Working While Studying in Canada
Eligible international students can work in Canada while studying without obtaining a separate work permit for certain types of work. Off-campus work is generally limited to 24 hours per week during regular academic sessions, while different rules apply to scheduled breaks, on-campus work and required student work placements.
Can International Students Work in Canada?
Yes, but a study permit does not automatically give every international student unrestricted permission to work in Canada.
Eligible study permit holders may work on campus or off campus without obtaining a separate work permit when they meet the applicable requirements under Canada's immigration rules.
You must also comply with the work conditions printed on your study permit and continue meeting the underlying eligibility requirements.
You cannot begin working under the student work authorization before your study program actually starts.
Work authorization is only one part of the conditions attached to studying in Canada. See the Study Permit Canada: Complete Guide for the broader study permit framework.
Having a valid study permit does not by itself mean you can work any number of hours or in every situation. Your eligibility depends on your studies, program, enrolment status and the type of work.
Who Can Work Off Campus Without a Work Permit?
Paragraph 186(v) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations allows certain study permit holders to work off campus without a separate work permit.
In general, you must:
- hold a valid study permit;
- be a full-time student at a designated learning institution;
- be enrolled in a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional training program, or an eligible vocational training program at the secondary level in Quebec;
- be in a program that is at least six months long and leads to a degree, diploma or certificate;
- have started your study program; and
- continue meeting the applicable conditions of your study permit and student work authorization.
A limited exception to the full-time study requirement applies to qualifying students who are studying part-time only because they are in the final semester of their program.
Your study permit should also contain the appropriate condition authorizing work. If you are eligible but the required work condition was not printed on the permit, IRCC provides a process to request an amendment.
How Many Hours Can You Work Off Campus?
During a regular academic session, an eligible international student can currently work up to 24 hours per week off campus without a separate work permit.
The 24-hour limit applies to the total off-campus hours worked during the week. Having more than one job does not create a separate 24-hour limit for each employer.
| Situation | Off-campus work |
|---|---|
| Regular academic session | Up to 24 hours per week if all eligibility requirements are met |
| Eligible scheduled break | Unlimited hours, subject to the scheduled-break rules |
| Program with no scheduled break | Up to 24 hours per week |
| Authorized leave from studies | Off-campus work is not authorized under the student exemption |
Students are responsible for keeping track of their working hours and demonstrating compliance if IRCC asks for evidence.
If you work for multiple off-campus employers, the combined hours must remain within the applicable weekly limit during a regular academic session.
Can You Work Full-Time During Scheduled Breaks?
Eligible students may work unlimited hours off campus during a regularly scheduled break in the academic calendar, provided they continue meeting the requirements for off-campus work.
Examples can include:
- summer holidays;
- winter holidays; and
- an eligible reading week.
Under current IRCC guidance, a scheduled break must be scheduled by the school and generally last at least seven consecutive days.
A statutory holiday or ordinary long weekend by itself is not treated as a scheduled break for this purpose.
What if your program has no scheduled breaks?
If the program does not have a scheduled break, the regular off-campus limit continues to apply. A student cannot simply create a personal break from classes and treat it as a scheduled school break.
Very long scheduled breaks
Current IRCC guidance also limits the special unlimited-hours treatment where back-to-back scheduled breaks create a very long break.
If scheduled breaks exceed 150 consecutive days, unlimited off-campus work is available only during the first 150 consecutive days. IRCC also currently limits unlimited off-campus work during regularly scheduled breaks to a total of 180 days in a calendar year.
Working On Campus
Eligible full-time students may also work on campus without a separate work permit under paragraph 186(f) of the Regulations.
The study permit must contain a condition authorizing the applicable student work.
An on-campus employer may include:
- the educational institution;
- a faculty member;
- a student organization;
- a private business operating on campus;
- a contractor providing services to the institution; or
- the student, in qualifying self-employment physically located on campus.
Is there a weekly limit for on-campus work?
IRCC currently states that there is no specific immigration limit on the number of hours an eligible student may work on campus during regular academic sessions or scheduled breaks.
This is different from the 24-hour weekly limit that applies to off-campus work during regular academic sessions.
Students must nevertheless continue satisfying the eligibility requirements for on-campus work and comply with their study permit conditions.
Can a Part-Time Student Work?
The student work exemptions generally depend on full-time studies. However, an important exception exists for a student who is part-time only because they are completing the final semester of their program.
For off-campus work, IRCC states that a student may continue to qualify where:
- the student meets the other off-campus work requirements;
- the student is studying part-time only because it is the final semester and a full course load is not required to complete the program; and
- the student was a full-time student in the program in Canada until that final semester.
IRCC provides a similar final-semester exception for eligible on-campus work.
Part-time status in the final semester is not the same as choosing to study part-time earlier in the program. The exception has specific eligibility requirements.
Who Cannot Work Off Campus Under the Student Rules?
A study permit holder cannot rely on the off-campus student work exemption simply because they are studying in Canada.
IRCC identifies several situations where a student cannot work off campus without another work authorization, including where the student:
- has a study permit stating that off-campus work is not authorized;
- is enrolled only in an English or French as a second-language program;
- is taking only general-interest courses;
- is taking only courses required for admission to a full-time program; or
- no longer meets the eligibility requirements for off-campus work.
A person who does not qualify under the student work exemption would need another legal basis to work in Canada.
Co-op, Internships and Required Student Work Placements
Canada's rules for required post-secondary student work placements changed on April 1, 2026.
Eligible post-secondary international students no longer need a separate co-op work permit to participate in a required student work placement, such as a co-op placement, internship or practicum.
Under the current rules, a post-secondary student must meet the applicable requirements, including:
- being a full-time student at a Canadian DLI in an eligible post-secondary academic, vocational or professional training program;
- having the required work condition printed on the study permit;
- having a valid study permit, or having applied to extend it before expiry;
- having a letter from the DLI confirming that the work placement is required by the study program; and
- having work placements that total no more than 50% of the study program.
IRCC currently states that there is no weekly immigration hour limit for an eligible student work placement, although the placement itself cannot total more than 50% of the study program.
What about secondary-school students?
The 2026 change does not eliminate the co-op work permit requirement for eligible international students at the secondary-school level. Secondary students still need the appropriate co-op work permit to participate in a required student work placement.
Older guidance stating that every international student needs a separate co-op work permit for a required post-secondary placement is no longer current. The rules changed on April 1, 2026.
Do International Students Need a SIN to Work?
A Social Insurance Number, or SIN, is generally required to work in Canada and to receive employment-related government benefits and services.
To apply for a SIN based on student work authorization, the study permit must contain an appropriate condition indicating that the holder may work on or off campus when the applicable eligibility requirements are met.
If you are eligible to work but the appropriate condition is missing from your study permit, IRCC states that you can request an amendment to have the condition added. There is no IRCC fee for adding the condition.
The amendment should be completed before relying on the permit to apply to Service Canada for a SIN.
Does Remote Work for a Foreign Employer Count Toward the 24 Hours?
Under current IRCC guidance, an international student can work remotely for an employer located outside Canada while continuing to meet the conditions of the study permit.
IRCC states that this type of remote work for an employer outside Canada does not count toward the 24-hour weekly off-campus work limit.
This should not be confused with working remotely for a Canadian employer. The location of the worker alone does not turn Canadian employment into foreign employment.
Students should also consider any separate tax, employment or other legal obligations that may apply to their work arrangement.
What About Self-Employment?
Self-employment does not provide a way around the off-campus work-hour rules.
IRCC states that self-employed students are responsible for tracking their own off-campus working hours and proving that they complied with their study permit conditions.
For this purpose, working time can include time spent:
- earning wages;
- being paid to provide a service or sell a product; or
- collecting a commission for providing a service or selling a product.
Students should therefore keep reliable records of their work activity rather than assuming that only traditional employee hours count.
Can You Work After Completing Your Study Program?
Student work authorization does not simply continue indefinitely after completion of the program.
However, paragraph 186(w) of the Regulations can authorize certain graduates to work while IRCC processes a work permit application.
Under current IRCC guidance, a graduate may be able to work unlimited hours while waiting for a decision where the applicable requirements are met, including that the student:
- was eligible to work off campus during their studies;
- applied for the work permit, including a PGWP where applicable, before the study permit expired; and
- is waiting for IRCC to decide that application.
Whether a graduate qualifies for a post-graduation work permit is a separate question from whether they were allowed to work during their studies.
Starting another study program
IRCC also provides a specific pathway for certain students to work between programs when they have completed one program and will begin another.
The student must satisfy all of IRCC's conditions, including having been eligible for off-campus work during the previous studies, holding a valid study permit or having applied to extend it before expiry, having written confirmation of program completion, having an LOA for a new full-time program at a DLI and beginning the new program within the applicable 150-day period.
What Happens If You Work More Hours Than Allowed?
Working more off-campus hours than permitted during a regular academic session is a violation of the conditions governing student work.
IRCC warns that unauthorized work can have serious immigration consequences. A student may lose student status, may have difficulties with future study or work permit applications and may be required to leave Canada.
The consequences can also extend beyond the immediate study period. For example, eligibility to work after graduation while waiting for a PGWP decision depends in part on having complied with the applicable off-campus work requirements while studying.
Students are responsible for tracking their off-campus hours. Keep employment records, schedules and other evidence that can show compliance with the applicable weekly limit.
Work authorization should also be considered together with the student's broader immigration obligations. See Study Permit Conditions: Staying Compliant in Canada .
Working While Studying FAQs
How many hours can an international student work off campus in Canada?
An eligible student can currently work up to 24 hours per week off campus during a regular academic session.
Can I work full-time during summer break?
You may work unlimited off-campus hours during an eligible regularly scheduled break if you meet the applicable requirements. If your program does not have a scheduled break, the regular 24-hour weekly limit continues to apply.
Can I work before my classes begin?
No. The student work authorization cannot be used before you start your study program.
Can I have two off-campus jobs?
Yes, provided you remain eligible to work. During a regular academic session, however, the total hours across your off-campus jobs must remain within the applicable 24-hour weekly limit.
Can I work unlimited hours on campus?
IRCC currently does not impose a specific weekly immigration hour limit on eligible on-campus work. You must continue meeting all requirements for on-campus work.
Can I work if I am studying part-time?
Generally, student work authorization requires full-time studies. A qualifying student who is part-time only in the final semester because a full course load is not required to finish the program may continue to qualify if the other requirements are met.
Can I work while I am on an authorized leave?
No. IRCC states that students on an authorized leave cannot work on or off campus under the student work exemptions.
Do post-secondary students still need a co-op work permit?
Eligible post-secondary international students no longer need a separate co-op work permit for required student work placements as of April 1, 2026. They must still meet the current eligibility requirements. Secondary-school students remain subject to separate co-op work permit rules.
Does remote work for a foreign employer count toward my 24 hours?
IRCC currently states that remote work for an employer outside Canada does not count toward the 24-hour weekly off-campus limit, provided you continue meeting your study permit conditions.
Can I work after I finish my studies?
Possibly. Certain graduates can work while waiting for a work permit decision if they meet all applicable requirements, including having applied before their study permit expired.
Student work rules can change. Confirm the current IRCC requirements and the conditions printed on your study permit before beginning or changing employment.