Co-op for International Students in Canada: Permits, Resume, Interviews

What changed on April 1, 2026

• Eligible post-secondary international students no longer need a separate work permit for student work placements required by their program, such as co-op placements and internships.
• You need a letter from your designated learning institution confirming the placement is a requirement of your program. IRCC may also ask for a letter showing that all students in your program must complete work placements to graduate.
• IRCC said it would withdraw eligible co-op work permit applications that were still in process — students didn't need to do anything.
• If you already hold a co-op work permit, you can keep using it until it expires.
• Students in English or French as a second language, general-interest or preparatory courses still aren't eligible.

If you're eligible for a placement but your study permit doesn't show the conditions that allow you to work, get them added before you apply for a SIN.

Sources: IRCC notice: Simplifying the co-op work permit requirement for post-secondary students; IRCC: Work in a student work placement (co-op or internship); Service Canada: SIN for temporary residents — checked October 2026.

Secondary-school students

Secondary students still need a co-op work permit, plus a school letter confirming that all students in the program must complete work placements to get their diploma or certificate. The placement must be 50% or less of the study program.

Source: IRCC: Work in a student work placement (co-op or internship) — checked October 2026.

Does co-op count toward permanent residence?

Not for the Canadian Experience Class: IRCC says co-op work terms and other work done while you studied full time don't count. Co-op still matters — it's often how students get the references and Canadian experience that lead to a skilled job on a PGWP.

Source: IRCC: Express Entry — Canadian Experience Class — checked October 2026.

How to land a co-op placement

Practical advice from how co-op hiring usually works — check your own school's co-op office for its deadlines and rules.

1. Start a term early. Most co-op offices post roles weeks before the work term starts; have your resume reviewed before the first posting round.
2. Write one master resume, then tailor. Each posting gets its own version that mirrors its skills list — check the match with the ATS resume checker.
3. Show work-term dates. Put "Available for a 4-month work term, May–August" (your real dates) under your name.
4. Lead with projects. Course projects, hackathons, labs and student-club work are your experience — give each a result.
5. Practise the interview out loud with the interview question generator and the STAR method.
6. Follow up within a week of each interview with a short thank-you email.

Co-op resume: structure that works

Role examples you can adapt: software developer, data analyst, IT support, administrative assistant and marketing coordinator.

Common co-op interview questions

• "Tell me about yourself." — 60 seconds: program, one project, why this team.
• "Why do you want this co-op?" — name something specific about the team or product.
• "Describe a group project that went wrong." — use STAR and end with what you changed.
• "How do you prioritise coursework and work?" — show a system (calendar, task list), not a promise.
• "What would you like to learn here?" — pick one skill from the posting.
• "Do you have any questions for us?" — ask what a successful first month looks like.

Practise answers with the interview answer generator or the STAR method guide.

Are co-op placements paid?

Pay depends on the employment-standards rules where you work and on whether the placement is part of an approved school program — see paid vs unpaid internships in Canada for federal, Ontario and B.C. rules.