Canada Restricting Working Hours may Impact Indian Students

By Jace May 3, 2024
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Indian students in Canada, the largest group of international students, are likely to face significant financial challenges due to a new federal policy limiting their work to 24 hours per week. This new rule, effective from this week, marks a complete departure from the pandemic period when Canada lifted work hour restrictions for international students to address worker shortages.

The cap is being reintroduced but is set at 24 hours per week, an increase of four hours from the previous limit of 20 hours per week. The relaxation of work hours during the COVID-19 pandemic ended on 30th April this year.

Despite this extension, international students who have been accustomed to working without constraints since the onset of COVID-19 may find it costly.

International students in Canada are allowed to work unlimited hours during holidays, including summer and winter breaks. In 2022, 226,000 of the 550,000 international students studying in Canada were from India. Additionally, there are approximately 320,000 Indians residing in Canada on student visas, many of whom are engaged in gig work.

Off-campus jobs help Indian students cover expenses for groceries and accommodation.
With most standard shifts being eight hours long, the new regulation permits students to work only three part-time shifts per week, which may be insufficient to meet their financial needs.

Indian students contribute to maintaining the minimum wage in Canada, which has been set at 17.36 Canadian dollars per hour from May this year, up from 16.65 Canadian dollars per hour in 2023.

However, the 24-hour work limit may pose challenges for students trying to cover living expenses in cities like Toronto, which are relatively expensive.

Source: CANADA.CA

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