Can I work as many hours as I want if I’m eligible to work off campus?

No. If you're eligible to work off campus, you can work up to 24 hours per week while classes are in session. During scheduled breaks, such as summer and winter holidays, or a reading week, you're allowed to work unlimited hours.

You can start working in Canada only once you've started your study program. You can't work before your studies begin.

What is considered a scheduled break

A scheduled break

• must be scheduled by your school, and
• must last at least 7 consecutive days
  • For example, if an academic break is for a week (including the weekend), you're allowed to work unlimited hours for those 7 consecutive days.

A statutory holiday on its own, such as Labour Day, is not a scheduled break.

• A statutory holiday that creates a long weekend, for example, is also not a scheduled break by itself.

If a statutory holiday falls within an existing scheduled break (with 7 consecutive days), the rules for working unlimited hours would apply.

Scheduled breaks longer than 150 days

If your school has back-to-back scheduled breaks, creating a break period longer than 150 consecutive days, you can only work off campus during the first 150 consecutive days.

You cannot work for the entire break if it's longer than 150 consecutive days.

Maximum days per year for unlimited off campus work

Taking into account all regularly scheduled breaks, you can only work unlimited hours off campus for a total of 180 days during each calendar year.