Effective this Fall Semester (August-December academic period), the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced a new rule for international students concerning off-campus work hours, creating glaring concerns among international students. Indian students, who constitute the largest group of foreign students in Canada, are particularly worried after the announcement of the new cap “especially as the cost of living is on a significant rise” in the country.
Their worries emerge from an announcement by the Justin Trudeau-led government that international students will be allowed to work up to 24 hours per week off-campus. “Eligible full-time students working off-campus can work 20 hours per week while class is in session. A new rule to increase to 24 hours per week is expected to take effect later this fall, as announced earlier this year,” the IRCC posted on X (formerly Twitter).
But, citing escalating costs of living coupled with the housing crisis in Canada, some international students contend that the upcoming 24 hour work cap is insufficient to meet their financial needs. They believe that the new policy will directly impact the ability of students to pay tuition fees, supplement their income, and manage living expenses.
Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Siddhi Patel, a student of George Brown College, Toronto, expressed her concerns after the announcement. “Many students pay for their college fees and other expenses themselves. But the cost of living has increased tremendously, especially in cities like Toronto. Now, many Indian students are struggling to make ends meet. A weekly cap of 24 hours will not be enough,” she said.
Many bypassing work hours cap
A significant number of students, facing financial constraints, have apparently resorted to engaging in additional employment opportunities beyond their scheduled work hours to supplement their income and meet their living expenses. Many of them opt to work for cash, bypassing traditional employment channels, several students told the FPJ.
Reem Siddiqui, a student at the York university, Toronto, said, “in reality students work for cash jobs outside their shifts in order to earn more money and pay for future tuition or repay loans taken.”
She asserted that being in such a situation "increases exploitation of international students and is also illegal”. She further argued that granting international students more work hours during these challenging times could help mitigate this issue.
Increased cost of living
Patel added that finding a job in Toronto is next to impossible. “I was without a job for two to three months after coming to Toronto. Even after I finally landed an internship, it pays me a stipend that is way below minimum wage,” she said, adding: “I believe that while setting a cap, the government should also consider the current economic situation in the country.”
Corroborating this, Marilyn Mistry, a 2020 batch Carleton University student, said, “I believe 24 hours a week are not enough for students to support themselves in Canada. The cost of living is high.”
She noted that rents have risen significantly in comparison to her student days, and the prices of food and essential services have surged further as well in the past five years. She emphasised, "the 20-to-23-hour work week for international students used to be sufficient five years ago when the cost of living was not as high as it is now.”
Before the coronavirus pandemic broke out, international students in Canada were limited to working off-campus for a maximum of 20 hours per week. However, during the pandemic, the Canadian government temporarily lifted this restriction to provide students with greater flexibility and financial support.
‘Academic outcomes suffer’
Earlier this year, the IRCC reinstated the work hour cap, citing concerns about the potential negative impact on students' academic performance. In an official statement issued in April 2024, the IRCC said, “Research has shown that academic outcomes suffer the more a student works while studying. This change strikes a balance between allowing students to work while maintaining their academic performance.”
But Mistry, who is now a Canadian resident, has a different opinion. “In the current economic situation, instating a weekly 24 hour work cap does have an adverse effect on the students. However, I also believe that having unlimited working hours would have affected the education of the international students. If we are given unlimited hours, the focus would be less on studies and more on gaining money.”
“A limited but higher number of hours per week would actually be able to help students balance their education and work without having to compromise on either side,” she suggested.
‘Perfect balance’
Siddiqui, however, believes that a weekly 24 hour cap on off-campus work strikes a perfect balance between academics and earning to support themselves, further adding that no restrictions on work hours may become necessary stress for students.
She said the 24 work hour cap is a “good initiative as it is a perfect balance. It is not too less and not too much. Indian students can earn enough to support themselves on minimum wage working 24 hrs per week”.
Talking about the temporary upliftment of a 20 hour weekly work cap, Siddiqui said, “unlimited work hours have its positive and negative impact. Positives being more income, but the negative is that it can become hard for international students to keep up with academic work which could lead to a stressful situation for students.”
The restriction on off-campus work hours can make it difficult for students to balance their academic pursuits with their financial needs, potentially leading to increased stress and financial hardship. This becomes especially true when Canada is grappling with a housing crisis as well as increased costs of living.
