Beginning November 15, 2023 until December 31, 2023, international students who are in Canada and who have off-campus work authorization on their study permit will no longer be restricted by the 20 hour per week rule. Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Sean Fraser announced recently the temporary lifting of the 20 hour per week cap on the number of hours that eligible post-secondary students are allowed to work off campus while class is in session.
International student Janice Virtudazo started her program last September at NAIT and is happy with the new temporary policy. Virtudazo said that she is grateful with this temporary policy but reminded other international students to continue to study full-time since this is the purpose for coming to Canada. She said she will try her best to balance her studies with work.
Janice Virtudazo International Student at NAIT
The Government of Canada said that this temporary change will provide many international students with greater opportunities to gain valuable work experience in Canada and will increase the availability of workers to sustain Canada’s post-pandemic growth. IRRC announced that around 500,000 international students already in Canada will benefit from this change.
Employers like Nelson Rodriguez welcome the news since they have faced unprecedented challenges in finding and retaining the workers they need. Rodriguez added that this temporary policy will help them however, this is not a permanent solution to their problem. He said that IRCC must explore other immigration programs to address the labour shortage in Canada.
Nelson Rodriguez Owner of Edo Japana, Potato Corner, OPA Greek and Cha Time
This move is one of Canada’s measures to address current labour needs. According to Statistics Canada, there were 915,500 unfilled positions in the fourth quarter of 2021. Top three industries facing labour challenges are construction, manufacturing, and accommodation and food services industry.
Reminder to all international students to continue to maintain full-time studies during each academic session to qualify for the post-graduation work permit or PGWP.
I would like to emphasize that when international students are ready to apply for permanent residence any work experience gained while studying in Canada doesn’t count towards the minimum requirements under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Alberta Opportunity Stream of the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program or AAIP.
If you have questions regarding the above article, you may contact Marjorie at [email protected]
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
A word of caution: You should not act or rely on the information provided in this column. It is not a legal advice. To ensure your interests are protected, retain, or formally seek advice from a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) in good standing of CICC. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of RCIC’s.
