International students will be allowed to work 24 hours a week starting in September

Immigration Minister Marc Miller says international students will be able to work off-campus for up to 24 hours per week starting in September.

International students will be able to work off-campus for up to 24 hours per week starting in September, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced Monday. 

The Liberals temporarily waived the 20-hour cap on work hours for international students during the COVID-19 pandemic in a bid to ease labour shortages.

That waiver expires Tuesday.

"Looking at best practices and policies in other like-minded countries, most of them limit the number of working hours for international students. Canada's rules need to be aligned or we will find our programs attracting more and more applicants whose primary intent is to work and not study," Miller said. 

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

The new work limit comes as the federal government clamps down on a surge in international student enrolments across the country. 

Critics have warned that allowing international students to work full-time could turn a study permit into an unofficial work visa, which would undermine its purpose.