Work in a student work placement
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Changes to co-op work permit requirements for post-secondary international students
As of April 1, 2026, you don’t need a co-op work permit for student work placements, such as co-ops or internships, as a post-secondary international student.
Secondary students still need a co-op work permit to participate in student work placements.
On this page
- What is a student work placement
- Who can participate in student work placements
- If you already applied for a post-secondary co-op work permit
- Where you can work and who you can work for
- How many hours you can participate in student work placements
- How to apply for a co-op work permit as a secondary school student
What is a student work placement
Student work placements are work experiences that are required for your study program and approved by your designated learning institution (DLI). They can include but aren’t limited to
- co-op placements
- internships
- practicums
- mentorship programs
Student work placements are for students studying at a Canadian DLI. They aren’t for students studying at schools outside of Canada.
Who can participate in student work placements
To be eligible for a student work placement, the work placement must be required to complete your study program.
You can participate in student work placements as a post-secondary student if you meet all of the following conditions:
- You have conditions printed on your initial study permit that say you’re allowed to work on campus.
- You have a letter from your DLI that confirms the work placement is a requirement of your study program.
- You have a valid study permit or you applied to extend your study permit before it expired.
- You’re a full-time student at a DLI.
- Your study program is at least 6 months long, at a post-secondary level and leads to a degree, diploma or certificate.
- Secondary students have different requirements for co-op participation. Check secondary student co-op participation requirements.
- The work placement of your study program totals 50% or less of your study program.
We may ask you to provide a letter from your DLI that confirms that all students in your program need to complete work placements to get their degree, diploma or certificate.
Based on the type of work required in your study program, you may also need a social insurance number (SIN).
Secondary school student co-op work permits
If you’re an international student at a DLI at the secondary level, you need a co-op work permit to participate in student work placements.
You can apply for a co-op work permit if you meet all of the following conditions:
- You have a valid study permit.
- You are required to work to complete your study program in Canada.
- You have a letter from your school that confirms all students in your program need to complete work placements to get their secondary school diploma or certificate.
- Your co-op placement or internship totals 50% or less of your study program.
Based on the type of work required in your study program, you may also need a social insurance number (SIN).
Find out how to apply for your co-op work permit as a secondary school student.
Who isn’t eligible for student work placements
You can’t participate in a student work placement if you’re taking one of the following:
- English or French as a second language courses
- general interest courses
- courses to prepare for another study program
- courses at an institution outside of Canada
If you’re not eligible to participate in a student work placement but you want to work in Canada, you need to apply for a work permit.
You must stop participating in your student work placement
- on the day you stop studying full-time unless you’re in your final semester
- when your study permit expires
- if you’re on an authorized leave from your studies
- if you’re switching schools and aren’t currently studying
You can return to your student work placement if
- you start studying again, and
- you still meet all the requirements to work in a student work placement
If you’re eligible but don’t have conditions printed on your study permit
If you’re eligible to work on campus, but we didn’t include either of the following 2 conditions on your study permit, you can ask to have them added:
- “May accept employment on or off campus if meeting eligibility criteria as per R186(f), (v) or (w). Must cease working if no longer meeting these criteria.”
- “This permit does not authorize the holder to engage in off campus employment in Canada. May accept employment only on campus if meeting eligibility criteria as per R186(f). Must cease working if no longer meeting these criteria.”
You can’t work if you don’t have one of these conditions on your study permit. There’s no fee to add these conditions to your permit. See how to request an amendment to your study permit. Ensure you meet all the requirements to participate in student work placements.
Apply for a social insurance number to work in Canada
A social insurance number (SIN) is a 9-digit number that the Government of Canada gives you. With this number, you can work in Canada and get government benefits and services.
What you need to apply for a SIN
To apply for a SIN, you must have 1 of these conditions printed on your study permit:
- “May accept employment on or off campus if meeting eligibility criteria as per R186(f), (v) or (w). Must cease working if no longer meeting these criteria.”
- “This permit does not authorize the holder to engage in off campus employment in Canada. May accept employment only on campus if meeting eligibility criteria as per R186(f). Must cease working if no longer meeting these criteria.”
If you’re eligible for a student work placement, but we didn’t include either of these conditions on your study permit, you need to get them added to your study permit before you can apply for a SIN. There’s no fee to add these conditions to your permit.
How to apply for a SIN
If you have the right conditions on your study permit, you can apply for a SIN. You should apply online to either
- submit a SIN application for the first time, or
- update your existing SIN
- You can update the expiry date listed on your SIN or update your status in Canada.
You can also apply in person at a Service Canada Centre or by mail, but it may take longer than applying online.
If you already applied for a post-secondary co-op work permit
If you applied for a co-op work permit but don’t need one with the new requirements:
- You can withdraw your application.
- We may withdraw your application and send a letter which explains that you don’t need a co-op work permit to participate in a student work permit.
Where you can work and who you can work for
You can work for any employer that’s accepted by your school’s student work placement program, even if they’re off campus.
You need to have a medical exam if your student work placement is at a hospital or other place where the protection of public health is important, unless you’ve already had one.
How many hours you can participate in student work placements
There is no weekly hour limit to participate in student work placements. However, your work placement can’t total more than 50% of your study program.
How to apply for a co-op work permit as a secondary school student
If you’re an international secondary school student, you still need a co-op work permit to participate in student work placements.
How you apply for a co-op work permit depends on if you already applied for your study permit. Answer a few questions to get your instructions.
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Apply online for your co-op work permit
In most cases, you must apply online for your co-op work permit.
Step 1: Make sure you have what you need
To apply online, you’ll need:
- a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your documents, and
- a valid credit or debit card.
Step 2: Read the instruction guide
Even if you apply online, you should read the instruction guide before you complete your application. The guide will explain how to complete each field on the form.
Step 3: Prepare your answers for the online tool
Before you can upload your forms, you must answer some questions. We use your answers to create a personalized document checklist for you.
Step 4: Know the fees you have to pay
You don’t have to pay any fees to get a co-op work permit.
Step 5: Create your online account or sign in
You need an account to apply online. You can use your account to:
- pay your fees
- submit your application
- check your status
If you can’t apply online
You can submit a paper application if either:
- you can’t apply online because of a disability
- there’s a problem with the online application
Start your co-op placement from outside Canada
You can start working even if your study permit and co-op work permit applications are still being processed.
If your school and employer agree, you can either
- accept a Canadian work placement and begin working remotely from your home country or
- work for a company in your home country
If you haven’t applied for a co-op work permit yet
You can’t submit a co-op work permit application separately from your study permit application if you’re applying from outside Canada.
If your study permit application is still being processed and you need a co-op work permit, you can use the web form to submit a new letter of acceptance that shows you’ve been accepted into a program with a mandatory work component.
If your study permit is already approved and you don’t have a co-op work permit to complete the mandatory work component of your program, you can still complete a co-op placement outside Canada. You cannot complete a co-op placement in Canada without a co-op work permit.
Apply with your study permit
If you haven’t already applied for your study permit, you can apply for your co-op work permit at the same time.
Your acceptance letter from your designated learning institution must confirm that a co-op or internship placement is part of your program’s curriculum. You can then apply for a study permit and we’ll process your co-op work permit with your study permit application.