Working on Campus (Immigration)

Rules

• International students may work on campus for up to 20 hours per week when class is in session. This includes working for Calvin and for the Peet’s Coffee Shop in Hekman Library.
• International students may work on campus for more than 20 hours per week when class is not in session. There is no immigration-related limit on hours when class is not in session, so students could technically work 40 hours or more. However, almost all on-campus jobs have a limit of 40 hours per week, so be sure to check with your supervisor before working more than 40 hours per week.
• The 20-hour limit is a weekly limit, NOT an average. So it is not okay to work 21 hours one week, even if you only worked 19 hours the previous week.
• Check the work restrictions calendar to see when class is considered "in session" for immigration purposes: work restrictions calendar
• Eligibility for on-campus employment ends on your program end date. Keep in mind that the end date on your I-20 will be shortened to be the date of the last day of your final semester at Calvin.
• See this calendar for dates when class is considered “in session” for immigration purposes.

Procedure

1. Find a job on campus in Workday.
2. Apply for a Social Security Number.
3. Take your SSN receipt, passport, I-94, and I-20 to the Human Resources office after completing the I-9 forms in Workday.
4. Start working. You may start working even before you receive the actual SSN and Social Security card, as long as you complete step 3.
5. Your Social Security card will arrive in the mail, although this may take several weeks or even months. Once you receive the card, bring it to Human Resources.

International Student On-campus Work Restrictions (2024-2025)

Limits are closely monitored by Human Resources.

View the calendar

• September: 20 hour per-week limit
• October
  • 1–19: 20 hour per-week limit
  • 20–28: no limit
  • 27–31: 20 hour per-week limit
• November
  • 1–23: 20 hour per-week limit
  • 24–30: no limit
• December
  • 1–21: 20 hour per-week limit
  • 22–31: no limit
• January
  • 1–18: no limit
  • 19–31: 20 hour per-week limit
• February: 20 hour per-week limit
• March
  • 1–8: 20 hour per-week limit
  • 9–15: no limit
  • 15–31: 20 hour per-week limit
• April: 20 hour per-week limit
• May
  • 1–10: 20 hour per-week limit
  • 11–31: no limit
• June: no limit
• July: no limit
• August: no limit