Immigration Minister Mark Miller stated that international students will be able to work off-campus for up to 24 hours a week starting in September.

Liberals temporarily waived the maximum of 20 hours for international students' work during the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to alleviate labor shortages, and this waiver is set to end on Tuesday.

Considering best practices and policies in other like-minded countries, most limit the number of hours that international students can work. Miller said, "Canadian rules must be aligned, or we will find that our programs are attracting more and more applicants whose primary goal is to work, not study."

"To be clear, the purpose of the international student program is study, not work."

The new work limit comes at a time when the federal government is tightening its grip on the rising number of international students enrolled across the country.

Critics have warned that allowing international students to work full-time could turn study permits into informal work visas, which would undermine their intended purpose.

Miller stated that his government is setting the maximum number of work hours at 24 because it seems "reasonable," and it will allow students to work three full shifts of eight hours each.

He also noted that internal department work indicates that more than 80 percent of international students are currently working more than 20 hours a week.

The maximum work hours will revert to 20 hours a week until September, when the government can implement a permanent change to make it 24 hours.

There are no limits on the number of hours international students can work when they are not enrolled in a semester, such as during the summer.

Canadian press reported earlier this year that Miller's department officials warned the government in 2022 that the temporary waiver could divert students from their studies and undermine the goal of temporary foreign worker programs.

Miller previously floated the idea of permanently setting the maximum at 30 hours a week. However, the immigration minister said on Monday that would be too close to full-time work hours.

He clarified, "We also know from studies that when you start working at around 30 hours, there is a tangible impact on your study quality."

Miller extended the work-hour exemption in December because he did not want the change to affect students during the academic year itself.