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.
Who can work off campus
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.
If you’re eligible for off-campus work, you don’t need a work permit.
Eligibility requirements
You can work off campus without a work permit if you meet all of these requirements:
- You’re a full-time student at a designated learning institution (DLI)
- You’re enrolled in either of the following
- a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional training program or
- a secondary-level vocational training program (Quebec only)
- Your study program
- is at least 6 months long and
- leads to a degree, diploma or certificate
- You’ve started studying
- You have a social insurance number (SIN)
If you’re a part-time student at a DLI
You can work off campus only if:
- you meet all of the requirements above, 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 more information about working off-campus, please visit the IRCC website.
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