op after the summer, has he spoken with the international dept in his institution about this ?

You can work any amount of hours on campus. Only off campus hours is restricted to 20hrs.

 

[karanbir498]

In that case he could do the co-op after the summer, has he spoken with the international dept in his institution about this ?

You can work any amount of hours on campus. Only off campus hours is restricted to 20hrs.

Deferring the co-op is allowed and is ok, but he isn't sure about if it'll be legal to work at his part-time off campus as well as the research project during the time for which he deferred co-op (since CIC rules say that you cannot work if you take break from semester (does deferring co-op count as taking break from semester?)). I guess we should confirm with the international-student services in college first...

 

[selvakk]

Deferring the co-op is allowed and is ok, but he isn't sure about if it'll be legal to work at his part-time off campus as well as the research project during the time for which he deferred co-op (since CIC rules say that you cannot work if you take break from semester (does deferring co-op count as taking break from semester?)). I guess we should confirm with the international-student services in college first...

Does the rules that apply for working on scheduled break also apply if you are deferring a semester. That's the million dollar question. This seems like a loophole to me, if allowed a lot of people would use it.

 

[karanbir498]

I would assume that if he deffers his semester, he is no longer studying, and no longer a full time student, and therefore should not be working part time. If he has some course load in the summer, then he could work. Better ask international student services to be safe.

He had a semester in this January though and will have another one starting this September regardless if he takes coop or not, so I think that should still count as full time. Though yes, as you suggest, it'll be better to confirm with the international-services.

Does the rules that apply for working on scheduled break also apply if you are deferring a semester. That's the million dollar question. This seems like a loophole to me, if allowed a lot of people would use it.

Yup, and to be honest I don't think anyone except the IRCC can answer this question... lol

Another thing is I am not sure if co-op's count as regular semesters. I too did a similar 3-year co-op program and my official transcript doesn't really count credits from co-op terms, and the fact that co-op is optional and there's a completely separate certificate for it.

PS: I know students who deferred co-op terms and still got PGWP, but I don't know anyone really who actually worked during the "break" period.