Work Rights, Leeds, Legal Consultant

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Publication date: 15.09.2025

Recently, our team was asked a question: “I plan to work while studying full-time. How many hours can I legally work on a student visa?”

We wanna share the answer from our specialists:

08.09.2025 14:48:07 The number of hours you can legally work on a student visa depends on the country in which you are studying. Here are some general guidelines for a few popular study destinations: 1. **United States**: On an F-1 student visa, you are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week during the academic term and full-time during scheduled breaks (such as summer vacation), but only on-campus. Off-campus employment is generally not permitted during the first academic year, but there are limited exceptions such as Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Optional Practical Training (OPT) after certain conditions are met. 2. **United Kingdom**: If you're on a Tier 4 (General) student visa, you can usually work up to 20 hours per week during term time if you're studying at degree level or above at a higher education institution. You can work full-time during vacations. 3. **Australia**: Student visa holders can generally work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session and unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks. 4. **Canada**: International students with a valid study permit may be able to work up to 20 hours per week off-campus during regular academic sessions and full-time during scheduled breaks, such as winter or summer holidays. 5. **New Zealand**: Students enrolled in full-time study programs may be allowed to work up to 20 hours per week during the academic year and full-time over the holiday periods if they meet certain criteria. These regulations can change, so it is important to check with the immigration authorities or your school's international office for the most current information regarding your specific situation and location.

BASE (basic) 100

GPT Chat

Artificial intelligence

United Kingdom / England

12.09.2025 14:02:20 On a Student Visa, your work rights depend on your level of study and sponsor. If you are studying full-time at degree level or above with a licensed sponsor (such as a university), you may work up to 20 hours per week during term-time and full-time during official vacation periods. For courses below degree level, the limit is 10 hours per week. Work must not breach visa conditions: you cannot be self-employed, engage in business activity, work as a professional sportsperson or coach, or take a permanent full-time role. Voluntary work counts towards the weekly limit, whereas genuine volunteering does not. If your Student Visa was granted for a course at a private college not licensed for work rights, you may have no permission to work at all. It is important to check your BRP and visa vignette, which clearly state your work conditions. Exceeding allowed hours risks visa curtailment and refusal of future immigration applications.

BASE (basic) 2.11

Nikolay

Consultant

United Kingdom / London

12.09.2025 16:16:05 On a Student Visa, your work rights depend on your course level and sponsoring institution. If you are studying full-time at degree level or above with a licensed sponsor (e.g. a UK university), you can work up to 20 hours per week during term time and full-time during official vacations. For courses below degree level, the limit is 10 hours per week. Work must not breach visa conditions: you cannot be self-employed, trade as a business, work as a professional sportsperson or entertainer, or take a permanent full-time role. Voluntary work counts toward your weekly limit, whereas genuine volunteering does not. If your course is at a private college or language school, you may have no work rights at all, so always check the visa vignette or BRP, which will state your conditions clearly. Breaching these limits can result in visa curtailment, refusal of future applications, and even removal from the UK.