International students in Canada can work up to 24 hours per week off campus during regular school terms, without a separate work permit. During scheduled breaks like summer holidays and reading week, eligible students can work unlimited hours. But the eligibility conditions are strict, and getting them wrong can cost you your status.
Who qualifies
You can work off campus without a work permit only if all of the following apply: you are a full-time student at a designated learning institution (DLI); your program has started; it is a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional program (or secondary-level vocational training in Quebec); it lasts at least six months and leads to a degree, diploma or certificate; your study permit includes off-campus work conditions; and you have a social insurance number (SIN).
My permit says 20 hours, can I work 24?
Yes. If your current study permit still carries the older 20-hour condition, IRCC confirms you may work up to 24 hours per week as long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements. There is no fee to have conditions added to a permit that is missing them.
Who cannot work off campus
You cannot rely on this rule if you are only enrolled in an ESL/FSL program, only taking general interest or prerequisite courses, on an authorized leave, or if your permit says you are not authorized to work. Part-time students qualify only in their final semester after having studied full time.
Counting your hours
You are responsible for tracking your hours, including self-employment time spent earning wages or commission. Working more than 24 hours per week during the term is a breach of your permit conditions and can lead to loss of status and future refusals. One helpful nuance: remote work for an employer outside Canada does not count toward the 24-hour cap.
After you finish your program
If you apply for a work permit, such as the post-graduation work permit, before your study permit expires, you can work unlimited hours while you wait for the decision. Students starting a new full-time program within 150 days of completing the previous one may also keep working.
A lawyer’s note
Most student status problems I see start small: a few extra shifts, a course load that quietly dropped below full time, or a break that was not actually scheduled by the school. If you are unsure whether your situation qualifies, get advice before you work the hours, fixing unauthorized work after the fact is far harder. See our study permit services.
Official source: IRCC: Work off campus as an international student.
This article is general legal information, not legal advice. Immigration rules change frequently and every case is different. For advice about your situation, book a consultation.
About the author
Miguel Martins Pereirinha is a Canadian immigration lawyer and partner at Slayen Immigration Law in Vancouver, British Columbia. He practises Canadian immigration law exclusively — work permits, permanent residence, family sponsorship, citizenship and inadmissibility — and works with clients in English and Portuguese.
