“New Work Limits for International Students in Canada: Balancing Study and Employment”

New Work Limits for International Students Starting in September, international students, including those from India, studying in Canada will only be able to work off-campus for up to 24 hours per week.

The Canadian government is implementing this new rule to address the surge in international student enrolments across the country.

The temporary policy that allowed students to work more than 20 hours per week off-campus will end on April 30, 2024, and it will not be extended.

According to a press release issued on Monday by Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, students who come to Canada must be primarily here to study.

Therefore, allowing students to work up to 24 hours per week ensures that they focus primarily on their studies while having the option to work, if necessary.

Working off-campus helps international students gain work experience and offset some of their expenses.

However, studies have shown that working more than 24 hours per week increases the chances of a student dropping out of their program, and academic performance declines for students working more than 28 hours per week.

Canada is a popular destination for Indian students, with 319,130 Indian students enrolled in colleges and universities based in Canada, according to a 2022 report of the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE).

The Canadian government recently raised the cost-of-living threshold that students must meet to be approved for a study permit, so they are financially prepared for life in Canada and not as dependent on working.

Most countries that welcome international students set limits on the number of hours they may work while studying.

Australia recently changed its policy to allow a student to work 48 hours every 2 weeks. In the US, students must meet additional criteria before being permitted to work off-campus at all.

The Canadian government’s decision to limit work hours for international students aims to protect the integrity of the student program.

Critics have warned that allowing international students to work full-time could turn a study permit into an unofficial work visa, which would undermine its purpose.