Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that from 15 November 2022 all international students studying in Canada may work beyond the 20 hours a week limit if they secure valid off-campus work authorisation.
The Australian government has announced that restrictions on working hours per week for international students will not be reintroduced until at least mid-2023.
In January this year the government announced that all international students in Australia would be able to work more than 20 hours a week (40 hours a fortnight).
This means that international students, working in any sector, are able to work an unlimited number of hours per week.
A new fund of £250,000 has been set up by Imperial College London to support refugee students and academics.
The Sanctuary Support Fund will provide scholarships at undergraduate and postgraduate level. The fund is made up of donations that will then be matched by Imperial College London. The total for the fund is currently nearing £250,000.
The New Zealand government has announced that international students will be able to enter the country from April 2022.
A five-step plan was announced on 3 February outlining the country’s strategy for a border reopening, with New Zealand citizens living abroad, highly skilled workers and travellers on working holiday schemes prioritised in the first three stages.
The US government has expanded the list of subjects within the STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme to allow graduates within certain subject areas to stay and work in the US for up to three years, instead of just one.
Australia has introduced another measure to make it a more attractive destination for international students. Any student visa holder who is not in Australia and travels to the country between 19 January and 19 March 2022 will be eligible for a refund on their visa application charge (VAC).
The refund will also be applicable to new student visa applicants. The government has stated that applications "will be processed quickly so applicants can come to Australia during the refund window".
All international students in Australia will soon be allowed to work more than 20 hours per week (40 hours a fortnight) without compromising the conditions of their student visa.
This temporary change has been made to help plug the shortage of workers that Australia is currently facing as more and more people are having to isolate amid an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases.
The 40-hour limit was previously lifted in May 2021 for any students working in the hospitality and tourism sector.
From 15 December 2021, fully vaccinated students will be able to enter Australia without a special permit.
This is a welcome announcement for international students who have been campaigning to return to Australia to resume their studies in-person for the past 18 months.
The Australian government has made the decision to delay its border reopening from the original date of 1 December to 15 December 2021.
The last-minute change was made amid growing concern around the Covid-19 Omicron variant. The initial plan was that international students would no longer need special permission to enter the country. This change has now been pushed back to 15 December.