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.
# 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 Co-op Internship: Easily recruit international student talent. The **International Co-op Internship** category of the International Experience Canada (IEC) program allows foreign students enrolled in a post-secondary institution to complete an internship in Canada as part of their academic training. ## **What is the International Co-op Work Permit?**. Unlike other IEC categories, the Co-op Internship is exclusively for students. The internship must be directly related to the participant’s field of study. The maximum duration of the permit is generally **12 months**, but it may vary depending on the country. The Co-op Work Permit is a **closed permit**, meaning the student can only work for the employer listed in their application. The International Co-op category is a **winning formula** for students seeking global experience and for Canadian employers looking to collaborate with emerging talent. L’accès ou le stockage technique est nécessaire dans la finalité d’intérêt légitime de stocker des préférences qui ne sont pas demandées par l’abonné ou l’internaute.
# Internships in Canada: Legal FAQs for international students. Internships are a fantastic way to jumpstart your career and begin building your professional network while you’re studying abroad in Canada. But before you start applying to or accepting internship offers, you’ll want to make sure you know about Canadian internship laws and requirements and how they specifically apply to your unique needs as an international student. 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. Before accepting an unpaid internship, it’s a good idea to look up the specific regulations in the province of your school. For students seeking out or currently working a paid internship, it’s a good idea to open a Canadian bank account so you can be paid via direct deposit (which is the norm for most employers) and manage the money you make.
**On this page:** Am I eligible to participate in a student work placement? 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 (IRCC) has removed the requirement to hold a valid co-op work permit to participate in work that is a mandatory part of your program – now called a student work placement. * IRCC will therefore **no longer be issuing co-op work permits** to students whose program includes a student work placement. Immigration Canada may send you a letter which explains that you don’t need a co-op work permit to participate in a student work permit any longer, but even if they do not, you no longer need to have a co-op work permit. * You can wait for IRCC to withdraw your application and send you a letter which explains that you don’t need a co-op work permit to participate in a student work placement any longer.
This gives you the opportunity to continue to register for an internship in Canada in 2019 with the Working Holiday Visa.**. Visa applications must be sent to the Canadian embassy in a good time as there is only a limited number available. All programs have an age limit of 18 to 35 years, with the exception of a work permit. **Internship Co-op Visa:** A 12-month work permit for students and trainees who want to do a study or training-related internship in Canada and already have an internship in Canada. The Working Holiday Visa is the easiest way to travel to Canada for an internship. The advantage of this type of visa is that the employer can be chosen freely and that one can also work on the side. To get a Working Holiday Visa you have to. If it is worth the company to pay the fee for you, then as an applicant in the "International Co-op (Internship)" category you must have the following requirements:.
# 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.
# Internships in Canada. Whether you’re looking for a summer job in Canada or want to work for a semester or longer, there are available internship positions in nearly every field. Read on to discover programs that can match you with your dream internship in Canada today! If you’re seeking relevant work experience in your field of choice, there’s a good chance you’ll find a great internship in Canada! Here are some of the top fields for interns in Canada:. Canada is an enormous nation and as an intern there you'll have a different experience depending on which city and province you choose for your internship. The best way to find internships in Canada is to apply through a program that will match you to a position. Internship program providers have links to top employers across Canada in a wide variety of fields. work and study in canada. ### Study and Work in Canada.