4 ways to work while studying in Canada

As an international student studying in Canada, you may be permitted to work without a work permit during your studies.

Canada’s immigration policy broadens the opportunity to gain valuable work experience for international students who have chosen Canada as their study destination.

Working off campus

With a validCanadian study permit, an international student may be eligible to work for an employer outside the campus of the institution at which they are studying.

Where eligible to work off campus, international students may work up to 20 hours a week during regular academic terms, and full time during scheduled breaks such as the winter, summer or spring holidays.

To be eligible to work off campus during their studies, an international student must:

• Hold a valid study permit.
• Be studying full time at aDesignated Learning Institution in Canada (DLI).
• Have begun their studies and maintain satisfactory academic standing as determined by their institution.
• Be studying on an academic, vocational or professional training programme lasting at least six months and leading to a degree, diploma or certificate.
• Hold aSocial Insurance Number (SIN).

Where an international student’s circumstances change and they no longer meet any of the eligibility requirements above, they must stop working off campus.

In some cases, a student who is no longer studying full time may continue working off campus where they:

• Have been registered as a full-time student since beginning their programme of study in Canada.
• Are currently studying part time because it is the final term of their programme and a full-time timetable is no longer needed to complete it.

The following international students are not eligible to work off campus:

• Students on an English as a Second Language (ESL) or French as a Second Language (FSL) programme.
• Students taking a general interest course or programme.
• Visiting or exchange students at a designated learning institution.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)assesses a student’s full-time status on the basis of the hours and credits allocated to completing the degree, diploma or certificate, as determined by the DLI.

Working on campus

An international student may work within the campus of the institution at which they are studying, provided they meet specific criteria.

For an international student to work on campus without a work permit, they must:

• Hold a valid study permit.
• Hold a Social Insurance Number (SIN).
• Be registered as a full-time post-secondary student at a:
  • Public post-secondary institution, such as a college or university, or a CEGEP in Quebec.
  • Private college-level institution in Quebec operating under the same rules as public institutions and funded at least 50% by government grants.
  • Canadian private institution lawfully able to confer degrees under provincial law.

On-campus employment means working for an employer located on the campus of the institution at which the student is studying.

On-campus employers include the institution, a member of the teaching staff, a student organisation, a private business (located on campus), a private contractor providing services to the institution, and self-employment on campus.

Co-op students and interns

International students pursuing a programme at a DLI in Canada that requires a mandatory work placement or internship must apply for a co-op or internship work permit in addition to a valid study permit.

Find out more aboutCo-op work permits.

The post-graduation work permit

When an international student graduates, they may receive aPost-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

In some cases, the spouse or common-law partner of a full-time international student may be eligible for an open work permit.

Find out more about ways of working while studying in Canada on the Government of Canada website athere.