Study & work · Students
How many hours international students can work in Canada
The short answer
As of 2026, an eligible international student in Canada can work up to 24 hours per week off campus while classes are in session, the cap IRCC set in November 2024, up from the old 20 hours. During scheduled school breaks, such as summer and winter holidays, you can work full-time. Working more than allowed breaks your study permit conditions and can cost you your status.
On this page
The number changed recently, and old blog posts still quote the wrong one. The current rule comes straight from IRCC, and so does the line you must not cross.
The current rule
As of 2026, an eligible international student can work up to 24 hours per week off campus while their classes are in session. IRCC raised the cap from 20 hours to 24 hours when new International Student Program regulations took effect in November 2024. That 24-hour limit is the number to plan around today.
By the numbers
24 hours
IRCC — Work off campusFull-time
IRCC — Work off campusYou can hold more than one job to reach those 24 hours, as long as you keep meeting the conditions of your study permit. The cap is on total hours, not on the number of employers.
During scheduled breaks
During a scheduled break in your academic calendar, you can work full-time, and the 24-hour cap lifts. This covers the summer holidays, the winter break between semesters, and a reading week.
Two conditions apply. The break must be scheduled by your school, and you must be a full-time student both before and after it. If you’re in your very first semester, or you’ve finished your final class, you’re not on a break in this sense. You are either not yet studying or no longer studying, and the full-time allowance doesn’t apply.
On campus vs off campus
On-campus and off-campus work follow different limits, and you can do both if you qualify. The 24-hour weekly cap is an off-campus rule; on-campus work has no weekly hour limit set by IRCC, but you must stay a full-time student to keep doing it.
Off campus
- Up to 24 hours per week while class is in session
- Full-time during scheduled school breaks
- No separate work permit needed if your permit allows it
- Program must be 6+ months and lead to a degree, diploma or certificate
On campus
- No fixed weekly hour cap set by IRCC
- Must be a full-time student at your DLI
- Work must be on your institution's campus
- Your study permit must carry the work condition
For both, the baseline is the same: a valid study permit, full-time enrolment at a designated learning institution (DLI), and the work condition printed on your permit.
What counts as a violation
Working more hours than allowed, or working when you’re not eligible, breaks the conditions of your study permit, and the consequences reach far beyond a single paycheque.
Working more than allowed can cost you your status
IRCC is explicit: working more than the permitted hours violates your study permit conditions. You can lose your student status, and you may not be approved for a future study or work permit. Losing status can also make you ineligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP), which for most students is the bridge to Canadian work experience and permanent residence. Cash-in-hand work that pushes you over the limit is still counted. The 24-hour cap is not a soft target.
The riskiest habit is treating cash or “under the table” jobs as invisible. They are not exempt from the cap, and undeclared income creates a separate problem with the Canada Revenue Agency. If you’re near the limit, count every job together.
Checking your permit
Your ability to work is not automatic. It is a condition printed on your study permit. If you’re a full-time student at a DLI and eligible to work, IRCC adds a remark to your permit stating that you may work on or off campus while studying.
Read your permit before you take any job. Look for the condition that says you’re authorized to work. If your permit instead says you’re not authorized to work in Canada, you cannot work off campus at all, not even 24 hours, until you have that condition amended or hold a separate work permit. The permit is the authority; a school email or a job offer is not.
Your study permit is valid, not expired
The permit carries the condition allowing you to work
You're enrolled full-time at a DLI and your program has started
You have a Social Insurance Number (SIN)
What to do next
- Planning your studies in Canada? See how we handle Canada study permits end to end.
- Building toward permanent residence? Understand how Canadian study and work experience feed your PR profile.
- Have a question about your own permit conditions? Talk to our RCIC-licensed team.
Common questions
How many hours can international students work in Canada in 2026?
Up to 24 hours per week off campus while your classes are in session. IRCC raised the cap from 20 to 24 hours when new International Student Program regulations took effect in November 2024, and 24 hours remains the limit as of 2026. During scheduled academic breaks you can work full-time, with no weekly cap.
Can international students work full-time during summer break in Canada?
Yes. If you're eligible to work off campus, you can work unlimited hours during a scheduled break in your academic calendar, whether that is summer holidays, the winter break, or a reading week. You must be a continuing full-time student both before and after the break. Once class resumes, the 24-hour weekly cap applies again.
What happens if I work more than 24 hours a week as a student in Canada?
Working more than 24 hours a week while class is in session violates your study permit conditions. IRCC says you can lose your student status, and you may not be approved for a future study or work permit. Losing status can also make you ineligible for a post-graduation work permit, which is a serious blow to your path to PR.
Do international students need a work permit to work off campus in Canada?
No. If you're a full-time student at a designated learning institution in an eligible program, and your study permit carries the condition allowing work, you can work off campus without a separate work permit. Your study permit must be valid, and your program must be at least six months long and lead to a degree, diploma or certificate.
When can international students start and stop working in Canada?
You can only start working once your study program begins, not before. When your studies end, your authorization to work off campus without a permit ends too. To keep working after you finish, you generally need a post-graduation work permit, which you must apply for within 180 days of getting confirmation you completed your program.
Related guides
Study permit & PGWP
One wrong assumption costs the PGWP.
Work hours, a programme change, the field-of-study rules: each quietly decides whether you can stay after you graduate. Have your case read before it becomes a refusal.
Three fields · about 30 seconds