Off-campus work rules for international students: May 2026 update
International students in Canada can work up to 24 hours per week off-campus during academic terms, with unlimited hours during scheduled breaks.
The headline number hasn't changed since fall 2024 — but the rules around what counts as work, what counts as a break, and how the immigration department tracks compliance have continued to shift through 2025 and into 2026. The biggest change came on April 1, 2026, with the elimination of the separate co-op work permit.
This piece is the May 2026 picture: the 24-hour rule, how scheduled breaks work, the major April change to co-op placements, and what happens if you go over.
Studying in Canada right now? Take our 5-minute survey for a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card
Current limit to study permit work authorization
International students eligible to work off campus can work up to 24 hours per week during academic terms, and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks. On-campus work is governed by a separate rule, with unlimited hours. The 24-hour cap is the firm legal limit for off-campus work during your study terms.
Who's eligible to work off-campus
Per the official Canada.ca page on working off-campus as an international student, to work off-campus without a separate work permit, you must meet all of these conditions:
- Hold a valid study permit;
- Be a full-time student at a designated learning institution (DLI);
- Be enrolled in a post-secondary academic, vocational, or professional training program (or a secondary-level vocational program in Quebec) of at least six months that leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate;
- Have started your studies — you cannot work before classes begin; and
- Have a Social Insurance Number (SIN).
Your study permit must also state on its face that you're authorized to work.
Who's not eligible
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) outlines certain situation as explicitly ineligible for off-campus work without a work permit, including the following:
- Enrollment in English as a Second Language (ESL) or French as a Second Language (FSL) programs;
- Enrollment in general-interest or self-improvement courses;
- Enrollment in preparatory or pathway programs being taken before another study program begins; and
- Exchange students at a Canadian DLI through a foreign-institution exchange.
Part-time students are also not eligible, with one exception: students in the final term of their program who are part-time only because they're finishing their final required courses can continue working off-campus under the standard rules.
The full eligibility details are on the Canada.ca off-campus work page.
What counts as a "scheduled break"
Scheduled breaks are periods when the 24-hour cap doesn't apply. To qualify, the break must be set out in your school's published academic calendar and you must be enrolled in the term immediately before and the term immediately after the break.
Standard scheduled breaks include winter break (typically late December to early January), reading week or spring break, and the summer term if you're enrolled in the spring and fall terms surrounding it. IRCC notes that a scheduled break must last at least seven days — and statutory holidays, on their own, do not count.
You can only work unlimited hours off campus for a total of 180 days during each calendar year.
What doesn't qualify: vacation time you take during a term that classes are in session, time between programs (you've finished one and not yet started the next), or breaks in a program where you weren't enrolled before and won't be enrolled after.
Studying in Canada right now? Take our 5-minute survey for a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card
The April 2026 change: no more co-op work permits
This is the biggest change to international student work rules in years.
As of April 1, 2026, eligible post-secondary international students no longer need a separate work permit to participate in student work placements required by their program, such as co-op placements and internships. The change is documented on IRCC's official news page Simplifying the co-op work permit requirement for post-secondary international students, and CIC News covered the broader April 2026 expansion of work authorization for international students and graduates.
The eligibility conditions for working without a separate co-op permit, per the IRCC announcement:
- Valid study permit (or an extension application submitted before expiry), with conditions stating you can work on campus;
- Full-time enrollment at a DLI;
- The DLI must confirm the work placement is a mandatory program requirement.
- A study program at least six months long, at the post-secondary level, leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate; and
- A required work placement that totals 50% or less of your study program.
Secondary-level students still need a co-op work permit; ESL/FSL students remain ineligible.
If you had a co-op work permit application already in the queue on April 1, IRCC is automatically withdrawing eligible and active applications — you don't need to do anything.
Study permit conditions and DLI reporting
Your study permit conditions are set out on the official Canada.ca page on study permit conditions. These include active enrollment in and pursuance of your program, complying with the conditions on your permit, and not working more than you're authorized to.
Compliance with the 24-hour rule isn't on the honour system. The official off-campus work page notes that designated learning institutions report on student enrollment to IRCC, and CRA payroll data is also accessible to IRCC for compliance review.
You're expected to keep your own timesheets and pay stubs. If you're ever asked to demonstrate compliance — at a permit renewal, post-graduation work permit (PGWP) application, or permanent residence application — these records are what you'll need to produce.
What about remote work for a foreign employer?
If you're working remotely from Canada for an employer based outside Canada, that work doesn't count toward your 24-hour off-campus cap, because off-campus work rules apply to work performed in Canada for Canadian employers. The Canada.ca off-campus work page addresses this directly.
That said, tax residency rules and the Canada Revenue Agency's treatment of foreign income may still apply. The CRA's "Newcomers to Canada" page and CRA's residency status guide are the starting points if you have foreign-source income.
What happens if you go over?
IRCC's official page on the consequences of unauthorized work sets out the consequence ladder. The page states clearly that working more hours than you're allowed is a violation of your study permit conditions, and that you can lose your student status, may not be approved for future study or work permits, and may have to leave the country.
In serious cases, unauthorized work can lead to a finding of inadmissibility under section 41 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act — and where misrepresentation is also alleged, the five-year inadmissibility period under section 40 can apply.
| Scenario | Can you work off-campus? | How many hours? |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time student, classes in session | Yes | Up to 24 hours per week |
| Full-time student, scheduled break | Yes | Unlimted |
| Final-term student, part-time enrollment only because of remaining required courses | Yes | Up to 24 hour per week during the term |
| Student in ESL/FSL program | No | — |
| Student in preparatory or pathway program | No | — |
| Co-op placement required by your program (post-April 1, 2026) | Yes, no separate permit needed | As required by placement |
| Exchange student at a Canadian DLI | No | — |
| Remote work for a foreign employer | Yes — doesn't count toward off-campus cap | Subject to tax considerations |
| Studies have not yet started | No | — |
| Studies have ended (graduated, awaiting PGWP) | No (until PGWP issued) | — |
What to do if you've already gone over
If you realize you've been working more than 24 hours in a given week, the right move is to stop immediately and document the lapse.
Consult a licensed immigration lawyer or consultant before your next study permit renewal or PGWP application — being upfront about a past compliance issue with a credible explanation is far better than having IRCC discover it during processing.
Studying in Canada right now? Take our 5-minute survey for a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card
- Do you need Canadian immigration assistance? Contact the Contact Cohen Immigration Law firm by completing our form
- Send us your feedback or your non-legal assistance questions by emailing us at media@canadavisa.com
