Work In Canada
If you have a study permit and you are registered as a full-time student at a DLI, you may be able to work on-campus or off-campus. If so, your student permit will include a condition that says you are allowed to work while studying.
If you do not have a study permit, you can’t work while you are studying in Canada. In this case, you need to apply for a work permit.
Who is eligible to work?
You can only start working in Canada when you start your study program. You can’t work before your studies begin.
You can work as an international student in Canada if your study permit lists a condition that says you’re allowed to work on- or off-campus.
You can work on your school campus without a work permit if you:
- are a full-time post-secondary student at a
- public post-secondary school, such as a college, university, trade or technical school, or CEGEP in Quebec
- private post-secondary school in Quebec that operates under the same rules as public schools in Quebec.
- private or public secondary or post-secondary institutions in Quebec offering qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer leading to a diploma of vocational studies (DVS) or an attestation of vocational specialization (AVS)
- Canadian private schools can legally award degrees under provincial law (for example, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctorate), but only if the student is enrolled in a study program leading to a degree authorized by the province. This may not include all programs of study offered by the private institution.
- have a valid study permit and
- have a Social Insurance Number (SIN).
How many hours can you work off campus?
During regular school terms/semesters
You have the option of working up to 20 hours per week. You can work more than one job to make up these hours as long as you follow the terms of your study permit.
During scheduled breaks in the school year,
If you’re on a scheduled break, such as the winter and summer holidays, or a fall or spring reading week, you can work full-time. You are free to work overtime or two part-time jobs that add up to more hours than usual.
To work full-time, you must be a full-time student both before and after the break.
You cannot work during the break preceding the start of your first school semester.
Who can’t work off campus?
If any of the following situations apply to you, you are not permitted to work off campus without a work permit:
- Your study permit states that you are not permitted to work off campus while studying.
- You are only enrolled in a programme for English or French as a second language (ESL/FSL).
- You’re only taking courses of general interest.
- You are only taking courses that are required for admission to a full-time programme.
- Your circumstances have changed, and you no longer meet all of the requirements for working off campus.
- If you fall into any of these categories and want to work while studying in Canada, you must apply for a work permit.
Students with a part-time course load in their final semester
If you were a full-time student in every semester of your program but you’re studying part-time in your final semester to finish your required coursework, you can still work an unlimited number of hours on campus.