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.
International students in Canada can work while studying if they have a valid work permit issued on or before June 7, 2023, or a letter authorizing their work
As of April 1, 2026, post-secondary international students don't need a co-op work permit for student work placements such as co-op placements
# Work off campus as an international student. You can only start working in Canada when you start your study program. * you’re paid to do, or. * you’re not paid to do but is a job that. + Apply for a social insurance number (SIN) to work in Canada. You and your employer must make sure you can work off campus without a work permit **before you start working**. You can work off campus without a work permit if you meet **all** of these requirements:. * You have conditions printed on your initial study permit that allow you to work off campus. You must request an amendment to your study permit before you can apply to Service Canada for a SIN. If you’re on an authorized leave from your studies, or you’re switching schools and you’re not studying, you **can't** work off campus. To apply for a SIN to work off campus, you must have 1 of these conditions printed on your study permit:.
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.
Part-time studentsWorking in your final semesterWorking during a scheduled break in your program. You are eligible to work on campus and/or off campus in Canada if:. 1. You are a **full-time** student at McGill. 1. If you are an **undergraduate** **or Masters Non-Thesis student**, you are considered full-time **only if** you are attempting **at least** **12 credits** in every mandatory academic term, with the exception of your final term only. To get your 9-digit SIN, your study permit **must** include **one of the following remarks or conditions** authorizing you to work on-campus and off-campus:. 3. **If you** **did not include proof of an immigration medical exam** (i.e., a medical exam done by a panel physician) in the study permit application linked to your current study permit, you are **not** authorized to work in jobs in which public health must be protected. 1. In order to work full time off campus and/or on campus during a scheduled break in your program, you must be **enrolled full-time *before* and *after* the break**.
There are currently 920 fields of study that international students can enroll in for a work permit. Because apparently there are “long term
However, the standard study permit restricts off- campus work for Canadian employers to just 24 hours per week during academic terms. This cap