Canada Declared Cut in Off Campus Work Hours During Academic Period and Increased Fund Requirement

While a student can still work unlimited hours during a summer break, Canada has put away with the unlimited off-campus work hours rule, which was set to navigate the impact of the pandemic on people’s lives. Now, starting April 30, students can no longer work for more than 20 hours per week with their studies. In September2024, the limit will be increased to 24 hours.

After considering either imposing a cap of 30 hours or increasing the temporary provision implemented through the COVID-19 pandemic that allowed students to work as much as forty hours per week, the government ultimately determined that an average weekly duration of 24 hours will:

●    Give students the opportunity to work three eight-hour shifts a week

●    Discourage students who are coming to Canada primarily to work from applying for a study permit visa

●    Not cause students to become unduly distracted from their studies. Over breaks and summer vacations, students will still be free to put in as many hours as they like

When examining standards and regulations in other nations with similar values, the majority of them restrict the aggregate number of hours that international students can work. If Canada's regulations are not properly aligned, Canada, as a nation will see an increasing number of people applying to study programs who are primarily interested in working rather than learning. Studies have also shown that working at or near 30-hour levels has a significant negative influence on the caliber of students’ education.

According to recent studies done in both the United States and Canada, students who work more than 28 hours a week see a significant drop in their academic performance, and those who work more than 24 hours a week are more likely to drop out of school. The majority of nations that accept international students impose restrictions on the number of hours they can work during their studies. A recent policy change in Australia permits students to put in 48 hours every two weeks. Before they are allowed to work off campus in the United States, students must fulfil additional requirements.

Steps have been taken by the IRCC to ensure, that the students’ primary focus remains on studies, no one drops out of college to work and people do not find opportunities to come to Canada on a student visa, primarily to work. It had been observed that working for 28 to 40 hours per week, which 80% of the students were doing, had a significant impact on the focus they had on studies and thus defeating the primary purpose of the visa and diluting the quality of students hitting the Canadian shores.

IRCC has also increased the minimum requirement of funds to CA$ 20,635 for their living expenses and the first year of tuition fees is to be paid on top of that in their study permit application. Indian students continue to purchase GIC from nominated banks to show the provision of their living expenses.