Canada reduces work hours for students to24 from 40 per week

The new rule that came into effect on Tuesday was announced by Marc Miller, Canadian minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship on Monday.

“Students who come to Canada must be here to study. As such, allowing students to work up to 24 hours per week will ensure they focus primarily on their studies, while having the option to work, if necessary,” Miller said in a press release. “The temporary policy allowing students to work more than 20 hours per week off campus will come to an end on April 30, 2024, and it will not be extended.”

The reduction in off-campus working hours is substantial as compared the temporary policy that allowed students to work for up to 40 hours a week. The temporary policy was introduced by the prime minister Justin Trudeau-led Liberal Party government during the Covid-19 pandemic in a bid to ease labour shortages facing the country.

The new rule, however, puts no such cap on international students to work off-campus during scheduled breaks, such as summer vacations.

“Working off campus helps international students gain work experience and offset some of their expenses. As international students arrive in Canada, we want them to be prepared for life here and have the support they need to succeed. However, first and foremost, people coming to Canada as students must be here to study, not work. We will continue working to protect the integrity of our student program,” Miller said.

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), a government department, also announced that international students who begin a college programme delivered through a public-private curriculum licensing arrangement will not be eligible for a post-graduation work permit when they graduate. This measure will apply only to those who will apply to such programme on or after May 15 this year, it said.

Canada is among the most sought-after destinations for Indian students, who constitute over a third of the total international students enrolled in various colleges and universities there. Of the total 684,345 study permits issued by Canada in 2023, Indian students accounted for 278,860.

To be sure, most countries set limits on the number of hours international students may work while they study. Australia, which is another popular destination for Indian students, has recently tweaked its policy to allow students to work 48 hours every two weeks.

There has been criticism in the past that allowing international students to work full-time could turn a study permit into an unofficial work visa, and the new policy attempts to address that. However, several organisations, especially those from the Indo-Canadian community, have argued that reducing work hours poses problems for those who try to cope with cost-of-living challenges in Canada.

In a reaction to Miller’s announcement, the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations or CASA said, “The “24-hour limit will mean fewer international students from lower socio-economic backgrounds will have the ability to receive an education in Canada. Amid rising prices, ensuring all students can afford to earn money from a job during their studies is a key way to improve affordability for students, and international students across Canada are disappointed the change was so minimal from the current 20-hour level.”