Canada’s int’l students can work 24hrs per week as new rules takes effect

On November 15, immigration minister Marc Miller confirmed the changes which come as part of IRCC’s mission to “root out fraud and protect students from financial vulnerability”.

Under the new rule, eligible international students can work up to 24 hours per week off campus while their classes are in session. 

Earlier this year, the government had announced its intention to raise the number of hours international students can work to 24 hours, but a date had not been set for implementation.

While international students in Canada have been allowed to work up to 20 hours a week, during regular semesters and school terms, this limit increased to 40 hours during the pandemic. 

The policy was introduced to address the country’s labour shortage while giving international students more earning opportunities. 

The temporary policy ended on April 30, bringing back the 20-hour requirement.

“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,” said Miller. 

“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 should have a positive, successful experience in Canada, and the important changes made today will help with that.”
_{Marc Miller, immigration minister}

Like previous rules, the cap applies only to hours students work off-campus while their classes are in session.

International students can continue to work any number of hours on-campus and off-campus during breaks between academic terms when classes are not being held. 

Elsewhere, recent changes stipulate that international students can only change learning institutions if they are approved for a new study permit. 

Previously, students could change institutions on the same study permit as long as they updated their IRCC online account with the new information. 

“This change is in line with the important work we have been doing to strengthen the integrity of the International Student Program,” said IRCC in a statement.

The Canadian government is also increasing its scrutiny of Designated Learning Institutions – those institutions approved by a provincial or territorial government to host international students.

Going forward, there will be consequences for DLIs who are unable to submit compliance reports or verify acceptance letters. 

Twice a year, DLIs will have to submit a report to IRCC on whether each study permit holder associated with their school has remained enrolled.

Students who are no longer enrolled “can be investigated and face enforcement action,” as they may be breaking their study permit conditions.

“With this change, a DLI could be suspended from welcoming new international students for up to a year for failing to provide the required information,” said IRCC.

Institutions in Quebec have been provided with a grace period before they can participate in student compliance reporting as it will take Quebec and IRCC “some time” to set up this reporting system for Quebec DLIs.

IRCC has hailed its newly introduced letter of acceptance verification process.

Since its launch on December 1, 2023, through October 6, 2024, the department said that it received 529,000 LOAs for verification of which nearly 492,000 LOAs were confirmed as valid. 

IRCC identified more than 17,000 LOAs that did not match any issued by a DLI. 

Additionally, many of these LOAs had already been cancelled by the DLI before the applicants submitted their study permit applications.

As announced in its 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan, Canada aims to decrease its temporary resident population over the next few years. 

This, according to IRCC, is to “align with Canada’s long­-term economic goals and strengthen the integrity and quality of its temporary resident programs”.

The newly implemented rules come just days after Canada announced an end to the Student Direct Stream and the Nigeria Student Express, which enabled fast-track processing for post-secondary students from certain countries. 

The recent changes, including a further 10% reduction in study permits from the 2024 target, are part of the Canadian government’s efforts to limit international students amid concerns surrounding the housing and affordability crisis.