Working Off Campus

Study permit holders in Canada may gain work experience by working off campus while completing their studies. For more information, please visit the IRCC website.

October 7, 2022 - Ottawa - Limit on off-campus work hours to be lifted temporarily
 
"From November 15, 2022, until December 31, 2023, international students who are in Canada and who have off-campus work authorization on their study permit will not be restricted by the 20-hour-per-week rule. Foreign nationals who have already submitted a study permit application, as of today, will also be able to benefit from this temporary change, provided their application is approved.
 
This measure will provide many international students with a greater opportunity to gain valuable work experience in Canada, and will increase the availability of workers to sustain Canada’s post-pandemic growth. With more than 500,000 international students already in Canada available to potentially work additional hours, this temporary change reflects the important role international students can play in addressing our labour shortage, while continuing to pursue their studies. Study permit holders are still expected to balance their study and work commitments, as those who stop studying or reduce course loads to only study part-time are not eligible to work off-campus."
 
To read the full news release, please click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the conditions of working off campus?

You can work off campus without a work permit if you meet all the requirments placed by IRCC:Work off campus as an international student - Canada.ca

 

When am I eligible to start working in Canada?

"You and your employer must make sure you can work off campus without a work permit before you start working. If you start working off campus but don’t meet the requirements, you may have to leave Canada.

You can only start working in Canada when your study program has started. You can’t work before you start your studies.

If you’re able to work during your studies, it’ll say so in the conditions on your study permit."

For the most up-to-date information, please refer: Work off campus as an international student - Canada.ca

Can I work off-campus as a part-time student at a DLI?

As per the IRCC website: 

"You can work off campus only if:

  • you meet all of the requirements, except the requirement to be a full-time student,
  • and
  • you’re only studying part-time, instead of full-time, because:
    • you’re in the last semester of your study program and you don’t need a full course load to complete your program and
    • you were a full-time student in your program in Canada, up until your last semester"

For the most up-to-date information, please refer: Work off campus as an international student - Canada.ca

Registration Requirements for International Undergraduate Students

International undergraduate students must be registered full-time in each of the Fall and Winter semesters. During the Spring/Summer semester, international undergraduate students may register full-time, part-time or take a break.

Full-time registration for international undergraduate students is defined as:

  • registered in a minimum of nine (9) credit hours during each of the Fall and Winter semesters

To be eligible to work during a Scheduled Break, students must hold full-time status during the academic session before and after their regular scheduled break (e.g., student must register in at least 9 credit hours during the Winter and Fall semesters to be eligible to work during the Spring/Summer semester).

International Graduate students, please refer to the Faculty of Graduate Studies & Research website for registration requirements.

Can I work on an authorized leave?

As per the IRCC website:

"If you’re on an authorized leave from your studies, or you’re switching schools and you’re not studying, you can’t work off campus. You can only return to work once you’re back to studying."

For the most up-to-date information, please refer: Work off campus as an international student - Canada.ca

Who can’t work off campus?

As per the IRCC website: 

"You can’t work off campus without a work permit if any of these situations apply to you:

  • your study permit says you aren’t authorized to work off campus while you study
  • you’re only enrolled in an English or French as a second language (ESL/FSL) program
  • you’re only taking general interest courses
  • you’re only taking courses required to be accepted into a full-time program
  • your situation changes and you no longer meet all of the requirements to work off campus"

For the most up-to-date information, please refer: Work off campus as an international student - Canada.ca

Can I work off-campus if I have applied completed my study program?

You may be eligable to work off-campus after you complete your program of study. Visit the IRCC for more information: Work off campus as an international student - Canada.ca