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Work-study hours for international students in China: the limits in the Ministry's measures

Unofficial summary · Sources checked

An international student at a degree-granting higher education institution in mainland China may take part in work-study, in principle no more than 8 hours a week and 40 hours a month during term, and no more than 16 hours a week and 80 hours a month in the winter and summer holidays (Article 5 of the work-study measures). Work-study is organised by the school and may be on or off campus, but Order No. 42 Article 30 forbids taking employment or doing business.

Check your visa type with the X1 or X2 visa check: you enter your study length in days or your start and end dates, where you will live, and whether you plan off-campus work-study, and it shows X1 (more than 180 days) or X2 (180 days or fewer) and prints the documents and after-entry steps for that visa, including the endorsement step when the work-study box is ticked.

The two Ministry documents quoted below are in Chinese; the English wording is this site's own translation of the Chinese text.

Who the measures cover

The Measures for the Administration of Work-Study by International Students at Higher Education Institutions apply to higher education institutions that provide degree education (Article 2). They are issued by the General Office of the Ministry of Education together with the General Offices of the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the General Department of the National Immigration Administration, under notice 教外厅〔2021〕2号 (Article 1).

What counts as work-study

Work-study means international students, under the school's organisation and management and using their spare time, obtain lawful remuneration through labour to improve their study and living conditions (Article 3 of the work-study measures). It does not include teaching internships or social practice that the school organises under its teaching plan (Article 3).

The activity follows the principles of spare study capacity, voluntary application, priority for those in need, and obeying laws and rules, carried out under the school's unified leadership; each school makes its own implementing rules (Article 4).

Hour limits

During term, work-study on or off campus is, in principle, no more than 8 hours a week and no more than 40 hours a month (Article 5). In the winter and summer holidays, the limits are, in principle, no more than 16 hours a week and no more than 80 hours a month (Article 5).

Period Weekly limit Monthly limit
Term (in principle) 8 hours 40 hours
Winter/summer holiday (in principle) 16 hours 80 hours

Source: Article 5 of the work-study measures.

On-campus posts and pay

On-campus work-study posts should mainly be teaching assistants, research assistants, administrative assistants and school public services; they must meet student needs without taking up normal study time, and pay comes from the school's budget (Article 7).

Pay is set as follows (Article 8):

  1. On-campus fixed posts are paid by the month; 40 hours of monthly pay is, in principle, no less than the local minimum living standard, with allowed adjustment up or down.
  2. On-campus temporary posts are paid by the hour, with reference to the local minimum hourly wage set by the local government.
  3. Off-campus pay must not be less than the local minimum wage set by the local government or relevant department; the employer and student agree the amount and write it into the employment agreement.

Safety and insurance

The school may not arrange or authorise work in toxic, harmful or dangerous production, and must ensure the international student doing work-study has insurance that covers the activity (Article 6).

When the school cancels the arrangement

The school should cancel a student's work-study eligibility and report it promptly to the public security exit-entry authority when any of these applies (Article 13):

  1. The student has completed, withdrawn from, suspended or left the programme.
  2. The student has violated national laws or school rules.
  3. The student has low moral character or has violated public order and good customs, causing a bad effect.
  4. Other circumstances where the school finds the student unsuitable to continue, such as work-study affecting studies.

Order No. 42: no employment or business

The Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42) Article 30 states that an international student may take part in work-study during study at a higher education institution, but may not take employment, do business or engage in other business activities. The detailed work-study rules are to be separately formulated by the State Council education authority together with relevant departments (Article 30).

Off-campus endorsement

Off-campus work-study is also arranged under the school's organisation and management (Articles 3 and 4 of the work-study measures); ask your school's international student office and the local exit-entry authority about the endorsement step.

Questions people ask

Can I take a normal off-campus job?

No. Order No. 42 Article 30 says an international student may not take employment, do business or engage in other business activities. Work-study is a separate, school-organised activity.

Does my course internship count as work-study?

No. Article 3 of the work-study measures excludes teaching internships and social practice that the school organises under its teaching plan.

What happens if I stop studying?

Under Article 13 of the work-study measures, the school cancels work-study eligibility and reports to the exit-entry authority when a student completes, withdraws, suspends or leaves the programme.

Sources

Checked 10 October 2026 and 11 October 2026. This page is an unofficial summary, is not legal or immigration advice, is not published by the bodies named, and the official text and the instructions of the body handling your application prevail if they differ.

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