How to Apply for a Co-op Work Permit as an International Secondary School Student in Canada

Do secondary school international students still need a co-op work permit in 2026?

Yes. The rules changed on April 1, 2026 for post-secondary students, but not for international students studying at the secondary level.

Eligible post-secondary international students generally no longer need a separate co-op work permit for student work placements. Secondary school international students, however, still need a co-op work permit before participating in a required work placement in Canada.

IRCC explains the distinction on its official student work placement page.

Who qualifies for a secondary school co-op work permit?

You can apply if all of the following conditions are met:

• you are an international student at a designated learning institution at the secondary level;
• you have a valid study permit;
• you must work to complete your study program in Canada;
• your school gives you a letter confirming that all students in your program must complete work placements to obtain their secondary school diploma or certificate;
• the co-op placement or internship makes up 50% or less of your study program.

What must the school letter confirm?

The school letter is central to the application. It must confirm that all students in your program need to complete work placements in order to receive the secondary school diploma or certificate.

A placement that is simply optional work experience does not satisfy the same mandatory-program requirement.

If you are applying for the study permit and co-op work permit together from outside Canada, the letter of acceptance from your designated learning institution should confirm that the co-op or internship is part of the program curriculum.

How does the 50% co-op placement limit work?

The total co-op, internship or other student work placement must account for no more than 50% of the study program.

IRCC does not impose a separate weekly hour limit on participation in an eligible student work placement. The important program-level restriction is that the placement component cannot exceed half of the overall study program.

What kinds of placements can the permit cover?

A student work placement is work experience required by the study program and approved by the designated learning institution.

IRCC lists examples including:

• co-op placements;
• internships;
• practicums;
• mentorship programs.

The terminology used by your school is less important than whether the work experience is a required and approved part of the curriculum.

Which students are not eligible?

You cannot use the student work placement rules if you are taking:

• English or French as a second language courses;
• general interest courses;
• courses designed to prepare you for another study program;
• courses at an institution outside Canada.

If your studies fall into one of these categories and you want to work in Canada, you would need to determine whether another work permit route applies.

Can you apply for the co-op permit with your study permit?

Yes. If you have not yet applied for your study permit, IRCC allows you to apply for the co-op work permit at the same time.

Your school documentation must show that the mandatory work placement forms part of the curriculum. IRCC can then process the co-op work permit together with your study permit application.

Start with the official study permit application process.

How do you apply if you already have your study permit?

If you already have a valid study permit and later need a co-op work permit, you normally apply online.

IRCC's process is:

1. prepare electronic copies of your documents;
2. read the work permit instruction guide;
3. answer the online eligibility questions so IRCC creates your personalized document checklist;
4. complete the required forms;
5. upload your school letter and other requested documents;
6. submit the application through your IRCC account.

Use IRCC's student work permit application guide when preparing the application.

How much does a secondary school co-op work permit cost?

IRCC states that you do not have to pay a fee for the co-op work permit.

This fee exemption applies to the co-op work permit itself. Other immigration processes connected to your stay in Canada may have their own fees.

Do you have to apply online?

In most cases, yes. IRCC requires most applicants to use the online application system.

A paper application may be available in limited circumstances, including when:

• you cannot apply online because of a disability;
• there is a problem with the online application system.

Follow the current instructions on the IRCC student work placement page if you cannot use the normal online route.

Do you need a medical exam for the co-op placement?

You may need an immigration medical exam if your student placement is in a hospital or another workplace where protecting public health is important.

This can matter for placements involving health care, children or other occupations where IRCC imposes medical restrictions.

Check IRCC's temporary resident medical exam requirements before the placement starts.

Do you need a Social Insurance Number?

Depending on the work you will perform, you may need a Social Insurance Number.

To apply for a SIN as an international student, the study permit must contain an appropriate condition authorizing work under the immigration rules.

If you are eligible for the placement but IRCC did not print an appropriate work condition on your study permit, IRCC allows eligible students to request that the condition be added. There is no fee for that amendment.

Once the appropriate condition appears on your permit, use the official Service Canada SIN application.

Where can you work with a co-op permit?

You can work for an employer accepted by your school's student work placement program, including an employer located off campus.

Your school remains responsible for determining whether the placement satisfies its program requirements.

A co-op work permit may identify the school in the employer field or include wording that appears restrictive. IRCC explains that this identifies you as a co-op student and does not necessarily mean you may work only directly for the school.

When must you stop the co-op placement?

Your immigration and study status continue to matter while you participate in the placement.

Under IRCC's student work placement rules, you must stop participating if:

• you stop studying full time, unless an applicable final-semester exception applies;
• your study permit expires;
• you are on an authorized leave from your studies;
• you are switching schools and are not currently studying.

You can return to an eligible placement once you start studying again and continue to meet the student work placement requirements.

Can you start a placement from outside Canada while the permits are processing?

Possibly, but only from outside Canada. IRCC states that if your school and employer agree, you can begin a Canadian work placement remotely from your home country while your study permit and co-op work permit applications are still being processed.

You can also work for a company in your home country as part of the approved placement if your school accepts it.

This does not authorize you to begin a physical co-op placement in Canada before you have the required Canadian work authorization.

What if your study permit was approved but you did not get a co-op work permit?

If you are outside Canada and your study permit has already been approved without a co-op work permit, IRCC states that you may still complete a co-op placement outside Canada.

You cannot complete the placement in Canada without the required co-op work permit.

If your study permit application is still being processed and the mandatory co-op requirement was not included, IRCC allows you to use its web form to submit a new letter of acceptance showing that the program contains a mandatory work component.

Why are the rules different for post-secondary students after April 1, 2026?

IRCC changed the rules on April 1, 2026 so eligible post-secondary international students no longer need a separate co-op work permit for required student work placements.

The change did not remove the requirement for secondary school students. If you are at the secondary level, you should not rely on information written for university or college students after April 1, 2026.

IRCC confirmed the policy change in its April 2026 co-op work permit notice.

What mistakes should you avoid?

• Assuming the April 2026 post-secondary exemption also applies to secondary school students.
• Trying to use an optional job or internship that is not required by the study program.
• Submitting a school letter that does not confirm the mandatory placement requirement.
• Using a placement that represents more than 50% of the overall study program.
• Starting a physical placement in Canada before you have the required co-op work permit.
• Ignoring medical examination requirements for health-related or other public-health-sensitive placements.
• Assuming a study permit without the necessary work condition is enough to obtain a SIN.
• Paying a standard work permit fee even though IRCC states that the co-op work permit is free.

Secondary school co-op work permit checklist

• Confirm that your Canadian school is a designated learning institution at the secondary level.
• Make sure you have a valid study permit.
• Confirm that the placement is mandatory for your diploma or certificate.
• Get the required letter from your school.
• Confirm that the work-placement component is 50% or less of the study program.
• If you have not applied for a study permit yet, apply for the co-op permit at the same time.
• If you already have your study permit, follow the online co-op work permit process.
• Complete the personalized forms and document checklist.
• Do not pay a co-op work permit fee.
• Check whether a medical exam is required for the placement.
• Check whether you need a SIN and whether your study permit contains the required work condition.
• Wait for the required work authorization before beginning a physical placement in Canada.