My current study permit expires on Aug 31, 2023. I will renew my study permit for another semester, until December 2023. My question is, can I still work more than 20 hours/week off-campus with my new study permit from Sep 1, 2023 to whenever my new study permit expires, or the time I complete the program (whichever comes first)?
Details are on the website (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/work-off-campus.html) as follows, but it seems different people have different interpretation:
Who can work more than 20 hours per week off campus
From November 15, 2022, until December 31, 2023, you can work more than 20 hours per week off campus while class is in session if you meet certain requirements:
> If you applied for a study permit (or extension) on or before October 7, 2022 (NOT APPLICABLE in my case since I will renew my study permit in Aug 2023, though my current study permit was applied before Oct 7, 2022)
> If you applied for a study permit extension after October 7, 2022 (Yeah. I will renew my study permit in Aug 2023)
You can work more than 20 hours per week off campus until your current study permit expires if
If we approve your study permit extension application before your original study permit expires
If your original study permit expires in 2023, you can work over 20 hours off campus until it expires.
If your original study permit expires in 2024, you can work over 20 hours off campus until December 31, 2023.
The issue boils down to what "current study permit" means in the above text. I got different answers from different sources, or the same source at different times:
Details are on the website (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/work-off-campus.html) as follows, but it seems different people have different interpretation:
Who can work more than 20 hours per week off campus
From November 15, 2022, until December 31, 2023, you can work more than 20 hours per week off campus while class is in session if you meet certain requirements:
> If you applied for a study permit (or extension) on or before October 7, 2022 (NOT APPLICABLE in my case since I will renew my study permit in Aug 2023, though my current study permit was applied before Oct 7, 2022)
> If you applied for a study permit extension after October 7, 2022 (Yeah. I will renew my study permit in Aug 2023)
You can work more than 20 hours per week off campus until your current study permit expires if
- you’re a study permit holder who is studying at a DLI full-time (or part-time if it’s your final academic semester) and
- your current study permit expires between November 15, 2022, and December 31, 2023
- You must either be in Canada or have re-entered Canada by December 31, 2023.
- You must have one of the following conditions printed on your study permit:
- May work 20 hrs. per week off campus, or full time during regular breaks, if meeting criteria outlined in section 186(v) of IRPR.
- May accept employment on or off campus if meeting eligibility criteria as per R186(f), (v) or (w). Must cease working if no longer meeting these criteria.
If we approve your study permit extension application before your original study permit expires
If your original study permit expires in 2023, you can work over 20 hours off campus until it expires.
If your original study permit expires in 2024, you can work over 20 hours off campus until December 31, 2023.
The issue boils down to what "current study permit" means in the above text. I got different answers from different sources, or the same source at different times:
- The International Office Immgration Advisor at our university said NO. I can only work off-campus more than 20 hours/week before Aug 31, 2023, i.e. the expiration date of my current study permit, since this is my "current study permit".
- The first time I called IRCC, the guy says YES: I can work more than 20 hours/week after Aug 31 with my new study permit, until Dec 31. He says that after Aug 31, 2023, my new study permit becomes my "current study permit". Hence, as long as it expires before Dec 31, I can use this policy.
- The second time I called IRCC, the guy says NO: I cannot work more than 20 hours/week with my new study permit. However, after Aug 31 but before I receive the new study permit, I can work more than 20 hours/week since I will be in the maintained status and the previous status is applied.
- The third time I called IRCC, the lady also says YES. I quoted what the first guy said, she said YES and agrees with me. It feels that she does not know it very clearly.