Immigration Minister Marc Miller introduced new regulations this week allowing foreign students to work full-time during academic breaks, a move his department admits could increase competition for Canadian workers, particularly young people seeking entry-level or summer jobs.“This may result in increased competition for Canadian workers,” the Department of Immigration stated in a Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement. Blacklock's Reporter says the statement acknowledged that the changes could significantly affect low-wage industries where many Canadian students traditionally find employment.The new rules represent a reversal from Miller's April announcement that limits on the number of hours foreign students could work would be reinstated. At the time, Miller had declared, “The policy expires today and it won’t be renewed. The idea behind the international student program is to study, not to work.”Initially, foreign students were to be capped at working 24 hours per week. However, the department’s revised regulations now permit unlimited hours during academic breaks, including the summer — prime job-hunting season for Canadian students.“The increase in off-campus work hours will increase the supply of labour hours from international students,” the department wrote, further noting that “younger workers” would face greater competition in low-wage sectors like restaurants and labour jobs.Miller’s office did not comment on the changes, nor did the department provide data on how many Canadian students might lose job opportunities as a result. Since the government initially lifted the work-hour cap in November 2022, the unemployment rate for Canadian students has risen from 10.3% to 12.8%.The department, however, conducted a survey among foreign students in 2023, finding that 89% supported permanently lifting the cap on work hours. No survey was conducted among Canadian students or workers to gauge their views. Employers in industries experiencing labour shortages also reportedly supported the changes.Miller has previously dismissed concerns about foreign students affecting Canadian job prospects. “I don’t think students are taking jobs away from other people given the labour shortages that are happening in Canada,” he said last December.Despite these assurances, an internal audit found that the department has not evaluated the impact of its policies on Canadian workers. “Impacts are not monitored,” said a report titled Evaluation Of The International Mobility Program.Critics argue that the changes prioritize the needs of foreign students and employers over young Canadian workers. Meanwhile, the department maintains that the updated policy aligns with labour market demands, even as it acknowledges the potential for increased competition in entry-level job markets.
