WORK OFF CAMPUS

July 4th, 2023

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently announced a new temporary public policy which allows eligible foreign workers to study without a study permit. Please visit the IRCC webpage: Public policy allowing some work permit holders to study without a study permit for more information.

As an international student at SFU, you are eligible to work off campus without a work permit if you meet all of the following requirements:

  • you have a valid study permit that includes a condition stating you may work off campus
  • you are enrolled in a program of 6 months or more that leads to a degree, diploma or certificate
  • you are enrolled as a full-time student*

* Exception: if you are enrolled part time in your final term of studies (i.e. you only require a part-time course load to complete your SFU program), you may still be eligible to work part time off campus only if you were enrolled full time in all other required terms throughout your program

If you are eligible to work off campus, you may work a maximum of 20 hours per week during regular academic sessions, and full time during scheduled breaks.

Please refer to our enrollment requirements for international students to see how SFU defines full-time enrollment.

You may also view our Instruction Guides page for more details.

Get help with the job search process

If you are seeking a job off campus, SFU Career and Volunteer Services offers a variety of resources and services to assist you, including job postings, resume help, advice on the job search and interview process, and more. 

i Temporary Public Policy

IRCC is temporarily lifting the 20-hour-per-week limit on the number of hours eligible post-secondary students are allowed to work off-campus during academic terms. 

From November 15, 2022 to December 31, 2023, eligible international students will be permitted to work off campus for more than 20 hours per week.

Review the eligibility criteria.