A student finishing her first term in June, with the next semester starting in September — a gap set by the university, not a break she chose — asked whether full-time work (40 hrs/week) was allowed in between. She'd gotten mixed opinions, including university staff saying no. The thread's answer:
- A scheduled, institution-set break allows full-time work. Members were clear: if the gap between semesters is a regularly scheduled academic break on the university's calendar, an eligible full-time student can work unlimited hours during it — and one member noted this is stated on the IRCC website, contradicting the hearsay she'd received.
- Verify eligibility on the permit itself, not by asking around. The most useful answer: read the conditions printed at the bottom of the study permit. If it says you may work on/off campus per R186(f), (v) or (w), you're authorized to work full time during scheduled breaks. If the permit lacks the work condition (some programs, e.g. certain medical/ESL ones, exclude it), you can't.
- Get the break confirmed in writing. Since the university itself scheduled the June–September gap, an enrolment letter confirming full-time status and the scheduled break dates is the document to keep for any employer or officer.
(Historical note: this thread predates the 2024 changes to off-campus work-hour caps during regular sessions; the scheduled-break full-time rule has remained, but verify current IRCC guidance on hours and eligibility.)