Can Pakistani Students Work Part-Time While Studying in Canada? (2026)

How many hours can Pakistani students work in Canada?

The current rule is simple on paper. While your semester is in session, you may work up to 24 hours per week off campus. During a scheduled break, such as summer vacation, winter holidays, or reading week, you may work full time with no fixed hour cap.

Two details matter here. First, a break only counts as “scheduled” if it is built into your institution’s academic calendar and you were a full-time student before the break and will be one after it. A gap you create yourself, for example by deferring a semester, does not qualify. Second, the 24 hours are counted across all your jobs combined, not per employer.

On-campus work is separate

Jobs on your own campus, such as library assistant, lab helper, or research assistant roles, do not fall under the 24 hour cap. Many students combine a small on-campus job with off-campus shifts. Keep payslips for both so you can show the off-campus portion stayed within the limit.

What do you need before you can start working?

You do not apply for a separate work permit. The right to work is a condition printed on your study permit. Before your first shift, check that all of the following are true:

• Your study permit includes a remark that you may work on or off campus.
• You are enrolled full time at a designated learning institution (DLI) in a program of at least six months that leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate.
• Your classes have actually started. You cannot work in the weeks between landing in Canada and the first day of your program.
• You have a Social Insurance Number (SIN) from Service Canada. Employers need it to put you on payroll.

How much can you earn part time in Canada in 2026?

Minimum wage is set by each province. In 2026 most provinces sit somewhere between CAD 15 and 18 per hour, with student jobs in retail, food service, and warehouses usually paying at or slightly above that floor. Tipped roles in restaurants can bring in more on good weeks.

At 24 hours per week on a typical wage, expect roughly CAD 1,500 to 1,800 per month before deductions. Tax, CPP, and EI come off your paycheque, though students with low annual income usually get a meaningful refund after filing a tax return. File every year even if you earned little. It builds your record and unlocks credits such as the tuition amount.

Can part-time work cover your living costs?

In smaller cities, mostly yes. In Toronto or Vancouver, only partly. Here is the honest comparison:

• Smaller cities and towns (Winnipeg, Halifax, Regina, smaller Ontario cities): shared room rent of CAD 500 to 800, groceries around 300 to 400, transit 70 to 100. Monthly costs of CAD 1,000 to 1,400 fit inside typical part-time earnings.
• Toronto and Vancouver: a room in a shared flat often costs CAD 900 to 1,400 alone. Total monthly costs of CAD 1,700 to 2,200 usually exceed what 24 hours a week brings in, so savings or family support fill the gap.

What part-time work will never cover is tuition, which runs from roughly CAD 15,000 to 35,000 per year for international students. Plan your finances around that reality. Also remember that your visa application must stand on its own: IRCC expects proof of funds, typically through a GIC of about CAD 20,635 plus first-year tuition, and gives no weight to income you hope to earn after arrival.

Which part-time jobs do Pakistani students usually find?

Most students start with whatever pays and is close to campus, then move to better roles once they know the market. Common options include:

• Grocery stores and retail chains, which hire year round and offer flexible shifts
• Food service, from coffee chains to desi restaurants, where tips can lift hourly pay
• Warehouse and fulfilment work, physically demanding but often above minimum wage
• On-campus roles such as library, IT help desk, or note-taking services
• Research or teaching assistantships for graduate students, which pay well and strengthen your CV
• Delivery and rideshare work, though this needs a licence, insurance, and care with hour tracking

If your goal is permanent residence later, treat on-campus and skill-based roles as more than pocket money. Canadian references and workplace English make a difference when you hunt for a post-graduation job.

What happens if you work more than 24 hours?

Exceeding the cap is a breach of your study permit conditions. The consequences are not theoretical. Students have lost status, been refused post-graduation work permits, and in serious cases faced removal orders. IRCC can cross-check tax records, payroll data, and employer filings, so extra hours leave a paper trail even when the job pays cash.

Employers who let students work over the limit face penalties too, which is why established companies track hours strictly. If a manager offers you unrecorded shifts, that is a warning sign about the workplace, not a favour.

Can your spouse work, and what about co-op programs?

Spousal open work permits tightened in 2024 and remain narrow in 2026. Broadly, your spouse can apply for an open work permit only if you are in a master’s program of 16 months or longer, a doctoral program, or one of a short list of professional degrees. Spouses of most college diploma and bachelor’s students no longer qualify, so build your family budget around one income if that is your situation.

Co-op and internship semesters are a separate stream as well. If work placements are a required part of your curriculum, you need a co-op work permit alongside your study permit, and the placement portion cannot exceed half the program. Apply for both together to avoid delays.

Frequently asked questions