Good news as Canada lifts work hour limits for international students

The honorable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced the temporary lifting of the 20 hours per week cap on international students to help curb the current labour shortage in Canada.

International students who are in Canada and have off-campus work authorization on their study permit will not be restricted by the 20-hour-per-week rule from November 15, 2022 to December 31, 2023. Foreign nationals who have already applied for a study permit as of today will be able to take advantage of this temporary change, assuming their application is approved.

With over 500,000 international students already in Canada and potentially available to work extra hours, this temporary change reflects the important role international students can play in addressing our labor shortage while continuing to pursue their studies. Study permit holders must continue to balance their study and work obligations, as those who stop studying or reduce course loads to only study part-time are ineligible to work off-campus.

For more information: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2022/10/international-students-to-help-address-canadas-labour-shortage.html