Canada’s 24-hour work limit is likely to put financial strain on Indian students
Indian students in Canada, the largest group among international students, are anticipated to encounter substantial financial difficulties due to a new federal regulation restricting them to 24 hours of off-campus work per week. This regulation, effective this month, replaces the temporary suspension of the 20-hour work limit that was implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic to address labor shortages. The waiver ended on April 30.
International students are not subject to any limitations on their employment hours during school breaks, including summer and winter breaks, in Canada.
Of the 5.5 lakh international students studying in Canada in 2022, 2.26 lakh were from India; 3.2 lakh of these students were there on student visas and worked as gig workers to support the country’s economy.
Indian students who work off-campus find relief in covering their living expenses and consumables.
The new law limits students to working three part-time shifts each week, which makes it impossible for them to pay for their expenditures because most normal work periods are eight hours.
The Canadian government depends on Indian students to uphold the minimum wage, which is currently 17.36 Canadian dollars per hour as of May. In 2023, the minimum wage was $16.65 an hour prior to this increase.
The 24-hour restriction, however, is anticipated to make it difficult for them to pay for living expenses in pricey places like Toronto.
Students’ concerns and adjustments
Neeva Phatarphekar, a foreign student studying in Toronto, voiced worries about how the new regulation will affect her ability to pay her rent, buy groceries, and travel.
It will be difficult to pay the rent in Toronto, buy food, go out to dinner with friends, and travel. She said to CBC News, “I have to consider all of that.
Phatarphekar has already reduced his spending and moved in with friends to reduce his rental costs. She was enrolled in York University’s public relations certificate program, but she is now switching to Seneca College to study brand management.
International students labor because they have to, according to Deepa Mattoo, executive director and lawyer of the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic.
Not every student, without that additional revenue, can afford to attend school. A framework for equity must be included in any organization, Mattoo told CBC News.
Professor of economics Moshe Lander of Concordia University in Montreal, however, questioned if 24 hours is enough considering the amount of time needed for learning.
“As an instructor, I’m somewhat concerned that limiting work to 24 hours a week might impact students’ ability to concentrate fully on their coursework,” Lander told CBC News.
He continued by saying that this may cause pupils to prioritize work over their academics, which would lower the standard of education as a whole.
