On December 7, 2023, Canada’s immigration minister Marc Miller, unveiled new restrictions for international students wishing to study in Canada.
Starting next year, prospective overseas students will be required to show they have access to $20,635 instead of the $10,000 minimum that has been in place for two decades, in addition to paying for travel and tuition, according to Marc Miller.
The amount will be modified annually depending on the benchmark for living costs established by Statistics Canada.
Miller also revealed that the federal Liberals will prolong an exemption that allows current international students who do not have a work visa to work more than 20 hours per week off campus.
Will This Affect Current International Students in Canada?
The new minimum financial requirements only apply to new study permit applications received on or after Jan. 1, 2024.
What Do the Extra Hours Mean for Eligible International Students In Canada?
While IRCC’s decision does not make the policy permanent, as many international students had hoped, it will still be beneficial to many international students across Canada. This is because being able to work more hours permits overseas students to be less burdened by financial concerns.
Eligibility for IRCC’s New Work Hours Policy
Only select overseas students are eligible to work above the regular off-campus job restriction. To be specific, a foreign student who works more than 20 hours a week must:
- Take in-person classes at a Canadian post-secondary institution (rather than online from abroad)*
- Off-campus work authorization must be included on their study permit.
*Students who applied for a study visa on October 7, 2018, the day IRCC first announced this temporary policy in 2022, have also benefited from the elimination of the ban on off-campus job hours.
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Casey
Meet Casey, one of VisaPlace's immigration news contributors. She brings 7+ years of experience of content creation and SEO to VisaPlace. Casey has honed her expertise in delivering comprehensive and up-to-date content on immigration-related matters. Her work not only encompasses the complex legal aspects of immigration but also highlights the ever-evolving policies, procedures, and news that impact immigrants and aspiring visa holders.
