How many hours can international students work in Canada in 2026?

Off campus, up to 24 hours a week while classes are in session and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks set by your school. On campus there is no hour limit. You must be a full-time student at a DLI with work conditions on your study permit (IRCC, checked October 2026).

Is the off-campus limit 20 or 24 hours a week?

24 hours. The limit rose from 20 to 24 hours a week when new International Student Program regulations took effect in November 2024. Older articles that still say 20 hours are out of date.

Can I work before my classes start?

No. IRCC says you can only start working in Canada once your study program has started.

Do I need a SIN to work as an international student?

Yes. To get one, your study permit must show a condition that allows you to work. If the condition is missing, ask IRCC to amend your permit (there is no fee for this) before applying to Service Canada.

What happens if I work more than 24 hours a week during classes?

It breaks your study permit conditions. IRCC warns you can lose your student status and may not be approved for a study or work permit in the future.

Do international students pay income tax in Canada?

Your tax status depends on your residential ties to Canada, not your immigration status. Many students are residents for tax and file a return like anyone else; filing also lets the CRA calculate benefit and credit payments. The CRA can give an opinion through Form NR74.

Can I keep working after I finish my program?

Generally no — you must stop once you receive your completion letter, transcript or completion email, unless you applied for a work permit such as a PGWP before your study permit expired, or you are starting a new program.

International students · Work rules checked Oct 2026

Working in Canada as an International Student (2026)

Short answer

If your study permit lists a condition that lets you work, you can work on campus with no hour limit and off campus up to 24 hours a week while classes are in session, with unlimited hours during scheduled breaks such as summer. You need a Social Insurance Number (SIN), and you can only start once your study program has started. Rules below were checked on canada.ca in October 2026.

Off campus, classes in session: 24 h/week; Raised from 20 h in November 2024
On campus: No hour limit; Full-time students with work conditions
Scheduled breaks: Unlimited; Break set by your school, 7+ days
Co-op placements: No co-op permit; Post-secondary, since April 1, 2026

Who this is for: International students at a designated learning institution (DLI) who want a part-time job, a co-op placement or their first Canadian work experience — and who can't use most IRCC-funded settlement services because they are temporary residents.

Can you work while studying? The conditions

IRCC lets you work off campus without a separate work permit only when all of these are true:

Your study permit has a printed condition that allows you to work.
You are a full-time student at a designated learning institution (DLI).
You have started a program of at least 6 months that leads to a degree, diploma or certificate.
You have a Social Insurance Number (SIN).

Students taking only English or French as a second language, or only general-interest courses, can't work off campus. You can't start working before your study program begins.

Sources: IRCC: Work off campus as an international student; IRCC: Work on campus as an international student — checked October 2026.

On-campus vs off-campus work

On-campus and off-campus work rules for international students (IRCC, checked October 2026)
	On campus	Off campus
Hours while classes are in session	No limit	Up to 24 hours a week, all jobs combined
Hours during scheduled breaks	No limit	Unlimited
Where	Buildings on your school's campus — usually only the campus where you study	Any employer in Canada
Must stop when	You stop studying full time, your permit expires, you're on authorized leave, or you're switching schools and not studying	You no longer meet the conditions above — for example, you stop studying full time
When your program ends	Stop once you receive your completion letter, final transcript or completion email (exceptions below)	Same rule

If your final semester is part-time, IRCC still lets you work on campus as long as you studied full time in every earlier semester.

Sources: IRCC: Work on campus as an international student; IRCC: Work off campus as an international student; IRCC help centre: Can I keep working after I've finished my study program? — checked October 2026.

The 24-hour off-campus limit in practice

The limit is 24 hours per week while classes are in session. It took effect in November 2024, replacing the old 20-hour rule.
You can split those hours across more than one job — the 24 hours is the total.
During a scheduled break (summer, winter holidays, reading week) you can work unlimited hours. The break must be scheduled by your school and last at least 7 consecutive days.
IRCC's help centre adds that, counting all scheduled breaks, you can work unlimited hours off campus for a total of 180 days in each calendar year.
IRCC says remote work for an employer outside Canada doesn't count toward the 24 hours, as long as you keep meeting your study permit conditions.

Working more than 24 hours a week during classes breaks your study permit conditions. IRCC warns you can lose your student status and may be refused a study or work permit in the future.

Sources: IRCC: Work off campus as an international student; IRCC news (Nov 2024): New International Student Program regulations take effect; IRCC help centre: Can I work as many hours as I want if I'm eligible to work off campus?; Government of Canada: Consequences of unauthorized work — checked October 2026.

Get your SIN before your first shift

To apply for a SIN, your study permit must show a condition that lets you work on or off campus. If it doesn't, ask IRCC to amend your permit first — there's no fee to add the conditions.
Apply online (Service Canada's fastest option), by mail, or in person at a Service Canada Centre.
A SIN issued to a temporary resident starts with a 9 and expires on the same date as your study permit.

Sources: Service Canada: SIN for temporary residents; Service Canada: Apply for a Social Insurance Number — checked October 2026.

How to find a part-time job as a student

This part is practical advice, not a government rule. Most students land their first job through three channels: the campus career centre and on-campus job board, local employers you can walk into, and public job boards such as Job Bank (opens in a new tab).

Pick 2–3 entry-level roles that fit your timetable — see the best part-time jobs for international students with resume and interview examples for each.
Put your exact availability (days and hours) at the top of your resume. Front-line managers schedule shifts, so availability is the first thing they read.
Tailor each application: mirror two or three words from the posting, then run it through the ATS resume checker.
Keep a simple tracker so you follow up after 5–7 business days — the free job application tracker works without signup.
Check your province's minimum wage and student rules on the province pages below.

Resume and cover letter for students

One page, no photo, no date of birth or marital status — Canadian employers don't expect them.
Lead with availability, then skills, then experience. Coursework, group projects, volunteering and work from before you came to Canada all count.
Use numbers you can stand behind: customers served per shift, cash handled, orders packed, events run.
Keep the cover letter to three short paragraphs: the role, two proofs, your availability.

Guides: student resume for Canada, part-time job resume, cover letter for a part-time job and the resume builder for students.

Taxes on student income: the basics

For tax, the CRA looks at your residential ties to Canada (a home you rent, a Canadian bank account, a job, provincial health insurance), not your immigration status. If you establish significant residential ties — for example by renting a room or apartment here — you're generally a resident for tax purposes.
If you don't establish significant ties and stay in Canada less than 183 days in the year, you're generally a non-resident for tax. You can ask the CRA for an opinion with Form NR74.
File a return even with little or no income: the CRA uses it to calculate benefit and credit payments.

To see roughly what a part-time paycheque leaves after tax, CPP and EI, use the salary after tax calculator or open your province below — each province page works out take-home pay at 24 hours a week.

Sources: CRA: Taxes for international students studying in Canada; CRA: Students and the CRA — checked October 2026.

Job scams that target international students

Paying for a job. Honest companies pay recruiters to find workers; a recruiter or "agent" who charges you to find a job is a red flag. So is up-front payment for applications, training or supplies.
Jobs that don't exist on the employer's site. IRCC advises checking that the position is listed on the company's own website.
Guarantees. No one can guarantee you a job, a visa or permanent residence.
Fake IRCC calls. IRCC will never contact you by phone, online or in person to collect fees or fines to avoid deportation.
Tuition through a third party. Pay tuition directly to your school.

Report fraud through IRCC's reporting page (opens in a new tab). For general job scams, the Competition Bureau keeps a job and employment scams guide (opens in a new tab).

Sources: IRCC: Online and telephone immigration scams; IRCC: International student fraud; IRCC: How to report scams, fraud or abuse; Competition Bureau Canada: Job and employment scams — checked October 2026.

When your program ends

You generally must stop working once you receive your official completion letter, transcript or completion email. The exceptions IRCC lists: you applied for a work permit (such as a PGWP) before your study permit expired, or you're starting a new study program. Read the PGWP guide before your final semester.

Source: IRCC help centre: Can I keep working after I've finished my study program? — checked October 2026.