June 12, 2014:

Just two weeks ago on June 1, 2014, study permit holders in Canada who are enrolled in academic, vocational or professional training programs of six months or longer will be automatically authorized to work. This does create benefits for employers with global mobility programs bringing assignees or permanent transfers to Canada, as well as at a local level. Foreign students are now able to work up to 20 hours per week during their academic sessions and full-time during scheduled breaks.

Previously, study permit holders had to obtain an Off-Campus Work Permit to accept employment.

The new rule will provide greater clarity regarding these graduates’ eligibility for employment.

What This Means for Canadian Employers and Assignees

This change (introduced in February of this year) is in keeping with The Canadian Government’s continued reforms towards greater compliance monitoring. It is the educational institutions that now must obtain government designation in order to sponsor foreign students, and as a result of the change Citizenship and Immigration Canada will have greater authority over monitoring immigration compliance.

Still, there are some positives for the business community. First, those assignees that relocate to Canada with post-secondary school age students will be positively affected, as their children will be able to work during the summer break and during the school year. Granted this is not a very large pool of global assignees and transfers, but the previous rules did create an impediment to global relocation for some of those families that wanted to bring older children to Canada. Secondly the new policy will make it easier administratively for employers to recruit and employ foreign students and recent graduates. All Points Relocation recommends that Human Resources communicate this change to recruiting departments that may have been previously discouraged from recruiting foreign students due to administrative challenges.

Disclaimer: The above information is provided for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice.