On October 7, 2022, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced the temporary lifting of the 20-hour-per-week off-campus work hours cap for eligible international post-secondary students. 

From November 15, 2022, to December 31, 2023, in-Canada international students who are authorized to work off-campus on their study permit will no longer be restricted by the 20-hour-per-week rule. This means that international post-secondary study permit holders with off-campus work authorization can work for more than 20 hours without a cap. Foreign applicants who have applied for a study permit as of now will also benefit from this temporary change, given that their application is approved. 

The new measure will give more international students the opportunities to gain valuable work experience in Canada and help address Canada’s post-pandemic labour shortage. Despite the policy change, study permit holders are still expected to balance their work and study commitments. International students who stop studying or reduce course loads to become part-time students are not eligible to work off-campus.