Indian students in Canada, the largest group of international students, will face financial stress due to a new rule limiting off-campus work to 24 hours a week.
The rule, which will take effect this month, will make it difficult for students to cover the cost of living in cities like Toronto.
Indian students in Canada, who are the largest group of international students, may face significant financial challenges due to a new federal rule that limits them to 24 hours of off-campus work per week.
The new rule went into effect this week and is a major change from the pandemic when Canada lifted limits on international students' work hours to ease labor shortages.
The limit is being brought back but with an increase of four hours from the previous limit of 20 hours per week.
The pandemic-time working-hour relaxation expired on April 30.
Although there is a limit of four hours per week, international students, who have been working without limits since the pandemic, find this limit prohibitive.
There are no restrictions on working hours for international students in Canada during school holidays, such as summer or winter holidays.
In 2022, of the 5.5 lakh international students in Canada, 2.26 lakh were from India, including 3.2 lakh who stayed in Canada on Indian student visas and contributed to the economy as gig workers.
Off-campus jobs help Indian students pay for their groceries and housing. With most standard work shifts being 8 hours long, the new rule means students can only work three part-time shifts per week, making it difficult for them to cover their expenses.
Indian students help the Canadian government maintain the minimum wage, which is now set at 17.36 Canadian dollars an hour, effective May.
Before this increase, the minimum wage in 2023 was $16.65 an hour. However, the 24-hour limit is expected to make it challenging for those in high-cost cities like Toronto to afford living.
Student Concerns and Adjustments Neeva Fatarfekar, an international student in Toronto, expressed concerns about managing her rent, groceries and travel under the new rule.
"Rent and groceries in Toronto, eating out with friends and traveling are going to be difficult. I have to think about all of that," he told CBC News.
Fartafakar has already cut down on expenses and moved in with friends to save on rent. She was studying for a public relations certificate at York University but will now study brand management at Seneca College.
Dipa Mattoo, executive director of the Barbara Schleifer Memorial Clinic and attorney, emphasized that international students work out of necessity.
"Not every student can afford to go to school without that extra income. In any structure, you have to have an equity structure," Mattu told CBC News.
However, Moshe Lander, an economics professor at Concordia University in Montreal, questioned whether 24 hours was enough given the time required for the study.
Lander told CBC News, "As an instructor, I have little doubt that 24 hours a day still means focusing on your courses, or at least focusing well on your courses." He said this could weaken the overall quality of education, as students may give priority to work over their studies.
