Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada has announced that it will be lifting the 20-hour-per-week cap on the number of hours that eligible post-secondary students are allowed to work off-campus while class is in session. This temporary measure will apply from November 15, 2022 until December 31, 2023. For more information about this please refer to the News Release https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2022/10/international-students-to-help-address-canadas-labour-shortage.html
At ILAC we prioritize learning and education while supporting students who want to gain beneficial work experience. Attendance and grades will continue to be tracked and students will be expected to ensure the work experience they obtain while studying connects with their long-term professional and academic goals.
Speaking to students, Chris Anstead, Dean of Geogian@ILAC commented: “We welcome this decision by the IRCC. We know that many of you depend on your part time jobs to cover daily expenses. Lifting this cap will allow you to make arrangements with employers that are more flexible. However, we want you to remember that any job has to remain a second priority to education; if you neglect your studies because you over-commit to an employer, you run the risk of wasting all the hard work you have put in.”
Tanya Galueva, Dean of Fanshawe Toronto@ILAC added: “Some jobs will help you prepare for your ideal post-graduate career. Try to find work now that lets you develop those skills.”
IRCC also announced a pilot program set to launch later this month to expedite and automate study permit extensions.
Further details with regards to these new initiatives announced will follow closer to November 15, 2022.