In recognition of the challenges Canadian employers are currently facing in finding and retaining workers, on October 7, 2022, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced two temporary measures in support of international students and Canadian employers:

• Temporary lifting of the current restriction on off-campus work hours for eligible post-secondary international students between November 15, 2022, and December 31, 2023.
• Pilot project for the automation of certain study permit extension applications.

Temporarily lifting the 20 hours limit for off-campus work

This temporary pilot program will be available to study permit holders in Canada meeting IRCC’s requirements for eligibility to work off-campus, as well as those who have submitted a study permit application, provided the application is approved. Currently, post-secondary international students in Canada with valid study permits who meet IRCC’s requirements for off-campus work are permitted to work off-campus up to 20 hours per week while school is in session. This temporary measure would allow these post-secondary international students to work more than 20 hours per week off-campus while school is in session, providing an opportunity to gain valuable work experience in Canada while supporting Canadian employers during Canada’s post-pandemic growth. Students, however, must ensure that they continue to meet IRCC’s requirements for their study permits for off-campus work, including enrollment in full-time studies.

Pilot project for the automation of certain study permit extensions

In recognition of the high approval rate of most study permit extension applications, Minister Fraser announced that IRCC would launch a pilot project to automate the processing of study permit extension applications meeting certain criteria. However, specific details have not yet been released.

This announcement also included a reminder regarding recently launched measures, including a transition period for those studying online from abroad and an opportunity for those with certain expired or expiring Post-Graduation Work Permits to obtain an additional 18-month open work permit.

For more information, please reach out to the authors, Helen Park and Denise Alba.