The Canadian government has announced new rules around off-campus work hours for international students.

The temporary policy allowing students to work more than 20 hours per week off campus will come to an end on April 30, 2024, and it will not be extended. Starting this fall, the number of hours students may work off campus per week will be changed to 24 hours. The intention behind this change is to ensure that students primarily focus on their studies, while still having the option to work if necessary. During academic breaks, students will be allowed to work unlimited hours.

The decision to change the off-campus work hours was made after considering the needs of students, policies in other countries, and research showing that academic outcomes suffer when students work too much while studying. The government aims to strike a balance that allows students to work without compromising their academic outcomes. The new rules also aim to protect international students from financial vulnerability and maintain the integrity of the International Student Program.

Recent studies in the US and Canada have shown that there is a decline in academic performance for students working more than 28 hours per week, and that working more than 24 hours per week increases the chances of a student dropping out of their program. Most countries that welcome international students set limits on the number of hours they may work while studying.

In December 2023, the Canadian government raised the cost-of-living threshold that students must meet to be approved for a study permit, so they are financially prepared for life in Canada and are not as dependent on working. Additionally, international students who begin a college program delivered through a public-private curriculum licensing arrangement on or after May 15, 2024, will not be eligible for a post-graduation work permit when they graduate.

The new letter of acceptance (LOA) verification process has been successful, with almost 162,000 LOAs received for verification and nearly 142,000 LOAs confirmed as valid directly with designated learning institutions. This process aims to ensure the integrity of the International Student Program.

The Canadian government continues to work towards protecting the integrity of the student program, while also providing support for international students to succeed in Canada.

Source: Canada.ca