Highlights: 30-hour work policy to be considered for international students in Canada
- The Immigration Minister of Canada announced multiple changes in the international student program to benefit international students.
- IRCC is to increase weekly working hours to 30 hours for international students.
- Canada will extend full-time work for eligible students until the end of April 2024.
- The Canadian government has set an annual cap on the total number of international students entering the country.
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Who is eligible to work full-time till April 2024?
The temporary policy introduced by the former Immigration Minister, Sean Fraser, allowed international students to work more than 20 hours per week. There was no cap on the number of working hours, and students could work for as much time as they liked while maintaining their study program requisites.
However, not all international students were eligible to work full-time.
- Students whose study permit applications were received by the IRCC by October 07, 2022, are eligible to work more than 20 hours starting November 15, 2022, till April 30, 2024.
- If the IRCC received your study permit application between October 8, 2022, and December 7, 2023, you can work more than 20 hours weekly from January 1, 2024, to April 30, 2024.
You are eligible to work full-time till April 30, 2024 if:
- You are a full-time DLI student with a study permit, or
- You are a part-time DLI student in your last semester with a study permit.
- You are enrolled as a full-time (or part-time if you are in your last semester) student at a DLI while maintaining your study status even after the expiration of your study permit.
- You are yet to enter Canada even though your study permit has been granted.
Note: Students whose study permit applications were received by IRCC after December 07, 2023, are ineligible to work for more than 20 hours weekly.
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Canada's 30 hour work hour policy
The Canadian Government's decision to increase the weekly working hours to 30 focuses on benefiting international students. It is supposed to compensate for the reduced number of international students entering Canada with PGWPs and SOWPs.
Reports state that several current students rely on working for more than 20 hours per week to manage their expenses, affecting their studies. The IRCC plans to examine options for this policy and increase off-campus work hours to 30 hours per week while classes are in session.
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Web Story: Canada to consider 30 hours work policy for international students