Canada guide · verified 2026-07-04
Working While Studying in Canada, and Staying After
Working & staying on
Students can work meaningful hours during study, and Canada's central draw for many Indian families is the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), but PGWP eligibility tightened sharply from November 2024, and the pathway to permanent residence runs through Canadian work experience, not directly from the study permit.
Work while studying (off-campus)
ConditionalUp to 24 hours/week during academic sessions; unlimited in scheduled breaks (max 180 days/year)
Raised from 20 to 24 hours/week effective 8 Nov 2024. Only certain study-permit holders are eligible (generally full-time students in an eligible program at a DLI), check the specific permit conditions listed on the document issued at the port of entry. A qualifying 'scheduled break' for the unlimited-hours rule must be on the institution's academic calendar and last at least 7 consecutive days (with full-time enrolment in the terms immediately before and after); a statutory holiday alone, or one that just creates a long weekend, does not qualify. Across all scheduled breaks, unlimited-hours work is capped at 180 days per calendar year, and any single break longer than 150 consecutive days only carries unlimited hours for the first 150 days. Confirm the current break rules on the IRCC page. Exceeding the cap risks losing student status.
Student work placements (co-op/internship)
ConditionalNo separate co-op work permit needed, effective 1 Apr 2026
Previously, co-op/internship placements required a separate co-op work permit. As of 1 April 2026, eligible post-secondary students with a valid study permit (with on-campus work authorization) no longer need this separate permit for placements required by their program, provided the placement is 50% or less of the total program. Secondary (K-12) students still need a co-op work permit.
Spousal open work permit
ConditionalRestricted to masters (16+ month program) and doctoral sponsors
Tightened in stages: as of 21 Jan 2025, a spouse/common-law partner is generally eligible for an open work permit only if the study-permit holder is in a masters program of at least 16 months or a doctoral program (plus a short list of exempted professional undergraduate programs like medicine, law, and some engineering); undergraduate and most college students' spouses no longer qualify. FURTHER, since 4 March 2026 IRCC refuses the spousal open work permit (code C42) where the student is in their FINAL academic term, even on renewal, regardless of program length, assessed at officer discretion. Re-confirm on the IRCC page before advising.
Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) duration
8 months to 3 years, matching program length (masters get up to 3 years even if under 2 years)
One PGWP per lifetime, no renewal for a later program. Cannot exceed passport validity.
PGWP eligibility, language + field of study
ConditionalCLB 7 (university degree) or CLB 5 + eligible field of study (college/other programs)
Applies to study permits applied for on/after 1 Nov 2024. University bachelor's/masters/doctoral graduates need only the CLB 7 language result (no field-of-study restriction); college and university-vocational-program graduates need CLB 5 AND a program in an IRCC-listed eligible field (agriculture/agri-food, healthcare, STEM, trades, transport, the list is periodically revised). Only IRCC-designated tests count (IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, PTE Core, TEF/TCF Canada), not the university's admission test.
PGWP application fee
CAD $255 (CAD $155 processing + CAD $100 open work permit holder fee), 2026
Pathway to permanent residence
Via Express Entry (Canadian Experience Class) after ~1 year of skilled Canadian work
There is no direct study-permit-to-PR conversion. The common route: graduate → PGWP → accumulate 1,560 hours (about 1 year) of paid, authorized, skilled (NOC TEER 0/1/2/3) Canadian work experience → meet CLB 7 (TEER 0/1) or CLB 5 (TEER 2/3) → apply through Express Entry's Canadian Experience Class. Provincial Nominee Programs are an alternative/parallel route.
Work within the off-campus cap during studies
ConditionalEligible students can work up to 24 hours/week off-campus in term and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks (summer, winter, reading week). On-campus work is generally not capped the same way. Confirm eligibility conditions printed on the study permit itself.
Plan the PGWP application before the study permit expires
ConditionalApply for the PGWP as soon as the final transcript/completion confirmation is available, ideally before the study permit expires (a maintained-status/implied-status window exists but should not be relied on as a plan). Gather the designated-test language result in advance, don't discover late that the admission test doesn't count for PGWP.
When: Immediately after program completion, before the study permit lapsesBuild Canadian work experience toward Express Entry
RecommendedOn the PGWP, target a NOC TEER 0/1/2/3 role and track hours toward the 1,560-hour Canadian Experience Class threshold. Take a designated language test meeting the CLB level for the target TEER category, then enter the Express Entry pool.
The 1 Nov 2024 language/field-of-study rules apply based on when the STUDY PERMIT was applied for, not when the student graduates. Students whose study permit was applied for before 1 Nov 2024 are grandfathered out of the field-of-study requirement but still need to meet the new language requirement. Check the study-permit application date on file before promising PGWP eligibility.
Sources
- Post-graduation work permit: Who can apply, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
- Post-graduation work permit: About the PGWP, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
- Work off campus as an international student, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
- Help your spouse or common-law partner work in Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
- Simplifying the co-op work permit requirement for post-secondary international students, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
- Express Entry: Canadian Experience Class, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Where this fits
This is one step of the full Canada journey: admission, tests, application, visa, money, arrival and stay-back, every figure cited to an official source.
More on Canada
Bramica is independent and takes no commission from any university, recruiter or agency. This page is information, not immigration advice. Rules, fees and thresholds change; confirm the current requirement on the official source before acting on it.