The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC”) announced a temporary lift on the cap for the number of hours that post-secondary students are allowed to work off-campus during the academic year. International students will no longer be restricted by the 20-hour per week rule from November 15, 2022, until December 31, 2023.
The Government of Canada has announced that these changes are part of several initiatives to benefit international students while addressing Canada’s labour shortages. Other measures include: 1) providing international students and recent graduates with a transition period for those studying online from abroad, and 2) providing an opportunity for those with expired or expiring post-graduation work permits to get an additional 18-month open work permit.
Practitioners should remain mindful of these temporary changes and keep an eye out for more amendments within immigration law. To read the Government of Canada’s complete release, click here.
