Canada changed the rules of work: The Canadian government has come up with new rules for international students coming from other countries including India. Where Indian students are the largest group of international students in Canada. They may face many financial problems due to the new federal rule. Under this rule, international students will now be able to work off campus only for 24 hours a week.
According to a report by India Today, this new rule of the Canadian federal government has come into effect from September. This rule replaces the temporary relaxation of the 20-hour limit on working hours, which was introduced by the Canadian government in 2013. covid It was introduced to address labour shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic but was scrapped on April 30, 2024.
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There are currently no restrictions on working hours during school holidays, such as summer or winter vacations, for international students in Canada. However, in the year 2022, out of the 5.5 lakh international students in Canada, 2.26 lakh were from India, of which 3.2 lakh were living in Canada on Indian student visas.
Because of this, off-campus jobs help Indian students cover their grocery and household expenses since most work shifts are 8 hours long. So the new rule means that students can only work three shifts per week, making it difficult for them to cover their expenses.
Also, Indian students help the Canadian government maintain the minimum wage, which is now set at 17.36 Canadian dollars per hour from May. Before this increase, the minimum wage was $16.65 per hour in 2023. However, affording accommodation in expensive cities like Toronto will be challenging due to the 24-hour limit.
Meanwhile, speaking to CBC News, Niva Phatrafekar, an international student living in Toronto, expressed concern about her rent and groceries under the new rule. “It will be difficult for me to pay rent, groceries, eat out with friends and travel in Toronto. I have to think about all of these,” she says.