Working and Volunteering
On October 7, 2022, IRCC announced the temporary lifting of the 20-hour-per-week cap on the number of hours that eligible postsecondary international students are allowed to work off-campus while class is in session. Here is a summary of this temporary policy:
- Eligible international students will not be restricted by the 20-hour-per-week rule between November 15, 2022 and December 31, 2023.
- In order to be considered eligible, international students must meet all of the following requirements:
- they have a valid study permit and their study permit has off-campus work authorization;
- they are enrolled as a full-time postsecondary student (or part-time during their final academic session);
- their study program has already started, is at least 6 months long and leads to a degree, diploma or certificate;
- they have a Social Insurance Number (SIN).
- This measure also applies to international students who have already submitted a study permit application (or study permit extension) by October 7, 2022, provided their application is later approved and they meet all the eligibility criteria above.
- Anyone applying for a study permit (or study permit extension) after October 7 will not be able to benefit from this temporary policy. That said, they can still work off campus for a maximum of 20 hours per week during regular school terms, provided they are authorized to work off campus.
- Students are responsible for keeping track of the hours that they work off campus and proving that they are complying with the conditions of their study permit.
- Students will be expected to balance their studies and work so that they can continue to take classes full-time.
Before November 15, 2022 |
Between November 15, 2022 and December 31, 2023 |
|
Applied for a Study Permit (or Study Permit extension) before October 7, 2022 |
No more than 20 hours per week |
Permitted to work more than 20 hours per week |
Applied for a Study Permit (or Study Permit extension) after October 7, 2022 |
No more than 20 hours per week |
No more than 20 hours per week |
If students have specific immigration questions pertaining to their situation, please contact our International Student Advisors at iesc@uwo.ca or schedule an appointment.
How do I know if I qualify for this temporary lifting of the 20-hour limit on off-campus work?
All international students who have a valid study permit that authorizes them to work off-campus at the time of this announcement are eligible to benefit from this temporary change, as well as those who have been approved but who haven’t yet travelled to Canada. In addition, those who applied for a study permit (or study permit extension) by October 7, 2022 and have been/are later approved for a study permit that includes off-campus work authorization, will be able to come to Canada and work more than 20 hours per week while the temporary policy is in effect.
Foreign nationals who have not yet applied for a study permit will not be able to benefit from this change.
Do international students still need to apply for a co-op work permit?
Yes, students are still required to apply for a fee-exempt co-op work permit to work on a full-time or part-time basis in a co-op placement or internship in the context of their studies. Co-op placements and internships are required to be an essential part of their program of study and required not to account for more than 50% of the program of study. The student must submit a letter from their DLI confirming these two requirements are met together with their co-op work permit application.
I have a full-time co-op placement. Can I also have other paid employment on the side?
While this temporary public policy is in place between November 15, 2022, and December 31, 2023, if you have applied for a co-op work permit and have not yet received a decision, you can use the temporary measure to work full-time or part-time in a co-op placement or internship related to your studies while waiting for a decision on your co-op work permit application.
- You may work your full-time or part-time co-op placement hours in addition to any other off-campus job you hold.
- If the decision on your co-op work permit application were to come back as a refusal, then you would need to stop working in the co-op placement.
For incoming international students starting in winter 2023 and beyond who are completing a co-op placement or internship, you may begin your full-time/part-time placement while waiting on your co-op work permit if you submitted your study permit application before October 7, 2022. You will be limited to 20 hours if you submitted your study permit application after October 7, 2022.
