Foreign
Canada cuts back on student job hours as UK weighs expansion
Canada has announced a remarkable policy change. The change limits Nigerians and other international students to 24 hours of off-campus work per week beginning this Fall Semester. The shift in policy replaces the temporary allowance of 40 hours that applied during the COVID-19 pandemic. IBRAHIM ADAM explores the impact of this policy on students’ finances, academics and career prospects, alongside the United Kingdom’s potential plans to adjust or remove its working hours limit.
The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau enunciated the temporary policy which allowed students, especially, international ones, to work up to 40 hours per week. It was a response to labour shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The policy was initially a relief measure to help international students manage the high cost of living and assist industries suffering from labour shortages.
The Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marc Miller stated that with the waning effects of the pandemic, the Canadian Government has reverted to a more restrictive work limit, emphasising the primary purpose of student visas.
“Students who come to Canada must be here to study. As such, allowing students to work up to 24 hours per week will ensure they focus primarily on their studies while having the option to work, if necessary,”
Miller stressed that the Canadian Government’s primary rationale for the new regulation is to maintain the integrity of the student programme.
“First and foremost, people coming to Canada as students must be here to study, not work. We will continue working to protect the integrity of our student programme,” he said.
Miller also noted that the decision aligns Canada with best practices observed in other countries.
“Canada needs to align with the best practices in other countries, else it would only attract those who intend to work and not study,” he said.
The government’s decision, he explained, is a perspective for a broader intent to ensure that Canada remains an attractive destination for genuine students rather than those seeking to exploit student visas for work opportunities.
Additionally, recent changes to Canada’s policies include increasing the cost-of-living threshold for study permit approval, aiming to financially prepare students for life in Canada and reduce dependence on work.
Furthermore, new regulations will affect foreign students enrolled in specific college programmes, with those beginning after May 15, ineligible for post-graduation work permits.
Financial implications
Critics have raised concerns that allowing full-time work for international students could undermine the purpose of a study permit, potentially transforming it into an unofficial work visa.
Conversely, many critics argue that the new policy does not consider the financial realities faced by international students.
The Director of Advocacy at the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), Mateusz Salmassi criticised the new rule, saying that reduced allowable work hours from 40 to 24 per week presents significant financial challenges for international students.
He pointed out that students will lose significant income due to the reduced work hours.
“On average, after this announcement, over 200,000 international students will lose at least $5,000 from their pocket annually,” Salmassi stated.
The student body said many of these students rely on part-time work to cover their living expenses, which are often higher in Canada compared to their home countries.
The CASA Director highlighted that the reduction will mean fewer international students from lower socio-economic backgrounds can afford education in Canada.
“The 24-hour limit will mean fewer international students from lower socio-economic backgrounds will have the ability to receive an education in Canada,” CASA stated.
Implications on academic performance
While financial concerns are paramount, the Canadian Government has justified the reduction by emphasising the need for students to focus on their studies.
The government said studies have indicated that students working more than 28 hours per week tend to show a decline in academic performance and a higher likelihood of dropping out.
“Research has shown that there is a considerable decline in academic performance for students working more than 28 hours per week and that working more than 24 hours per week increases the chances that a student will drop out of their programme,” Miller explained.
However, CASA has contested this claim, arguing that their research shows no significant negative impact on academic performance for students working additional hours.
Work experience and career prospects
Miller explained that while the new policy aims to ensure that students focus on their studies, it may inadvertently impact their ability to gain valuable work experience.
Part-time jobs often provide students with practical skills and networking opportunities crucial for their post-graduation careers.
“Working off campus helps international students gain work experience and offset some of their expenses,” Miller said.
The Associations said the limitation could affect students’ eligibility for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), especially for those enrolled in certain programmes under public-private partnerships, which are no longer eligible for the PGWP.
By limiting work hours, CASA argued that the students may miss out on opportunities to gain practical experience in their fields, which is crucial for their post-graduation employability.
The Association added that the reduced hours could mean fewer opportunities for students to engage in meaningful work experiences that align with their academic pursuits and career goals.
Comparisons with international policies
The recent decision by the Canadian Government is in contradistinction to such policies in other popular study destinations, potentially making it less attractive to prospective international students.
For instance, Australia recently updated its regulations, allowing students to work 48 hours every two weeks.
In the United States, international students on F-1 visas are typically limited to 20 hours per week during the academic term but can work full-time during holidays and breaks, similar to the policy Canada has maintained for scheduled breaks.
Germany and Finland have more lenient regulations, where students can work up to 120 full or 240 half days per year, offering more flexibility.
France allows students to work up to 964 hours per year, roughly translating to about 18.5 hours per week on average.
Labour market considerations
The temporary policy change during the pandemic was partly a response to labour shortages.
Canada’s decision to reduce the maximum allowable work hours for international students from 40 to 24 per week could significantly impact the country’s labour market, particularly in retail, hospitality, and food services, which rely heavily on part-time labour.
According to Labour Market analysts, the adjustment could have long-term implications for business operations and labour dynamics within these sectors.
“The reduction in work hours will shrink the labour supply in these sectors, potentially leading to labour shortages and increased competition for available workers,” they say.
The analysts explained that this shift may compel employers to offer higher wages or better working conditions to attract domestic workers, thereby increasing operational costs.
They said the economic contributions of international students, who spend a considerable portion of their earnings within local economies, could see a downturn.
“Reduced working hours will limit students’ disposable income, resulting in lower consumer spending and affecting local businesses, particularly those in university towns,” they maintained.
According to them, employers may face increased recruitment and training costs due to higher turnover rates, particularly in sectors that depend on part-time workers.
“A re-evaluation of recruitment strategies, with a potential focus on attracting more domestic part-time workers or investing in automation and efficiency improvements,” experts say.
Diplomatic relations and student numbers
The Canadian Government’s decision to reduce the permissible work hours for international students holds significant implications for diplomatic relations and the number of international students choosing to study in Canada.
However, the decision has sparked various reactions domestically and internationally, as it affects financial planning and the overall student experience.
For many countries that send large numbers of students to Canada, such as India, China, and South Korea, this policy change could necessitate adjustments in educational agreements and diplomatic dialogues.
These nations might view the reduction in work hours as a potential drawback for their students, who often rely on work opportunities to fund their education and living expenses abroad. The Canadian government might need to engage in more intensive diplomatic efforts to reassure these countries about the continued benefits of studying in Canada despite the new work-hour limitations.
A recent report by a study abroad agency, Apply Board, highlights Nigerians as Canada’s fastest-growing international student population.
The report states that between 2017 and 2019, the Canadian Government processed more student visa applications from Nigeria than any other country except India and China, albeit with an approval rate of less than 20 per cent.
However, by 2023 approval rates for Nigerian students have “nearly doubled” to almost 40 per cent of over 43,000 study permit applications.
“Nigerian student mobility to Canada is increasing at a momentous rate. Nearly 18,000 Canadian study permits were issued to Nigerians in the first six months of 2023, more than for any other country except India,” the report reads.
It further notes that “Nigerians were Canada’s fastest-growing international student population from January to June 2023, with 44 per cent more study permits issued during that period than in the full year of 2022.”
The report also emphasised the rising approval rates for Nigerian students, stating: “Study permit approval rates for Nigerians continued to rise across the first six months of 2023, to just fewer than 40 per cent. That’s more than double what approval rates were in 2020.” This trend signifies a growing recognition and acceptance of Nigerian students within the Canadian education system.
While Ontario and British Columbia remain the top destinations for Nigerian students, the report reveals that students from Nigeria are less centralised in these provinces compared to students from other countries. “Ontario and British Columbia accounted for around 63 per cent of study permits issued to Nigerians in the first six months of 2023. This was well short of the nearly 84 per cent of students who chose those two provinces as a destination across all countries of origin,” the report further explained.
Potential policy changes in the UK
In contrast to Canada’s restrictive approach, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his government are considering increasing the work-hour limit for international students in the United Kingdom or possibly removing it entirely.
According to educations.com, the UK was ranked the “Top Destination in the World to Study Abroad” in 2023.
Currently, students on a Tier 4 visa are restricted to working 20 hours per week during term time, with extended hours allowed during holidays. However, this new proposal, which is still in its early stages, could see these limits lifted significantly, allowing students to work up to 30 hours or more each week.
“Students would have the opportunity to work longer hours, which could provide much-needed relief to both their finances and the labour market,” Sunak told the Daily Mail in a recent interview.
The Prime Minister emphasised that this measure is part of a broader strategy aimed at addressing the UK’s ongoing labour shortages.
“Companies are crying out for workers. By lifting the cap on international student working hours, we are looking at a range of ideas to remove barriers and encourage more students to work,” Sunak added.
According to the latest UK Labour Market Statistics, this proposed change comes at a critical time for the UK economy. The country is grappling with a labour shortage that has seen the unemployment rate hovering around 3.7 per cent, with 1.27 million people aged 16 and above currently unemployed.
The hospitality and retail industries, in particular, are facing acute staffing challenges, and increasing the availability of part-time workers could be a crucial step in addressing these gaps.
A second-year student at the University of Manchester, Priya Gupta said the prospect of increased work hours is a welcome one because any are struggling with the high cost of living, exacerbated by rising rent, food, and travel expenses.
Priya said the financial burden of exorbitant tuition fees has left many students in need of supplementary income.
“Being able to work more hours would significantly ease my financial pressure. It would allow me to cover my expenses more comfortably and focus better on my studies without constantly worrying about money,” Gupta said.
Source: The Nation
A court in Equatorial Guinea has delivered a significant ruling, convicting Ruslan Obiang Nsue, one of the sons of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, for the unauthorized sale of an aircraft that belonged to the country’s national airline.
This decision, confirmed by a court official, marks a notable event in the nation’s ongoing struggles with corruption and governance.
The ruling, announced on a Tuesday, mandates that Obiang Nsue serve a six-year prison sentence unless he repays the state for the missing plane, as stated by Hilario Mitogo, the press director of the Supreme Court, in a WhatsApp message to the media.
The 50-year-old, who previously held the position of director for Ceiba Intercontinental, the national carrier, was found guilty of selling an ATR 72-500 aircraft to a Spanish company while illicitly pocketing the proceeds from the transaction.
Since 2023, Obiang Nsue has been under house arrest, a situation instituted by his half-brother, Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, highlighting the complex family dynamics involved in the country’s political landscape.
According to Mitogo’s announcement, the court’s decision allows Obiang Nsue to evade incarceration if he compensates the airline approximately $255,000, in addition to covering damages and a state-imposed fine.
Notably, he was acquitted of separate allegations that included embezzlement and abuse of office.
Obiang Nsue has had a varied political career, previously serving as the secretary of state for sports and youth. He is the son of the world’s longest-serving president, who has maintained a grip on power in the oil-rich central African nation for an astonishing 46 years.
More than 20 people have died on Wednesday in a torrential spell of monsoon rain in Pakistan, where downpours have swept away entire villages over the last week, killing more than 400.
Eleven people died in the touristic northern region of Gilgit-Baltistan and 10 others in Karachi, the financial capital in the south, due to urban flooding that caused house collapses and electrocution, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said.
Schools remained closed in the city of more than 20 million, as the meteorological department predicted more rain till Saturday.
Amir Hyder Laghari, chief meteorologist of the Sindh province, blamed “weak infrastructure” for the flooding in big cities.
As Karachi’s crumbling pipes and sewer system struggled to cope with the downpours, rush-hour drivers were caught in rising waters late Tuesday, and multiple neighbourhoods experienced power cuts.
By Wednesday morning, the water had receded, an AFP photographer reported.
Between 40 and 50 houses had been damaged in two districts, provincial disaster official Muhammad Younis said.
“Another (rain) spell is to start by the end of the month,” NDMA chairman Inam Haider Malik.
More than 350 people have died in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a mountainous northern province bordering Afghanistan, since last Thursday.
Authorities and the army are searching for dozens missing in villages that were hit by landslides and heavy rain.
– ‘Children are scared’ –
The floods interrupted communication networks and phone lines in flooded areas, while excavators worked to remove debris clogging drainage channels.
“We have established relief camps where we are providing medical assistance. We are also giving dry rations and tents to all the people,” army Colonel Irfan Afridi told AFP in Buner district, where more than 220 people were killed.
Authorities have warned that the rains will continue until mid-September.
“The children are scared. They say we cannot sleep at night due to fear,” said Anjum Anwar, a medical camp official in Buner. “The flood… has destroyed our entire settlements.”
Landslides and flash floods are common during the monsoon season, which typically begins in June and lasts until the end of September.
This year, nearly 750 people have died since the season started, according to authorities.
Pakistan is among the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and is increasingly facing extreme weather events.
Monsoon floods submerged one-third of Pakistan in 2022, resulting in approximately 1,700 deaths.
PUNCH
Nathalie Rose Jones, a 50-year-old woman from Lafayette, Indiana, was arrested on August 16, 2025, after travelling to Washington, D.C., allegedly planning to “kidnap and assassinate” President Donald Trump, according to Punch.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia published on August 18, 2025, Jones posted graphic threats on Facebook and Instagram, including a post stating, “I am willing to sacrificially kill this POTUS by disembowelling him and cutting out his trachea with Liz Cheney and all The Affirmation present.” She also referred to an “arrest and removal ceremony” scheduled for Trump.
The U.S. Secret Service launched an investigation after identifying Jones as the author of these posts.
During an interview on August 15, she reportedly admitted to making the threats and told agents she would attempt to kill the president “if given the opportunity,” citing a desire to avenge lives lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. She later recanted, claiming she no longer intended to harm Trump.
Jones has been charged with threatening the life of the president and transmitting interstate communications containing threats to kidnap or injure another person.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, both are federal offences that carry potential penalties of up to five years in prison each. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro stressed, “Threatening the life of the President is one of the most serious crimes and one that will be met with swift and unwavering prosecution.”
Reports indicate that Jones has struggled with mental illness, which she acknowledged in her social media posts. As of now, there is no public record of her legal representation.
Russia is thought to have passed the one million casualty mark earlier this year, according to Ukrainian and Western estimates.
Trump went on to reveal that Russian forces had lost approximately 112,500 troops since the beginning of 2025. That would mean that Moscow has been losing an average of around 16,000 troops per month since January.
It is unclear whether by that number Trump refers to the number of Russian troops killed in action, rather than total casualties. If Trump’s 20,000 number refers solely to Russian troops killed in action, that number would align more closely with Ukrainian estimates, which have put Russian total monthly casualties at around 40,000 per month since January—for a total of approximately 267,000 casualties thus far in 2025.
Militaries generally consider casualties to be troops killed in action (KIA), wounded in action (WIA), missing in action (MIA), and prisoners of war (POW). Statistically, wounded troops make up the greatest portion of the total casualties. The “WIA” classification is broad by design; it includes both troops that will eventually be able to return to the fight, and those severely wounded that will not.
The President stressed that Ukraine “has also suffered greatly”—putting the number of Ukrainian troops killed in action at 8,000 since January 1, not including troops missing in action. If these figures are accurate, it highlights a huge disparity in losses in favor of the defending Ukrainians.
“Ukraine has also lost civilians, but in smaller numbers, as Russian rockets crash into Kyiv, and other Ukrainian locales,” Trump added.
Trump’s remarks reflect a grim reality for the Russian forces.
According to figures released by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, the Russian military, paramilitary units, and pro-Russian separatist forces lost approximately 1,010 troops killed and wounded over the last day. Materiel casualties over the past 24 hours were equally heavy; according to the same data, the Russian forces lost approximately 85 tactical vehicles and fuel trucks, 77 unmanned aerial systems, 28 artillery pieces and multiple launch rocket systems, 8 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, 1 main battle tank, and 1 cruise missile.
Moreover, the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) recently conducted a special operation with drones against a Russian air base in occupied Crimea. SBU claimed that the attack struck five aircraft, destroying one Sukhoi Su-30M fighter jet, damaging another, and hitting three Sukhoi Su-24 fighter-bombers.
In total, Kyiv estimates that the Russian forces have lost approximately 1,057,140 troops since the war began on February 24, 2022. In spite of these gargantuan losses, events have shown that the Kremlin is willing and able to withstand them—and pour more men into the fray in order to achieve its goals.
Brazil’s Supreme Court put former President Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest on Monday ahead of his trial for an alleged coup plot, underscoring the court’s resolve despite escalating tariffs and sanctions from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the target of U.S. Treasury sanctions last week, issued the arrest order against Bolsonaro. His decision cited a failure to comply with restraining orders he had imposed on Bolsonaro for allegedly courting Trump’s interference in the case.
Bolsonaro is on trial before the Supreme Court on charges he conspired with allies to violently overturn his 2022 electoral loss to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Trump has referred to the case as a “witch hunt” and called it grounds for a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods taking effect on Wednesday.
The U.S. State Department condemned the house arrest order, saying Moraes was using Brazilian institutions to silence opposition and threaten democracy, adding the U.S. would “hold accountable all those aiding and abetting sanctioned conduct.”
It did not provide details, though Trump has said the U.S. could still impose even higher tariffs on Brazilian imports.
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The Monday order from Moraes also banned Bolsonaro from using a cell phone or receiving visits, except for his lawyers and people authorized by the court.
A press representative for Bolsonaro confirmed he was placed under house arrest on Monday evening at his Brasilia residence by police who seized his cell phone.
Bolsonaro’s lawyers said in a statement they would appeal the decision, arguing the former president had not violated any court order.
In an interview with Reuters last month, Bolsonaro called Moraes a “dictator” and said the restraining orders against him were acts of “cowardice.”
Some Bolsonaro allies have worried that Trump’s tactics may be backfiring in Brazil, compounding trouble for Bolsonaro and rallying public support behind Lula’s leftist government.
However, Sunday demonstrations by Bolsonaro supporters — the largest in months — show that Trump’s tirades and sanctions against Moraes have also fired up the far-right former army captain’s political base.
Bolsonaro appeared virtually at a protest in Rio de Janeiro via phone call to his son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, in what some saw as the latest test of his restraining orders.
Moraes said that the former president had repeatedly made attempts to bypass the court’s orders.
“Justice is blind, but not foolish,” the justice wrote in his decision.
On Monday, Senator Bolsonaro told CNN Brasil that Monday’s order from Moraes was “a clear display of vengeance” for the U.S. sanctions against the judge, adding: “I hope the Supreme Court can put the brakes on this person (Moraes) causing so much upheaval.”
The judge’s orders, including the restraining orders under penalty of arrest, have been upheld by the wider court.
Those orders and the larger case before the Supreme Court came after two years of investigations into Bolsonaro’s role in an election-denying movement that culminated in riots by his supporters that rocked Brasilia in January 2023. That unrest drew comparisons to the January 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol after Trump’s 2020 electoral defeat.
In contrast with the tangle of criminal cases which mostly stalled against Trump, Brazilian courts moved swiftly against Bolsonaro, threatening to end his political career and fracture his right-wing movement. An electoral court has already banned Bolsonaro from running for public office until 2030.
Another of Bolsonaro’s sons, Eduardo Bolsonaro, a Brazilian congressman, moved to the U.S. around the same time the former president’s criminal trial kicked off to drum up support for his father in Washington. The younger Bolsonaro said the move had influenced Trump’s decision to impose new tariffs on Brazil.
In a statement after the arrest on Monday, Congressman Bolsonaro called Moraes “an out-of-control psychopath who never hesitates to double down.”
Trump last month shared a letter he had sent to Bolsonaro. “I have seen the terrible treatment you are receiving at the hands of an unjust system turned against you,” he wrote. “This trial should end immediately!”
Washington based its sanctions against Moraes last week on accusations that the judge had authorized arbitrary pre-trial detentions and suppressed freedom of expression.
The arrest could give Trump a pretext to pile on additional measures against Brazil, said Graziella Testa, a political science professor at the Federal University of Parana, adding that Bolsonaro seemed to be consciously provoking escalation.
“I think things could escalate because this will be seen as a reaction to the Magnitsky sanction” against Moraes, said Leonardo Barreto, a partner at the Think Policy political risk consultancy in Brasilia, referring to the asset freeze imposed on Moraes last week.
Reuters
On Monday, protesters convened outside the Trump International Hotel in New York City to express their opposition to Israel’s policies regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
This demonstration, organized by the Jewish-American anti-occupation group IfNotNow, attracted hundreds of participants to Columbus Circle under the slogan “Trump: Jews Say No More.”
The protestors advocated for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza and called for increased access to essential humanitarian aid for affected populations.
Protesters also held signs reading “Stop ethnic cleansing,” “Never again is now,” “Stop starving Gaza,” and “Not in our name,” Britain’s The Guardian reported.
“Let’s not mince words, the Israeli government’s blockade of Gaza is a policy of ethnic cleansing by way of forced mass starvation,” said Morriah Kaplan, IfNotNow’s interim executive director, in a speech.
She added that the US government needs to “use its considerable leverage to end these horrors.”
The New York Police Department intervened in the protest, arresting more than 40 people.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing nearly 61,000 Palestinians, almost half of them women and children. The military campaign has devastated the enclave and brought it to the verge of famine.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
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