Canada has announced the off-campus work rules for international students. All the eligible full-time students working off-campus can work 20 hours per week while the class is in session. A new rule to increase to 24 hours per week is expected to take effect later this fall, as announced earlier this year. Fall in Canada officially begins on September 22 and ends on December 21.
Working more than 20 hours per week constitutes a violation of your study permit requirements. You risk losing your student status and being denied a study or work permit in the future. You may also need to leave the country.
Earlier in April 2024, Canada announced that the off-campus work hours for international students will return to the 20 Âhour-per-week limit from May 1, 2024. The temporary policy that waived the 20-hour limit by allowing students to work unlimited hours is no more in practice since May 2024. The temporary policy allowing students to work more than 20 hours per week off campus came to an end on April 30, 2024.
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What it means is that the rule to work for unlimited hours is already expired and currently students can work off-campus 20 hours per week while the class is in session. The Canadian government is yet to implement the 24-hour per week off-campus work for international students later in the year.
Who can work off-campus
A work permit is not required if you are permitted to work off-campus. However, before you begin employment, you and your employer must confirm that you are permitted to work off campus without a work permit. The terms of your study permit will specify whether or not you are allowed to work while you are a student. You might have to leave Canada if you start working off campus but don’t match the standards. Only after the commencement of your study program can you begin working in Canada. Before you begin your studies, you cannot work.
Recent studies conducted in the United States and Canada have indicated that students who work more than 28 hours per week have a significant loss in academic performance and that working more than 24 hours per week increases the likelihood of a student dropping out of their program.
Most countries that welcome overseas students limit the number of hours they can work while studying. Australia recently amended its policy, allowing students to work 48 hours every two weeks. In the United States, students must complete extra requirements before being allowed to work off campus at all.