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International student with both study and work permit. Need help!

loo1201

Star Member
Mar 13, 2016
174
15
ON
Category........
CEC
Visa Office......
Etobicoke
App. Filed.......
01-05-2020
AOR Received.
12-05-2020
VISA ISSUED...
10-06-2021
Hello,

I have both a study and work permit, i also have a SIN number and was wondering if the 20h work limit applies to me since i have a work permit.

How can i find out if im allowed to work more than 20 hours a week?

Its something i cant find on google and the cic website doesnt really explain this.

Would appreciate any insight on this.

Thank you
 

Keyjoe23

Hero Member
Jul 31, 2015
505
123
What kind of work permit you have ?

And if you are enrolled as a full time student, then you are limited to 20hrs/week no matter you have a work permit or not. You can not follow an official document and violate the rules of the other, because you may face problems after that and remember that the purpose of your existing in Canada is to study, so stick with that.
 

loo1201

Star Member
Mar 13, 2016
174
15
ON
Category........
CEC
Visa Office......
Etobicoke
App. Filed.......
01-05-2020
AOR Received.
12-05-2020
VISA ISSUED...
10-06-2021
I believe its an open work permit. But on the cic website the 20h only applies to off-work campus that does not require a work permit. I cant find any information about work permits while having a study permit.
 

Keyjoe23

Hero Member
Jul 31, 2015
505
123
With sensitive things like that and also confusing ones, I'd suggest you give a call to cic in the morning and ask them..

Hopefully someone with a better experience would comment here too.
 

loo1201

Star Member
Mar 13, 2016
174
15
ON
Category........
CEC
Visa Office......
Etobicoke
App. Filed.......
01-05-2020
AOR Received.
12-05-2020
VISA ISSUED...
10-06-2021
On what basis did you get your work permit from?
Im not home and i would have to check my permit but i had 2 interships with my program that ive already finished. On my study permit it says it comes with a work permit. I got a study and a work permit at landing. And on my application it states that i require a work permit for my program.
 

Keyjoe23

Hero Member
Jul 31, 2015
505
123
Then it is a co-op work permit.

Co-op work permit allows you to do a full time internship that is credited and mandatory to validate your program.

It doesn't allow you to work more than 20hours while studying full time and it does not allow you to work off campus when you are done with your studies even if it is still valid and it is absolutely related to the terms on your study permit because you got it issued based on your study permit.

You will also need the co-op work permit to do an internship during the summer in order to prevent issues in your PGWP application, because many people thought that doing an internship that is credited during summer semester does not require Co-op work permit.

If, on the other hand, the internship you plan to do in not credited, you do not require co-op work permit for it.

To sum up, no you can not work more than 20hrs/week. Also when you return home, you will find on your work permit this condition : May accept employment on or off campus .... if meeting the criteria as per R186(F), (V) OR (W), which says


  • (v) if they are the holder of a study permit and
    • (i) they are a full-time student enrolled at a designated learning institution as defined in section 211.1,

    • (ii) the program in which they are enrolled is a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional training program, or a vocational training program at the secondary level offered in Quebec, in each case, of a duration of six months or more that leads to a degree, diploma or certificate, and

    • (iii) although they are permitted to engage in full-time work during a regularly scheduled break between academic sessions, they work no more than 20 hours per week during a regular academic session; or
 

loo1201

Star Member
Mar 13, 2016
174
15
ON
Category........
CEC
Visa Office......
Etobicoke
App. Filed.......
01-05-2020
AOR Received.
12-05-2020
VISA ISSUED...
10-06-2021
Then it is a co-op work permit.

Co-op work permit allows you to do a full time internship that is credited and mandatory to validate your program.

It doesn't allow you to work more than 20hours while studying full time and it does not allow you to work off campus when you are done with your studies even if it is still valid and it is absolutely related to the terms on your study permit because you got it issued based on your study permit.

You will also need the co-op work permit to do an internship during the summer in order to prevent issues in your PGWP application, because many people thought that doing an internship that is credited during summer semester does not require Co-op work permit.

If, on the other hand, the internship you plan to do in not credited, you do not require co-op work permit for it.
Am i still allowed to work off campus while studying? We are on strike right now and im sure ive worked like 23h this week and will immediatly change shifts to stay whthin the 20h period cause i thaught that strike was a break but apparently not.

Also ive already done my summer internship. I dont have anymore internship in my program and i should be done early may and then will immediatly apply for PGWP.
 
Last edited:

Keyjoe23

Hero Member
Jul 31, 2015
505
123
Am i still allowed to work off campus while studying? We are on strike right now and im sure ive worked like 23h this week and will immediatly change shifts to stay whthin the 20h period cause i thaught that strike was a break but apparently not.

Also ive already done my summer internship. I dont have anymore internship in my program and i should be done early may and then will immediatly apply for PGWP
1) Yes, you are allowed to work up to 20 hours / week, on or off campus, while studying.

2) If you had breaks during this week, then do not worry.

For example : Let's say you have worked a total or 25 hours, but you had 1 hour break each day which is not paid, then the employer does not declare the break hours and hence the 25 hours will be 25 - 5 = 20 hours WORKED AND DECLARED.

However, you need to tell your employer that you can not exceed 20 hours / week and also in case that you exceeded that number this week and you was not paid yet, convince him to escalate these extra 3 hours to another pay period in case he hasn't declared them yet.

Stay safe and avoid small mistakes that leads to disasters after.
 

loo1201

Star Member
Mar 13, 2016
174
15
ON
Category........
CEC
Visa Office......
Etobicoke
App. Filed.......
01-05-2020
AOR Received.
12-05-2020
VISA ISSUED...
10-06-2021
1) Yes, you are allowed to work up to 20 hours / week, on or off campus, while studying.

2) If you had breaks during this week, then do not worry.

For example : Let's say you have worked a total or 25 hours, but you had 1 hour break each day which is not paid, then the employer does not declare the break hours and hence the 25 hours will be 25 - 5 = 20 hours WORKED AND DECLARED.

However, you need to tell your employer that you can not exceed 20 hours / week and also in case that you exceeded that number this week and you was not paid yet, convince him to escalate these extra 3 hours to another pay period in case he hasn't declared them yet.

Stay safe and avoid small mistakes that leads to disasters after.
Thank you. And indeed on my work permit it states "For internship only".

Now, am i allowed to work during the time period from my graduation and the PGWP approval? Let say it takes 3 weeks. Am i allowed to work 3 weeks full time after graduation if i applied for PGWP?

Also does this small work overload mistake can impact my chances to get a PGWP or later if i apply for express entry? (Like can they see it through my taxes etc..?)

Thank you
 

Keyjoe23

Hero Member
Jul 31, 2015
505
123
Thank you. And indeed on my work permit it states "For internship only".

Now, am i allowed to work during the time period from my graduation and the PGWP approval? Let say it takes 3 weeks. Am i allowed to work 3 weeks full time after graduation if i applied for PGWP?

Also does this small work overload mistake can impact my chances to get a PGWP or later if i apply for express entry? (Like can they see it through my taxes etc..?)

Thank you
1) You are allowed to work full-time once you apply for the PGWP.

Let's say you completed your last course/s, and you applied for the degree completion letter. Once the degree completion letter is issued ( NOTE : I'm talking here about the date on the letter and not the date you receive it ), you can not work part time or full time until you apply for the PGWP.

Example : You had your final exam on the 15th of August, then you had the final grade on the 27th, you applied for the degree completion letter on the 27th, and then after a week, the 4th of September, you receive the letter of degree completion with the date let's say 29th of August on it, here you have to know that you were not allowed to work from 29th of August.

TO BE SAFE : quit working after your final exams to avoid mistakes that can be done not only from your side but also from the officer's side, trust me I have been there .. :)

2) I can not really tell, if it is 3 hours, an office may pass it. But indeed they will know because everything is declared and recorded. Just hope the best and follow the rules on your study permit next time.