How excited are the students post-lifting working hours restriction?
By now you all must be aware that all the international students in Canada will be allowed to WORK MORE THAN 20 HOURS during their academic period effective 15 NOVEMBER 2022 TO 31 DECEMBER 2023
The Honorable Minister of IRCC, Mr. Sean Fraser, announced this on the 14th of October about the temporary lifting of the 20-hour-per-week restriction on the number of hours that eligible post-secondary students are allowed to work off-campus while class is in session.
Since November has arrived, all the international students are looking forward to Nov 15 so that they can work for more hours!
Student’s Voice
Let us get to know what Navpreet Singh, an international student studying at KPU, has to say on this.
How many hours do you usually work?
I work for 20 hours per week as a student, which is the limit currently set by IRCC. I have never worked more than that except during the breaks.
How excited are you about working more than 20 hours from 15 Nov?
I am very excited to answer this question. Earlier, students who had less course load and more free time, were not able to work more than 20 hours per week, unless they work on on-campus jobs, which everybody knows are not available to everyone. Now, all the eligible students will be able to work as much as they like. They can work for 2 employers, 3 employers, 30 hours a week, 40 hours a week. It is going to be a golden period for students who wish to work more.
From a student’s perspective, do you think working more than 20 hours and studying at the same time is tough? Should students work longer hours?
I can say yes and no for this question. This is a subjective thing, not an objective one. If a student is barely surviving with a 20 hour a week job, then it is going to be a boon for them. For those, who have difficult courses like me, I’m studying accounting and believe me it’s not easy, it can pose a problem if I work for more than 20 hours, because I have to leave enough time for my study also. If I earn more than enough and my fee is paid, it is going to be optional for me.
So, overall, every student knows his/her situation best and it is up to them to decide wisely if they want to work more or less.
Any message for students who are applying for jobs these days and are willing to work more than 20 hours?
Two things, have good references and skillset. With good references, you are more likely to get jobs. Hiring managers admire the people in the network of their hard-working employees. They think if our employee is hard-working, then their friends are probably as hard-working.
If you can quantify your skill, then your resume can easily persuade any hiring manager and you can win half the battle!
Any tips to the students to balance their studies with work?
Make a daily plan and hold yourself accountable for every task you plan for. If you have planned that you need to apply for jobs, spare 30 minutes and apply to do it in that timeframe. If you need to study for an hour, do it and don’t look anywhere else. Give yourself a little treat when you accomplish that task. You’ll be happy and more balanced.
So, if you are also an international student in Canada and want to share your thoughts on the same, you can reach out to us on our Instagram handle CISM India.
Let us build a community and share our thoughts on the matters that interest and involve international students the most!
