Canada will allow international students to work 24 hours per week off campus, here’s what Indian candidates should know

However, in what may now come as a positive step for international students traveling to Canada for their academic pursuits, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said it will allow eligible students to stay without campus for up to 24 hours per week. Will allow to work. A work permit.

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Indian Students in Canada: An Overview

Needless to say, despite the decline in the number of students, Indian students are turning to Canada for their educational goals. A recent report from cbc news Data highlighted by IRCC shows that the number of study permit holders declined by 20 percent in June this year compared to the same period in 2023.

The report states that there were a total of 107,385 Indian study permit holders in Canada from January 2024 to July.

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24-hour work permit: What Indian students need to know

If you are an Indian student living in Canada and want to work in your free time to manage your finances, you may need to consider some of the things recommended by IRCC.

• According to IRCC, the student and his or her employer must ensure that the student can work off-campus without a work permit before starting work.
• If students begin working off campus without meeting the requirements, they may have to leave Canada.
• Students can start working in Canada only when their study program starts and not before starting their studies.
• If students are eligible to work off campus, they will not need a work permit.

How do you know if you are eligible?

To avail the opportunity to work off campus, students must meet the following eligibility requirements:

1. The applicant is a full-time student at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI)
2. Applicant must be enrolled in any one of the following:

• A post-secondary educational, vocational, or professional training program.
• A secondary-level vocational training program (Quebec only).

1. The applicant’s study program must be at least 6 months long and must lead to a degree, diploma or certificate
2. The student should have started studying.
3. He must have a Social Insurance Number (SIN).

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Things to remember:

• During regular school terms or semesters, students may work up to 24 hours per week. The IRCC says that they can work more than 1 job to meet these hours as long as they continue to meet the conditions of your study permit.
• During scheduled breaks in the school year, such as winter and summer breaks, or reading week, students may work an unlimited number of hours if they are on institution-determined leave. In such cases, students can take courses on a part-time or full-time basis during that break. They may also work overtime or work two part-time jobs.

Who is not eligible?

Students who fall into the categories mentioned below will not be able to work during their study programme.

• The student’s study permit states that he or she is not authorized to work off campus.
• If students are enrolled only in the English or French as a Second Language (ESL/FSL) program.
• If students are taking only general interest courses.
• If they are only taking the courses required to be accepted into a full-time program.
• Students’ circumstances change and they no longer meet all the requirements to work off campus.

For more details students are advised to visit the official website of IRCC.