Part-time jobs for students in Canada: hours and pay

Facts checked on 11 October 2026

How many hours you may work

Canadian citizens and permanent residents

The limits below apply only to people studying on a study permit. If you are a citizen or a permanent resident, being a student does not restrict the hours you may work.

International students on a study permit

Kind of work	While classes are in session	During scheduled breaks
Off campus	Up to 24 hours a week, across all your jobs	No limit
On campus	No limit	No limit

To work off campus without a work permit you must:

be a full-time student at a designated learning institution (part-time is accepted only in your final semester);
be in a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional programme of at least six months that leads to a degree, diploma or certificate;
hold a valid study permit that says you may work;
have a Social Insurance Number;
have started your studies. You cannot work before your programme begins.

Scheduled breaks are the ones your school sets, such as the summer and winter holidays and reading week. If your programme has no scheduled breaks, the 24-hour limit applies all year. Students taking only English or French language courses, general-interest courses or prerequisite courses cannot work off campus.

Co-op and internships: since 1 April 2026, post-secondary students no longer need a separate co-op work permit. The placement must be a required part of your programme, confirmed by a letter from your school, and make up no more than half of the programme.

Working more than your permit allows can cost you your student status and affect later applications. If your permit says something different from this page, follow the permit and ask your school's international student office.

What you must be paid

Each province sets its own minimum wage. These are the general hourly rates in force in October 2026:

Where	Minimum per hour	Since
British Columbia	$18.25	1 June 2026
Federally regulated employers	$18.15	1 April 2026
Ontario	$17.95	1 October 2026
Quebec	$16.60	1 May 2026
Alberta	$15.00

Two provinces have a lower student rate for students under 18: $16.90 in Ontario (for those working 28 hours a week or less while school is in session, or working during a school break) and $13.00 in Alberta (for the first 28 hours in a school week, and all hours during breaks). If you are 18 or over you get the general rate. The Government of Canada keeps a table of every province and territory, linked below.

Before your first shift

A Social Insurance Number (SIN). It is free. Apply online, by mail or at a Service Canada Centre. International students need a study permit that says they "may accept employment" or "may work", and a second identity document such as a passport. A SIN that begins with 9 is issued to temporary residents and expires with the permit, so update it when you renew.
A bank account. You have the right to open one even without a job or a deposit, on showing original identity documents.
Form TD1. You give this to each new employer so that the right amount of tax is taken from your pay.

Tax in brief

The federal basic personal amount for 2026 is $16,452 for most people: you pay no federal income tax on income up to that. Provinces have their own amounts.
File a tax return even if you earned little or nothing. It is how you get back tax that was deducted and how you receive benefit and credit payments.
Tuition: eligible tuition fees give a tax credit, claimed with the T2202 form your school issues. What you cannot use can be carried forward or transferred.

Where student jobs are advertised

Your campus career centre and student union, for on-campus jobs, which do not count towards the 24 hours.
Job Bank, the Government of Canada's job site, which has a section for youth and students.
Canada Summer Jobs: federally funded summer jobs for people aged 15 to 30, posted on Job Bank each spring. In 2026 the hiring period opened on 20 April. It is open to citizens, permanent residents and protected persons only, so international students cannot apply.
The Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP): student jobs in the federal public service, full-time and part-time, through an inventory that is open all year. Citizens and permanent residents are given preference.
Employers' own careers pages and job boards. Retail, and accommodation and food services, are among the largest employers of students.

Timing: summer jobs start when the winter term ends in April, so employers recruit in the months before.

Finding them without checking every site

Jobofinder can do the looking. Set up one search:

Choose "Any part-time job", or type a job title such as barista or sales associate.
Choose Canada, type your town, and say how far you can travel.
Add the careers pages of employers near you that you would like to work for.

New jobs reach you every morning and evening with a link. Keep count of your own hours across all your jobs: the 24-hour limit is yours to keep, and no employer sees the whole picture.

Common questions

How many hours can international students work in Canada?

Up to 24 hours a week off campus while classes are in session, across all your jobs. During scheduled breaks, such as the summer and winter holidays and reading week, there is no limit. Work on campus is not limited.

My study permit says 20 hours. Which limit applies?

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says that a permit which still shows 20 hours allows 24, as long as you continue to meet the conditions for working off campus.

Do I need a work permit for a co-op placement?

Since 1 April 2026, post-secondary students no longer need a separate co-op work permit. The placement must be a required part of your programme and make up no more than half of it, and your study permit must allow you to work on campus.

What is the minimum wage for students in Canada?

It depends on the province. In October 2026 the general minimum is 17.95 dollars an hour in Ontario, 18.25 in British Columbia, 16.60 in Quebec and 15.00 in Alberta. Ontario and Alberta have a lower rate for students under 18.

Official sources

Rules and rates change. These pages have the final word, and this guide is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice.