According to recent reports, foreign students’ off-campus work hours policy might be permanent. In October 2022, IRCC announced Canada’s temporary policy. This policy enabled international students to work off-campus full-time apart from the fixed academic breaks. The policy was IRCC’s attempt to simplify the country’s labor shortages. However, the IRCC temporary policy will expire on December 31, 2023.
Foreign students’ off-campus work hours policy to be permanent
This measure took effect after the execution of the temporary policy on November 15, 2022. Now that 2023 is on the verge of ending and 2024 will start soon, several international students await the end of this temporary policy.
Before the execution of this initiative, IRCC limited international students to a rule of 20 hours concerning off-campus employment every week within the school year. However, students didn’t have permission to work full-time during planned academic breaks. These could be reading breaks or winter breaks.
Individuals with the eligibility to work over 20 hours per week through IRCC policy
Only specific groups of international students could access this temporary policy by IRCC. This policy permitted foreign nationals pursuing Canadian education to carry out off-campus work. They could work for twenty hours each week during their academic session.
International students need to qualify for this modified work hours policy. This implies that they must attend their classes in Canada. These classes shouldn’t be online from different countries. International students must also demonstrate their off-campus work permission on their study permit.
This temporary regulation has also benefited students who applied for a study visa on October 7, 2022, the day it was announced, and those already enrolled in a Canadian post-secondary program.
Stakeholders suggest IRCC to make this temporary policy permanent for foreign students
Several stakeholders across Canada have been discussing making this policy permanent for international students. They argue that this policy will prove advantageous for international students seeking more money for inflation and compensating for the increasing cost of living.
In addition, working extra hours has proved beneficial to students currently combating these increased costs. Moreover, making this policy permanent will help international students combat Canada’s increasing affordability challenge.
Also, the subject matter experts and advocacy groups are collaborating with foreign nationals to encourage Canada to refrain from resuming the old work policy pattern.
IRCC’s possibilities for extending this policy for qualified foreign students regularly
Currently, the Canadian government has not clearly stated whether it will extend the present work hours policy toward the end of the current year. This is even though Canada still requires assistance to tackle a nationwide labor shortage. Furthermore, this means that the basis for the policy’s implementation is still an issue that the nation must address.
If you still have questions related to the Canadian immigration process, you can access all relevant details through Make Home Canada’s immigration consultants. Write to us at [email protected]
