On November 15, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced significant updates to its International Student Program. This follows IRCC's announcement in its 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan to reduce the number of temporary residents in Canada over the next few years. The following is an overview of the new measures:
1. Revised off-campus work limit
With the new measures, eligible international students can now work up to 24 hours per week off-campus without a work permit while enrolled in full-time classes. Prior to this change, the limit was 20 hours per week. In addition, international students who are eligible to work off-campus are also permitted to work full-time during scheduled breaks such as the summer break between school years or during the winter break between the fall and winter semesters.
2. Students changing schools will need new study permits
International students will need to apply for and receive approval for a new study permit before transferring to a different designated learning institution (DLI). Prior to this change, students could change schools by notifying IRCC via their online account. If an international student changes their DLI without applying for and obtaining a new study permit, they may be found to be in violation of their study permit conditions.
If you are an international student who is planning to switch schools, make sure to apply and be approved for a new study permit before making that change, as failure to do so may affect your temporary residence status in Canada.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
