The federal government has announced that it is lifting restrictions on international student workers in essential service positions.

International student workers in these positions will now be able to work more than 20 hours per week, according to a press release.

“Immigrants, temporary foreign workers and international students are making important contributions as frontline workers in health care and other essential service sectors,” said Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marco E. L. Mendicino in the release. “We know and value their efforts and sacrifices to keep Canadians healthy and ensure the delivery of critical goods and services.”

The change is effective today and will be in place until August 31, 2020.

AMS VP External Cristina Ilnitchi said this is an important change, especially for graduating students who face increased financial uncertainty.

“International students, in particular during COVID, are a vulnerable community within the student community,” she said.

“This relaxing of this rule temporarily is really really important for a lot of students who are almost at graduation … and who really need work right now.”

Ilnitchi stressed the need to support all international students, not just those in essential service positions.

“We would really like to see this rule change relaxed for all international students,” she said.

“We know that it’s not just those in health care facilities that are facing a lot of pressures right now, to find work to be able to stay in Canada without financial hardship.”