Canada Co-op Work Permit 2026: Do You Still Need One?

Since 1 April 2026, post-secondary international students in Canada no longer need a separate co-op work permit for a co-op placement or internship that their program requires. You can do the placement on your study permit, with no weekly hour limit, as long as it makes up 50% or less of your program and you meet IRCC’s other conditions. Secondary (high school) students still need a co-op work permit, and IRCC charges no fee for it.

Last checked: 20 October 2026, against IRCC’s notice of 9 April 2026 and its student work placement page (modified 1 May 2026).

A lot of advice online, including some older consultancy material, still tells college and university students to apply for a co-op work permit. That was the rule until early 2026. This guide explains what changed, who still needs the permit, and what you must have ready before you start a placement.

What changed on 1 April 2026

In a notice published on 9 April 2026, IRCC said that from 1 April 2026, eligible post-secondary students no longer need a separate work permit for student work placements required by their program, such as co-op placements and internships. They may work for employers approved by their designated learning institution (DLI), as long as the work is part of their program requirements.

IRCC described this as removing an administrative step, so that students need only one permit for one study program. It said the change does not increase the number of students allowed to work.

• Already have a co-op work permit? IRCC says you can keep using it for its entire validity.
• Applied before the change and still waiting? IRCC says you do not need to do anything. It will withdraw eligible pending co-op applications and may send you a letter saying you do not need one. You can also withdraw the application yourself.

Canada co-op work permit: key facts

Conditions for post-secondary students

Not needing a permit does not mean there are no rules. IRCC’s student work placement page says you must meet all of these:

• Your initial study permit has conditions printed on it saying you are allowed to work on campus.
• You have a letter from your DLI confirming the work placement is a requirement of your study program.
• You have a valid study permit, or you applied to extend it before it expired.
• You are a full-time student at a DLI in a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional training program.
• The work placement totals 50% or less of your study program.

If the work condition is missing from your study permit, ask IRCC for an amendment. IRCC says there is no fee to add these conditions. You may also need a Social Insurance Number (SIN) depending on the work, and IRCC links SIN eligibility to the work conditions printed on your permit.

The 50% rule: what if co-op is more than half your program?

IRCC says the student work placement “can’t total more than 50%” of your study program, for both post-secondary and secondary students. If your program’s work component is more than half, you do not meet the student work placement conditions, and this route does not cover you. IRCC says students who are not eligible but want to work must apply for a separate work permit.

In practice, check this before you accept an offer. Ask the college or university in writing what share of the program is work placement, and whether it is a mandatory part of the curriculum. Most co-op programs are designed to sit within the limit, but a few work-heavy programs and “co-op diplomas” are worth checking closely.

Programs that do not qualify

IRCC lists these as ineligible for student work placements:

• English or French as a second language courses.
• General interest courses.
• Courses that prepare you for another study program.
• Courses at institutions outside Canada.

Secondary students: how to apply for a co-op work permit

If you are a high school student in Canada and your program needs a work placement, you still need a co-op work permit. You need a valid study permit, you must have to work to complete your program in Canada, your school must confirm in a letter that all students need placements for the diploma or certificate, and the placement must be 50% or less of the program.

1. Applying with your study permit (best option): make sure your acceptance letter confirms the co-op or internship is part of the curriculum. IRCC will process the co-op work permit together with your study permit.
2. Applying later from inside Canada: apply online through your IRCC account. You need a scanner or camera and a credit or debit card. IRCC asks you to read Guide 5580 first. Paper applications are allowed only for a disability or a problem with the online form.
3. Applying from outside Canada: you cannot apply for the co-op permit separately from the study permit. If your study permit is still pending, send the new acceptance letter through IRCC’s web form. If the study permit is approved without a co-op permit, you can do the placement only outside Canada.

IRCC says: “You don’t have to pay any fees to get a co-op work permit.”

When you must stop a placement

• When you stop studying full-time (unless you are in your final semester).
• When your study permit expires.
• During an authorized leave from your studies.
• When you switch schools and are not currently studying.

If your placement is in a hospital or another setting where public health protection matters, IRCC says you need a medical exam, unless you already had one.

Does co-op work count for PGWP or permanent residence?

Co-op gives you Canadian experience for your CV, but it does not count as qualifying work for the Canadian Experience Class. IRCC lists “work done while studying full-time, including co-op work terms” among the experience that does not count. Your PR clock starts with skilled work after graduation, usually on a post-graduation work permit. See our guides to the PGWP application and the Canadian Experience Class for graduates.

Co-op placements are also separate from the 24-hour weekly cap on ordinary part-time jobs. IRCC says there is no weekly hour limit for student work placements. Any other job you hold during term still follows the rules in our off-campus work hours guide.

For Nepali students choosing a co-op program

• Check the study permit when you land. The work condition printed on your permit is now what lets you do your placement. If it is missing, request an amendment; IRCC says adding these conditions is free.
• Ignore anyone charging a “co-op permit processing fee” for a post-secondary program. There is no permit to apply for, and IRCC charges nothing for the secondary-school permit either.
• Co-op does not guarantee a PGWP. College diploma graduates may also need a program in an eligible field of study; see our PGWP field of study guide.
• Plan your budget without co-op pay. Your family’s funds and the IRCC proof of funds must cover your costs without counting on placement income.

Common mistakes

• Applying for a co-op work permit for a college or university program after 1 April 2026.
• Starting a placement without the DLI letter confirming it is a program requirement.
• Working for an employer that your school has not approved for the placement.
• Continuing the placement after dropping to part-time study (outside the final semester).
• Assuming co-op months count toward Canadian Experience Class.

What to do next

• Read the conditions printed on your study permit.
• Ask your school’s co-op office for the letter confirming your placement is required.
• Confirm in writing that the placement is 50% or less of the program.
• If you are a secondary student, apply for the co-op permit with your study permit.
• Use our Canada student jobs guide for part-time work alongside your studies.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a co-op work permit in Canada in 2026?
Not if you are a post-secondary student and the placement is required by your program: since 1 April 2026 you can do it on your study permit if you meet IRCC’s conditions. Secondary students still need a co-op work permit.

How much is the co-op work permit fee?
Nothing. IRCC says there is no fee for a co-op work permit, and no fee to add work conditions to a study permit.

What if my co-op is more than 50% of my program?
Then you do not meet the student work placement conditions. IRCC says students who are not eligible but want to work must apply for a separate work permit.

Is there an hour limit for co-op work in Canada?
No. IRCC says there is no weekly hour limit for student work placements. The 24-hour cap applies to ordinary off-campus jobs during term.

I already applied for a co-op work permit. What should I do?
Nothing, says IRCC. It will withdraw eligible pending applications, or you can withdraw yours. If you already hold a co-op work permit, you can keep using it until it expires.

Related guides

• Canada Health Insurance for International Students by Province
• PGWP Application Step by Step: Fees, Documents, 180 Days
• Off-Campus Work Hours in Canada for Students: 24-Hour Rule (2026)
• Canada Study Permit Application from Nepal: 2026 Steps

Sources

• Simplifying the co-op work permit requirement for post-secondary international students – IRCC notice, 9 April 2026
• Work in a student work placement – IRCC
• Can I take part in student work placements such as co-ops or internships? – IRCC Help Centre
• Guide 5580: Applying for a work permit, student guide – IRCC
• Canadian Experience Class eligibility (co-op terms do not count) – IRCC

Last checked: 20 October 2026. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.