Normally, international students are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week during their regular academic term. However, to help with Canada’s labour shortage, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that effective today, Nov 15 and through December 31,2023, 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. This new measure will provide the more than 500,000 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. Between January and August 2022, IRCC issued more than 452,000 study application permits.
Students can work off campus without a work permit if they meet all of these requirements:
> a full-time student at a designated learning institution (DLI)
> enrolled in
-
- a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional training program or
- a secondary-level vocational training program (Quebec only)
> the study program
-
- is at least 6 months long and
- leads to a degree, diploma or certificate
> started studying
> have a Social Insurance Number (SIN)
Who can work more than 20 hours per week off campus
From November 15, 2022, until December 31, 2023, you can work more than 20 hours per week off campus while class is in session if you
> are a study permit holder and are studying at a DLI full-time (or part-time during your final academic session), OR
> have been approved for a study permit but haven’t arrived in Canada yet
In addition, you must meet all these requirements:
> You must ensure we received your application for this study permit (including extensions) on or before October 7, 2022.
> You must have an off-campus work authorization on your study permit.
> You must be either in Canada or coming to Canada by December 31, 2023.
Please book a consultation to discuss how to get a student permit.