Three ways to work without a work permit
| Type | Hours | Key conditions |
|---|---|---|
| On campus | No limit, during terms and breaks | Full-time post-secondary student at a DLI; permit allows on-campus work; SIN. |
| Off campus | Up to 24 hours a week during regular terms; no limit during scheduled breaks | Full-time student in a post-secondary program (or Quebec secondary-level vocational program) of at least 6 months leading to a degree, diploma or certificate; program already started; valid permit (or extension applied for before expiry) that allows off-campus work; SIN. |
| Co-op or internship (post-secondary) | No weekly limit; the placement must be 50% or less of the program | Since April 1, 2026, no co-op work permit is needed if the DLI confirms the placement is required and the other conditions are met. |
You can only start working when your study program starts.
Working on campus
Who is eligible
A full-time student at a DLI in a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional program, or a Quebec secondary-level vocational program, with a valid study permit (or an extension applied for before expiry) that allows on-campus work, and a SIN.
What "on campus" means
Any building on the campus where you study. With several campuses, generally only your own. A location off campus counts only if you are a teaching or research assistant, the work is strictly tied to a research grant, and the place is a library, hospital or research facility linked to your school. Your employer can be the school, a faculty member, a student organization, your own on-campus business, a private business or a contractor providing on-campus services to the school.
Final semester
If you were full-time in every earlier semester, you may study part-time in your final semester and still work on campus.
When to stop
If you stop full-time studies (except the final semester), your permit expires, you go on authorized leave, or you switch schools and are not studying.
Working off campus
- 24 hours a week in regular termsYou can split the 24 hours across several jobs. A permit that still says 20 hours allows up to 24 if you meet all the conditions.
- Scheduled breaksNo hour limit during your DLI's scheduled breaks, such as winter or summer holidays or reading week. You must be a full-time student before and after the break. Programs without scheduled breaks stay at 24 hours.
- Remote work for a foreign employerIRCC says remote work for an employer outside Canada does not count toward the 24 hours, as long as you still meet your permit conditions.
- Self-employmentHours include time spent earning wages, providing paid services, selling products and earning commissions. You must track and be able to prove your hours.
- Final semesterPart-time in the final semester is allowed if you were full-time until then and only need a lighter load to finish.
Who cannot work off campus
- Students whose permit says they may not work off campus.
- Students taking only English or French as a second language.
- Students taking only general-interest courses.
- Students taking only courses required before acceptance into a full-time program.
- Students on authorized leave, or switching schools and not studying.
Co-op and internships
Since April 1, 2026, post-secondary international students no longer need a co-op work permit for a required work placement. Existing co-op work permits can be used until they expire. If you applied for one you no longer need, you can withdraw the application, or IRCC may withdraw it and send you a letter.
Post-secondary conditions
Your initial study permit allows on-campus work; your DLI confirms in a letter that the placement is required; you are a full-time student; the placement is 50% or less of the program; your permit is valid or you applied to extend before it expired.
Secondary-school students
Still need a co-op work permit. The school must confirm that all students in the program complete placements, and the placement must be 50% or less of the program.
Medical exam
A placement at a hospital or other health-sensitive setting may require an immigration medical exam.
Changing placement
A post-secondary student who changes school or placement does not need a new co-op work permit.
If your permit has no work conditions
You need the work condition on your permit before you can get a SIN. If it is missing, ask IRCC to amend the permit; IRCC says there is no fee for adding work conditions. If your permit prohibits off-campus work but your situation changed (for example, you finished prerequisite courses and started a full-time program), you can apply to change the conditions. That application has a fee.
Between programs and after graduation
Waiting for a PGWP or work permit
You can work full-time while you wait if you had a valid study permit when you applied, completed your program, and were allowed to work off campus without exceeding your hours. If refused, stop working the day you are told.
Starting a new program
You can work without an hour limit between programs if you were eligible to work off campus, have a valid permit (or applied to extend), have written confirmation of completion, have a letter of acceptance for a new full-time program at a DLI, and start it within 150 days of that confirmation.
Status rules that affect work
Authorized leave
No on- or off-campus work during an authorized leave, even if the permit allows work.
Unauthorized work
Working too many hours or while ineligible breaks your conditions. You can lose your status, may have to leave Canada, and future permits, including a PGWP, can be refused.
Strike closures
If a strike temporarily closes your school and you are authorized to work, that authorization continues for up to 150 days.
Employment standards
Provincial employment rules, including minimum wage, protect international students in the same way as other workers.
Work and your PGWP
Unauthorized work can make you ineligible for a post-graduation work permit and can make Canadian experience unusable for permanent residence. Keep pay stubs, schedules and proof of your full-time enrolment.
Official sources
- IRCC: Work while you study
- IRCC: Work on campus
- IRCC: Work off campus
- IRCC: Student work placements (co-op and internships)
- IRCC: Study permit conditions
- IRCC: PGWP, after you apply
This page is general information about Canadian immigration law and policy as of the date above. It is not legal advice for your situation. Programs, forms and fees change often; check the official sources before you apply.