From November 15, 2022 until December 31, 2023, international students who are in Canada and have off-campus work authorization on their study permit will be allowed to work over 20 hours per week off-campus while class is in session.

This temporary measure will also apply to foreign nationals who have already submitted a study permit application as of today. They will also be able to benefit from this policy if Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada approves their application.

Canada is grappling with historic labour shortages and an unemployment rate which is low by historical standards. Earlier this morning, Statistics Canada reported that Canada’s unemployment rate fell to 5.2 per cent in September, down from 5.4 per cent in August.

The change was announced by The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. This measure will provide many international students with a greater opportunity to gain valuable work experience in Canada, and will increase the availability of workers to sustain Canada’s post-pandemic growth. 

Canada has been dependent on temporary residents, including international students, to fill its labour force needs.

This month, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is also launching a pilot project to automate the processing of study permit extensions. The types of applications being included in this pilot have a consistently high approval rate, as all applicants have previously been approved to study in Canada. The pilot will involve a small group of applicants who could see their extended study permit processed much faster, with the goal of improving client service. Should the pilot be successful, it will be expanded in order to help reduce processing times and allow officers to focus on more complex applications.