Canada changed its rules for international students – again -- letting them work 24 hours a week during classes instead of 20 to improve fairness and support.
Marc Miller, the minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC), said in a statement, it’s important to balance work and studies. He said the government is working to improve the International Student Program for fairness and good student experiences.
“By fixing the off-campus work limit to 24 hours per week, we’re striking the right balance between providing work opportunities and helping students stay focused on their education,” he said in the statement. “We also expect institutions to support our efforts to preserve the integrity of the International Student Program. International students should have a positive, successful experience in Canada, and the important changes made today will help with that.”
International students with a valid work permit were initially allowed to work 20 hours per week off-campus, according to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) rules. However, due to rising living costs, the limit was temporarily increased to 40 hours per week in November 2022. This change was meant to last until December 2023 but was extended until April 2024 to help students manage work and study pressures, as reported earlier by Humber news .
Marc Miller, the minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced that 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, as reported by IRCC on April 29, 2024
Priyanshi Thumar, an international Fashion Design student at Lakeshore who also works at Starbucks, said the new limit helps.
“Twenty hours weren’t enough for tuition and rent. Four more hours make a difference,” she said. “But also, I worry it might affect my energy for school.”
The extra four hours help with living costs, but some students feel it’s still not enough to ease money problems.
Rahul Gheewala, an immigration agent, liked the change but said students still need more help.
“It’s a good start, but students still struggle with high tuition and housing costs,” he said. “They shouldn’t have to choose between surviving and succeeding.”
Bhavya Patel, a bachelor’s student in the Commerce and International Business program at Humber Polytechnic Lakeshore campus, sees the change as helpful.
“I’ve had to choose between paying rent and buying textbooks,” he said. “The extra hours help, but it’s still tough for international students.”
Gheewala said there are some possible downsides.
“The new limit gives more flexibility, but some students might overwork, hurting their health and studies,” he said. “Students should manage their time well and ask for help if needed.”
IRCC said the decision to increase four more hours is based on research. While students need extra money for tuition and living costs. The 24-hour limit helps students balance work, rest, and school.
Along with the work-hour increase, the new rules of IRCC now also required international students to get approval for a new study permit before changing schools. This aims to prevent misuse of the program and improve oversight.
Designated learning institutions (DLIs) now have stricter rules and could be suspended if they don't submit reports or verify acceptance letters. A new system started in 2023 to check Letters of Acceptance (LOAs) and found nearly 492,000 valid ones and over 17,000 fake ones.
Students can still work full-time during breaks, like summer and winter.
“Even with the increase, many students still struggle financially,” Thumar said. “Canada’s reputation as a top place for international students depends on how well they are supported, so I hope these changes are just the start.”
While the policy change helps a bit, Thumar and Gheewala said it’s just a small step in solving the bigger problems international students face.
“I think this is a good start,” Patel said. “But we need more support for international students, like lower tuition and affordable housing. That would help a lot.”
The full impact of the new rules on students is still unclear. Gheewala said, continued support, like more financial aid and student services, is important to help international students with school and money issues.
“As long as financial and emotional pressures are high, more support is needed for students to succeed,” said Gheewala.
Gheewala said that to help international students succeed in Canada, a complete approach is needed, focusing on both their finances and well-being.
