International students in Sask. say decision to lift 20-hour work cap should be made permanent

International students in Saskatchewan say Ottawa's move to temporarily lift the cap on hours they can work off campus each week is good news, but some want the change to be permanent.

On Nov. 15, the federal government will remove the ceiling of 20 hours of off-campus work per week while classes are in session. The pilot, in effect until Dec. 31 of next year, is an effort to address the country's labour shortages. 

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said Friday that around 500,000 students would be eligible for the program.

"It's great news for international students," said Sithija Abishek, who works part time as a line cook at Olive Garden while pursuing a computer science major at University of Saskatchewan.

The 21-year-old moved to Saskatoon on Feb. 9 from Sri Lanka. 

"I can cover daily expenses and accumulate tuition, especially since things aren't great economically back home."

Abishek intends to work an extra day with hopes of putting in 30-40 hours per week during long weekends and reading weeks.

"We tend to have unexpected expenses, like recently a $100 subscription for a study-based platform. I'm suffering," he said.

"But in future, I can work an extra day and cover that."

Sask Polytechnic student Ajith Aeilias will also increase his hours at a pizza place.

"They've increased rent, groceries and other prices and international students have to take care of everything. This move will help," the 28-year-old said.

"The government should have done this much earlier."

Some students CBC talked to at USask Tuesday afternoon agreed, saying the change should be made permanent.

Krunal Chavda said he'll work at least 25-30 hours a week to account for tuition rates that have increased "three times more than 2020" and other inflationary expenses.

"But I also have a huge course load of six labs and lab work," the 19-year-old computer engineering student said.

"Previously 20 hours would barely cover my rent and other expenses, and if any unforeseen expenses would come along it won't fit the budget."

Chavda hopes to contribute more to his tuition to lessen student loans.

Thamidur Rashid Taseen said he was thrilled to read the announcement tweet from the federal immigration department on Friday.

"What's more thrilling is that it will help me network in my field and get full-time work experience before I graduate," the 23-year-old said.

"In 2019, 20 hours of even minimum wage work would help you meet basic expenses but now with 8.6 per cent inflation my credit card bills are crazy."

Taseen, who moved from Bangladesh, said the change is beneficial for students like him.

Shahab Minaei, who is pursuing a PhD in chemical engineering, said his 20 hours of work at a telecommunications firm was nowhere enough, especially after the pandemic.

"It's hard to already manage the high costs of living and now with increased tuition from this year. Then there are immigration-related expenses," Minaei said.

"The extra money can fill many holes."

Minaei, who moved from Iran, said more opportunities will open up in their own fields of study as students were not eligible for full-time positions in the past.

"I hope they make this program permanent."

Aakhansha Majumdar, a microbiology and immunology student, said she will stick to her 20 hours of work at a daycare. 

"If I work more, I cannot study more. I'm in my third year, so studies are more important," she said.

A pull between work and study 

Saskatoon-based immigration lawyer Omer Khayyam said that is a wise decision. 

"Can you work 30 to 40 hours a week, study full time and graduate? I suspect many might flunk or face deteriorating education because of this," he said.

"Again, many might get entry level jobs or more workers for Uber or Amazon."

Khayyam is also skeptical of the government's move to automate the study permit processing which he said will pave the way for artificial intelligence for domestic applications.

He also said the government is being too ambitious trying to solve the labour shortage problem through this method.

"Labour shortage is a lot bigger and separate than this. Many such jobs need more than 40 hours of work a week but students won't be able to keep up," Khayyam said.

"This is not even a Band-Aid solution."

But Brianna Solberg, a senior policy analyst with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said it is a creative policy solution that can work.

"With half of Saskatchewan small businesses reporting they're being impacted by labour shortages, any measures to help ease this pressure are much appreciated by small business owners," she said.

Solberg said tourism and hospitality are the most affected sectors in Saskatchewan which saw a "large exodus of workers and are struggling to recruit and retain staff".

"But this is a really good announcement for small businesses to fill those vacant positions through the year."

She said while increasing wages and hiring less qualified workers has not been a silver bullet in the past, the influx of international students could help ease labour shortages.

"The persistent issue has been a lack of applicants and if 500,000 students will get more hours, it can begin to solve the labour shortages."

Solberg said urban centres like Regina and Saskatoon specifically will begin to see a short-term uptick in available applicants for labour.

"We just hope that maybe seasonally they kind of bleed out into rural areas too."