How Much Can Nepali Students Work in Canada? The 24-Hour Rule, SIN and PGWP Explained
Canada's off-campus work limit is 24 hrs/week for students. The SIN, co-op permit and PGWP rules Nepali students must know — explained simply.
By Nepalese Events Australia Editorial
Published: 2026-10-01T06:20:00.000000Z
Category: Students
The number every Nepali student in Canada should know: 24 hours per week. Since November 2024, that's the off-campus work limit for international students during academic sessions — up from the long-standing 20-hour cap, per IRCC's official rules. During scheduled breaks — reading week, summer holidays — you can work unlimited hours.
The fine print that trips students up
The 24-hour limit applies only if you're a full-time student at a designated learning institution (DLI), in a program of six months or longer leading to a degree, diploma or certificate, and you've actually started your studies — working before classes begin is not allowed. Your study permit conditions are printed on the permit itself; if it doesn't authorise off-campus work, you can't work off-campus regardless of the headline rule.
SIN first, job second
No employer can legally pay you without a Social Insurance Number. Apply online or at a Service Canada office with your passport and study permit — it's free and fast. Ontario's student jobs market — retail, hospitality, warehouse shifts, campus jobs — all runs on it. On-campus work doesn't count toward the 24 hours and doesn't need a separate permit.
Co-op work is a different permit
If your program has a mandatory placement, you need a co-op work permit on top of your study permit — a separate document students routinely forget until the placement office asks for it. Apply early; processing takes weeks.
The PGWP horizon
Everything about Canadian student life bends toward the Post-Graduation Work Permit — the open work permit (up to three years, matching program length) that converts a study permit into a career foothold and the standard bridge to PR via Express Entry's Canadian Experience Class. Recent rule changes added field-of-study requirements for some programs, so check that your program remains PGWP-eligible before you enrol — not after. The full pathway is mapped in our PGWP-to-PR guide.
Staying legal
Working over the limit can jeopardise your status and your PGWP — IRCC treats it seriously. your hours, keep pay stubs, and if a workplace pressures you past the cap, that's a them problem, not a you problem. For settling in, our first-month checklist covers banking and health coverage; families sending support can CAD to NPR.
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