On-campus and student work placement work [R186(f)] – Authorization to work without a work permit – International Mobility Program

In these instructions, “officer” refers to employees of both Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency.

Post-secondary students who are already in Canada may now participate in their student work placement using their on-campus work authorization, provided they meet all the eligibility requirements.

On this page

• Eligibility requirements
  • Full-time post-secondary students with a part-time course load in their final academic session
• Ineligibility for on campus work
• Definition of “on-campus work”
• Work locations
  • Campus locations
  • Student work placements
  • Research locations
  • Remote work
• Employer for on-campus work
• Occupations
• Working on campus in addition to working off campus
• Previous updates

Eligibility requirements

Full-time post-secondary students may work without a work permit on the campus of the university or college at which they are a full-time student [R186(f)]. This authorization will be indicated on their study permit and will be valid for the period for which they hold a study permit at the institution and during which they are enrolled in full-time studies.

On-campus work eligibility applies to students who are

• engaged in full-time studies at
  • a public post-secondary institution, such as
    • a college
    • a trade or technical school
    • a university
    • a CEGEP (in Quebec)
  • a private post-secondary institution that operates under the same rules and regulations as public institutions in Quebec
  • a private or public secondary or post-secondary institution in Quebec offering qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer leading to
    • a diploma of vocational studies (DVS)
    • an attestation of vocational specialization (AVS)
  • a Canadian private institution authorized by provincial statute to confer degrees, such as an associate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, but only if the student is enrolled in a program of study leading to a degree, as authorized by the province, which may not include all programs of study offered by the private institution

Full-time post-secondary students with a part-time course load in their final academic session

Students whose study permit indicates that they are authorized to work on campus and who have maintained full-time status for the duration of their program of study, but who only require a part-time course load in their final academic session in order to complete their program of study, are still considered to be a full-time student during their final academic session.

Ineligibility for on-campus work

On-campus work is not permitted

• on the day the student stops studying full-time, unless they are in their final semester and meet other on-campus working requirements
• when the student’s study permit expires
• if the student is on an authorized leave from their studies
• if the student is switching schools and is not currently studying

The student can return to work only once they are back to studying and they meet all the requirements to work on campus.

Definition of “on-campus work”

On-campus work is defined as occurring at employment facilities within the boundaries of the following:

• campus locations
• student work placements
• research locations

There is no limit on work hours for on-campus work, and full-time post-secondary students may participate in different forms of on-campus work.

Work locations

Campus locations

Students are allowed to work on the campus of the educational institution at which they are registered in full-time studies. If an institution has more than one campus, the student can work at different locations on those campuses provided they are within the same municipality. If an institution has campuses in different cities, the student is restricted to working on the campus where they are registered as a full-time student.

Student work placements

Student work placements are work experiences that are an essential part of a study program and related to a given field of study. They can include, but are not limited to, the following:

• co-op placements
• internships
• practicums
• mentorship programs

Students who are eligible for on-campus work can participate in student work placements outside of the boundaries of their educational institution so long as that work meets the following conditions (in addition to other on-campus eligibility requirements):

• the student work placement is an essential part of a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional training program offered by a DLI in Canada, and if requested, the student can provide a letter from their DLI confirming it is necessary to complete their study program, and
• the student work placement totals 50% or less of their study program.

Students in the following programs are not eligible to participate in student work placements in the context of the on-campus work authorization as defined above:

• English or French as a second language
• general interest courses
• courses to prepare for another study program

Research locations

Students may work as teaching or research assistants on campus or in a building affiliated with the institution but located outside the physical boundaries of the institution’s campus, such as a library, hospital or research facility. This work is allowed, provided it is strictly related to the student’s research grant.

Remote work

Students who are eligible for on-campus work can work remotely for employers located within the boundaries of the educational institution at which the students are registered. It is recommended that employers provide a teleworking agreement to the students as confirmation.

Employer for on-campus work

The employer can be any of the following:

• the institution
• a faculty member
• a student organization
• the students themselves (self-employment taking place on campus)
• a private business
• a private contractor providing services to the institution on the campus
• the employer for student work placements approved by the DLI

On-campus employers include those whose businesses might also serve the general public, as long as the place of business is located on the institution’s campus or as part of a student work placement approved by the DLI.

Occupations

Full-time post-secondary international students may be authorized to work without a permit in any occupation as long as they are working

• on campus (no restriction on the number of jobs)
• as a research or teaching assistant at facilities off campus in research related to their research grant. These facilities can include teaching hospitals, clinics and research institutes that have a formal association or affiliation with the learning institution.
• as part of their student work placement activities as approved by their DLI. These can include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • co-op placements
  • internships
  • practicums
  • mentorship programs

Working on campus in addition to working off campus

There are no restrictions on the number of hours students can work on campus [as per R186(f)] in addition to working a maximum of 24 hours per week off campus, provided they continue to meet the applicable eligibility requirements.

Previous updates

• March 1, 2022