This information is for orientation only. Working beyond IRCC conditions can affect your status, renewal, and PGWP. Always check the IRCC “work off campus” page and the conditions printed on your study permit.
Work roadmap
Study permit conditions → SIN → job search → written contract → payroll/taxes → PGWP planning
Checklist before accepting a shift
- Read the study permit: confirm whether it authorizes on-campus or off-campus work.
- Check IRCC: weekly limits during academic sessions and scheduled-break rules can change.
- Apply for a SIN: only through Service Canada and share it only with employer, bank, and CRA.
- Verify minimum wage: use the province or territory where the work is performed.
- Keep proof: contract, timesheets, payslips, T4s, and messages about your student status.
Common student work types
| Type | Common use | Key check |
|---|---|---|
| On campus | Library, dining, research assistant | IRCC conditions and definition of campus |
| Off campus | Retail, hospitality, tutoring, admin | IRCC limit during academic sessions |
| Co-op / internship | Programs with a mandatory work component | May require a co-op work permit |
| Gig / self-employed | Freelance, delivery, platforms | Tax risk and compatibility with status |
Verified: July 2026 — IRCC — Work off campus
Minimum wage and employment standards
Canada does not have one minimum wage for all jobs. Provinces and territories set employment standards for most work; federally regulated sectors have their own rules. Avoid stale numbers: always search the official provincial page.
| Item | Varies by province? | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | Yes | Amount, effective date, special categories |
| Overtime | Yes | Daily/weekly thresholds and approvals |
| Vacation pay | Yes | Percentage, accrual, and payslip treatment |
| Termination notice | Yes | Minimum period, probation, cause |
Payroll, tax, and documents
- Sign a contract or offer letter: role, pay, hours, location, supervisor.
- Complete tax forms: federal TD1 and, where required, the provincial form.
- Check each payslip: hours, gross pay, deductions, vacation pay, and net pay.
- Download your T4: issued after year-end and needed for the tax return.
- Keep an hours calendar: useful if IRCC or an employer asks for proof.
PGWP: plan before the final semester
The Post-Graduation Work Permit can be an important bridge after studies, but it should not be treated as guaranteed. IRCC assesses criteria linked to institution, program, duration, completion, application timing, and updated requirements.
| Decision | Why it matters | When to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Program choice | Not every pathway leads to the same PGWP outcome | Before paying a deposit |
| Breaks from study | Can affect full-time status | Before pausing or reducing courses |
| Study permit expiry | You need valid status or the right strategy | Final semester |
| Updated IRCC rules | Requirements can change | Before applying |
Official links
Work-rights matrix for 2026
Before the course starts, a study permit does not authorise work. During an academic term, an eligible student may work off campus for no more than 24 hours in each week across every employer and self-employed activity; there is no monthly averaging. Unlimited hours apply only during an official scheduled break when the student is eligible immediately before and after it. Work must stop during an authorised leave, deferral, suspension or period without study.
Remote work for a genuinely foreign employer normally does not count toward the off-campus limit, but it can remain taxable. Keep contracts, hours and payment records. From 1 April 2026, many eligible post-secondary curricular placements no longer require the former co-op work permit; verify that the placement is part of the programme and that the new rule covers the individual case.
Employment standards are provincial: use Ontario rules for Toronto, British Columbia rules for Vancouver and CNESST for Montreal. Keep contract, schedules, actual hours, pay statements and deposits. After the completion letter is issued, do not continue automatically under the student rule; full-time work while a PGWP is pending requires a timely application made while the permit was valid and prior compliance.
Sources
CRA, IRCC and police do not demand payment through gift cards or crypto. End the call and contact the official channel.
Cold, ice, wildfire smoke and storms can disrupt transport and classes. Prepare a plan and basic supplies.
Quick reference
Daily safety is generally good, but practical risks include rental scams, digital fraud, extreme weather, winter driving and isolation in suburban or remote areas. Prevention matters more than reaction.
Day-to-day safety
Everyday safety
Common scams
Watch for fake rentals, job offers involving cheques or upfront fees, calls pretending to be CRA/IRCC and requests to pay fines through gift cards or crypto.
Emergencies
Who to contact
If something goes wrong
Practical rules
Employment contracts, tenant rights and driving are partly local. Before signing or driving, check provincial websites, campus legal clinics or settlement services.