Canada’s Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced on Monday, that starting in September, international students in Canada will be permitted to work off-campus for up to 24 hours per week.
This change comes after the government temporarily lifted the 20-hour limit during the COVID-19 pandemic to address labour shortages.
“Looking at best practices and policies in other like-minded countries, most of them limit the number of working hours for international students.
Canada’s rules need to be aligned or we will find our programmes
attracting more and more applicants whose primary intent is to work and not study,” stated Minister Miller.
He emphasised the educational focus of the policy, “To be clear, the purpose of the international student programme is to study and not to work.”
The adjustment is part of a broader strategy to manage a recent surge in international student enrolments and ensure the integrity of the study permit system.
Critics have raised concerns that higher work limits could inadvertently convert study permits into unofficial work visas, potentially undermining their intended purpose.
However, feedback from the student community indicates a strong need for increased work opportunities. “We are hearing from international students who say they need to work more to pay for their studies,” Miller acknowledged.
The new 24-hour limit was deemed “reasonable” by the government, allowing students to manage three full eight-hour shifts per week without compromising their studies.
He said this decision is backed by internal research from the department, which found that over 80% of international
students were working more than 20 hours a week under the temporary measures.
Until the new limit takes effect in September, the work hours will temporarily revert to 20 per week.
Miller also clarified that there are no restrictions on the number of hours students can work during breaks from studies, such as the summer months.
Minister Miller had previously considered setting the cap at 30 hours per week but decided against it. “We know from studies as well that when you start working in and around 30-hour levels, there is a material impact on the quality of your studies,” he explained.
The minister also mentioned extending the waiver on work hours last December to avoid disrupting students during the academic year.
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