International students will be allowed to work 24 hours a week starting in September

OTTAWA –

Immigration Minister Marc Miller says international students will be able to work off-campus up to 24 hours per week starting in September.

The Liberals temporarily waved the 20-hour cap on work hours for international students during the COVID-19 pandemic in a bid to ease labour shortages.

That waiver expires tomorrow.

The work hours limit will return to 20 hours per week until September when the government can implement a permanent change to make it 24 hours.

There are no limits on the number of hours international students can work when school is on break during the summer and during winter holidays.

The Canadian Press reported earlier this year that officials in Miller’s department warned the government in 2022 that the temporary waiver could distract students from their studies and undermine the objective of temporary foreign worker programs.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 29, 2024.