The voluntary internship program is possible with the "C50 Work Permit". The Volunteer Visa allows you to participate in a program in Canada for up to 16 weeks
# Canada Internship Visa Requirements. To do an internship in Canada, you’ll need to obtain an internship visa, called the International Co-op work permit. Canada has a bilateral youth mobility agreement with approximately 35 countries, allowing you to do an internship in Canada as part of your studies back home. This specific internship work permit category is called International Co-op or internship visa, and belongs to the commonly known program International Experience Canada (IEC). There is one general requirement: you must be registered as a student outside of Canada for the duration of the internship. In order to apply for an international co-op work permit, you will need to be able to prove the following:. Check the table below to see if your country is participating in the International Experience Canada program. If your country does not have access to the International Co-Op work permit category, you could be eligible to apply under the Working Holiday category.
International students pursuing study programs in Canada that require a co-op internship program or work placement may apply for a co-op work permit.
Home / Career & Experience / Working in Canada / Co-op or internship work permit. About co-op work permits Make sure you're eligible to work on your co-op work permit. How to apply for a co-op work permit After you receive your co-op work permit. If you applied for your co-op work permit and are waiting for it to be processed, you can work based on your on and off campus work eligibility. You must have a co-op work permit if your program requires work, such as a UBC co-op, internship, or practicum, to complete your program requirements. You do not require a work permit to work on and off campus during studies for non-co-op employment if you meet the specific work requirements. You will need a letter from your faculty or program to apply for a co-op work permit. If you are eligible to work on or off campus from your study permit, you can now start your program-required work (co-op, internship, or practicum) with your on- or off-campus work eligibility.
# Work in a student work placement. ## Changes to co-op work permit requirements for post-secondary international students. As of April 1, 2026, as a post-secondary international student, you don’t need a co-op work permit for student work placements, such as co ops or internships. **Secondary students** still need a co-op work permit to 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:. 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:. 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.
According to the government of Canada, in order to get a work permit, you must prove that the work experience is essential to completing your academic program.
This temporary work permit provides hands-on professional experience while promoting academic and cultural exchange between Canada and its
As of April 1, 2026, students no longer require a co-op work permit in order to complete a student work placement required by their program. Immigration Canada