Working during education | Lana Immigration

Working when on study permit:

Please note that you can only start working in Canada when you start your study program, and you can not do it before.

On-campus:

You can work on your school campus, without a work permit, if you:

are a full-time post-secondary student at a:
- public post-secondary school, such as a college or university, or CEGEP in Quebec
- private college-level school in Quebec that operates under the same rules as public schools, and is at least 50% funded by government grants, or
- Canadian private school that can legally award degrees under provincial law
have a valid study permit, and
have a Social Insurance Number (SIN).

Off-campus:

You can work for up to 20 hours a week during the studies and full time during scheduled breaks in the school year if :

you’re a full-time student at a designated learning institution (DLI)
you’re enrolled in:
1. a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional training program or
2. a secondary-level vocational training program (Quebec only)
your study program
1. is at least 6 months long and
2. leads to a degree, diploma or certificate
your study permit says you can work off-campus
you have a Social Insurance Number (SIN)

Work as a co-op student or intern

Some study programs include work experience as part of their curriculum. You can apply for a co-op or intern work permit if:

you have a valid study permit
work is required to complete your study program in Canada
you have a letter from your school that confirms all students in your program need to complete work placements to get their degree, and
your co-op placement or internship totals 50% or less of your study program