Canada Raises Off-Campus Work Hour Limit for Foreign Students

• Off-campus work raised to 24 hrs/week for intl students
• Full-time DLI, 6+ month program, valid SIN required
• Study permits down 49% to 155K/year; India fraud scrutiny

As​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ per the announcement made by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), starting this week, Canada has raised the number of off-campus work hours to 24 per week for international students during a regular academic term. This revision enables full-time students at designated learning institutions (DLIs) to work more than one job to the maximum without obtaining a separate work permit, if their study permit allows off-campus work and they stay eligible.

It is only after the program has started that the students may commence their work. The conditions must be clearly indicated on the study permit. The eligibility requirements include being a student in an academic, vocational, or professional post-secondary program (or secondary vocational in Quebec) of at least six months duration, leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate, and having a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN). Those enrolled in ESL/FSL, general courses, or preparatory programs are not qualified.

Also Read: Canada Revises Visa, eTA, Study & Work Permit Rules

Such a relaxation measure is timed with the implementation of more stringent immigration controls under the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan that reduces new study permits to 155,000 per year - a 49% decrease from the previous targets - in an effort to slow down the growth of temporary residents. The plan also intends to bring the number of non-permanent residents to less than 5% of the total population by 2027. There are reports that the reason for the increased checking of visas applications from India and Bangladesh is fraud, and thus, rejections are possible.

This strategy sustains students in need of money during rising periods of living costs and at the same time, it cares for the housing and the infrastructure that are suffering because of the rapid population growth. Students having permits that are no longer valid (for instance, 20-hour limits) may now work for 24 hours if they meet other ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌requirements.