The Canadian government has lifted work restrictions for international students. This change comes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent labour shortages in many sectors across the country. This policy adjustment will provide much-needed support to businesses that are struggling to find workers. In addition, it will also allow international students to gain valuable work experience while they complete their degree. Here's what you need to know about the new work opportunities and eligibility for full-time international students in Canada.

The Canadian Government's New ruling

Beginning November 15, 2022, until the end of 2023, a new ruling will allow international students to work full-time during the school year. Additionally, the ruling will allow them to work during scheduled breaks like summer and winter holidays.

The previous work restrictions for international students allowed them to work only 20 hours on-campus or with a valid Off-Campus Work Permit. This rule was originally put in place to ensure that students would have enough time to focus on their studies. However, businesses in Canada are struggling to find workers, so the Canadian government has lifted these restrictions in order to open the labour pool.

Who Can Work Off-Campus?

Students and Employers must make sure the student can work off campus without a work permit before beginning work. If a student begins working off campus but doesn’t meet the requirements, they may have to leave Canada.

• Students can only start working in Canada once their study program has started. They can’t work before the start of their studies.
• If they're eligible for off-campus work, they don’t need a work permit.
  
  

Eligibility requirements

An International Student can work off campus without a work permit if they meet all of these requirements:

• they are a full-time student at a designated learning institution (DLI)

They are enrolled in

• a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional training program or
• a secondary-level vocational training program (Quebec only)
  Their study program
  
• is at least 6 months long and
• leads to a degree, diploma or certificate
• they've started studying
• they have a Social Insurance Number (SIN)

Opportunities For Businesses

Labour shortages are becoming increasingly common in Canada as the population ages and the number of retirees grows. As birth rates drop, this problem will increasingly get worse as there are not enough young people entering the workforce to replace the retiring baby boomers. The Canadian government's new ruling will bring relief to businesses of all sizes suffering from labour shortages. Small businesses that are struggling to find qualified workers will benefit from having access to a larger pool of potential employees. Large businesses that rely on international talent will be able to attract and retain the best and brightest students from around the world. Business owners should begin thinking about how they can take advantage of this new source of talent. For further detailed information on hiring international students, see the Government of Canada Website.

Although the labour shortage issue has no end in sight, Grizzly Force offers a scalable solution to deliver Canadian businesses the staff they need today. With our thousands of labour-ready workers and our on-demand hiring platform, we're an ideal partner for solving temporary labour needs within your business.