The Government of Canada temporarily waived the cap on work hours for international students during the pandemic.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller explains that beginning in September, overseas students will be permitted to work off-campus for up to 24 hours per week.
In an attempt to alleviate labor shortages, the Liberals temporarily lifted the 20-hour limit on work hours for overseas students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The waiver is up on Tuesday.
“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 programs attracting more and more applicants whose primary intent is to work and not study,” Miller said.
“To be clear, the purpose of the international student program is to study and not to work.”
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The federal government is cracking down on an increase in foreign student enrollment nationwide, which is why the new employment limit has been implemented.
Opponents have cautioned that permitting foreign students to work full-time could negate the purpose of a study permit by converting it into an unauthorized work visa.
Miller claimed that while 24 hours appears “reasonable,” his government is putting a cap on it, allowing students to work three complete eight-hour shifts.
Additionally, he mentioned that, according to departmental internal research, over 80% of international students currently put in more than 20 hours per week of work.
Up until September, when the government can permanently alter it to 24 hours, the workweek cap will revert to 20 hours.
When they’re not in classes, such as in the summer, there are no restrictions on how many hours international students can work.
Miller’s department staff warned the government in 2022 that the temporary waiver might divert students from their studies and defeat the purpose of temporary foreign worker programs, according to a Canadian Press investigation published earlier this year.
Miller had suggested in the past that the cap be established permanently at thirty hours per week. On Monday, though, the minister of immigration stated that it would be too close to working full-time hours.
“We know from studies as well that when you start working at and around 30-hour levels, there is a material impact on the quality of your studies,” he said.
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