Study In Canada: Extended off-campus work hours for international students will help Indians

According to a recent announcement by the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the government will allow international students in Canada who are eligible to work off-campus on their study permit to work for more than 20 hours per week while their course is in progress.

This permission to work for more than 20 hours per week will come into effect from November 15, 2022 and will be valid till December 31, 2023.The extension of off-campus work hours will also apply to students who have applied for a study permit in the beginning of October provided their application is approved.

At present, international students who are studying in a Canadian institution can work on off-campus jobs for 20 hours per week. They are allowed to work for more than 20 hours during holiday breaks. The policy allows students to financially support themselves during their studies. The Canadian government has decided to temporarily amend this rule in order to fill more than one million job vacancies it has at present.

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More than 60,258 Indian students enrolled in Canadian universities in the first half of 2022, as per an IRCC report. With this amendment, they can work for more hours during their course, earn more and improve their chances of getting a permanent residency.

The extension of off-campus work hours for international students was announced by the Canadian immigration minister Sean Fraser this week.

Mutually beneficial move

This amendment comes in the wake of the severe labour shortage in Canada and is seen as a mutually beneficial move. According to Fraser, "By allowing international students to work more while they study, we can help ease pressing needs in many sectors across the country, while providing more opportunities for international students to gain valuable Canadian work experience and continue contributing to our short-term recovery and long-term prosperity."

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"With the economy growing at a faster rate than employers can hire new workers, Canada needs to look at every option so that we have the skills and workforce needed to fuel our growth. Immigration will be crucial to addressing our labour shortage," Fraser added.

One of the top reasons international students prefer to study in Canada is the country’s study permit which allows them to work while studying. This also helps them gain Canadian work experience. When they apply for permanent residency this work experience will be an important qualifying factor.