Co-ops and Internships

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) allows international students to work in Canada while studying in their academic program. In addition to on-campus and off-campus work opportunities, some study programs include work experience as part of their curriculum.

Note: As of April 1, 2026, post-secondary international students no longer need a co-op work permit for program-required work placements, such as co-ops, internships and practicums.

Work authorization for experiential learning

In some cases, experiential learning activities may meet the definition of “work” in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. In these cases, international students require work authorization to complete experiential learning activities, which are considered “work."

These activities can be paid or unpaid and may include:

  • Co-ops
  • Internships
  • Practicums
  • Placements 

International students planning to participate in an experiential learning activity during their program must make sure they have the proper authorization.

Eligibility criteria

You can participate in student work placements if:

  • You have conditions printed on your initial study permit that say you’re allowed to work on campus
  • You have a letter from Western University that confirms the work placement is a requirement of your study program
  • You have a valid study permit or you applied to extend your study permit before it expired
  • The work placement of your study program totals 50% or less of your study program

Study permit work conditions

If you’re eligible to work on campus, but your study permit does not include either of the following two conditions, you will need to apply for an amendment to your study permit to have it included.

  1. “May accept employment on or off campus if meeting eligibility criteria as per R186(f), (v) or (w). Must cease working if no longer meeting these criteria.”
  2. “This permit does not authorize the holder to engage in off-campus employment in Canada. May accept employment only on campus if meeting eligibility criteria as per R186(f). Must cease working if no longer meeting these criteria.”

You cannot begin your work placement until your study permit includes the required work conditions.

Medical exam requirements

To be able to work in certain jobs in which public health must be protected, you must have submitted a medical exam on your initial study permit application or extension. Find examples of jobs which require medical exams.

If you have not submitted a medical exam, your study permit may have the following condition: Not authorized to work in childcare, primary/secondary school teaching, health field occupations.

In this case, you cannot work in certain occupations until the condition has been removed. To remove the condition, you must undergo a medical exam by a panel physician and apply to change the conditions of your study permit.

Temporary medical exam exemption

A temporary policy is in place until October 5, 2029. If you completed an Immigration Medical Exam (IME) within 5 years of submitting your new application, you may include the IME number (or the unique medical identifier number) from your previous IME in your current application and be exempt from submitting a new IME.

Other important work placement rules

  • There is no weekly limit on the number of hours you can participate in student work placements, as long as your work placement does not total more than 50% of your study program.
  • Not all experiential learning activities are essential to the study program. You are only eligible to work unlimited hours if the work component is required by your program and the employer is approved as part of your program requirements.

Exploring co-op and work placements

If you are unsure about the internship/co-op/practicum options available in your faculty, or who to contact for more information, please visit wil.uwo.ca to find the program information and contact information for the Career Services Officer/Team in your faculty.

Additional resources and support

Career and experiential learning support

Immigration and study permit advising

Contact an international student advisor if you have questions about:

  • Co-op or internship eligibility
  • Study permit work conditions or medical exams
  • An expiring study permit during your work placement

 

Frequently asked questions

Am I still a Western student while I do my co-op work placement?

Yes, you will maintain your full-time student status at Western University.

Will doing a co-op work placement affect my ability to qualify for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP)?

No. You maintain full-time student status during your co-op, and you are still considered to be studying during that time as the co-op placement is a mandatory part of your program.

Can I accept a co-op work opportunity to work with an employer who is not approved by Western or a department at Western?

No. The work component must be part of your program requirements, and your employer must be approved by the co-op coordinator.

Can I work beyond my co-op term for the same employer who is approved by my program?

No. You can only work unlimited hours for the required school-related work placement. If you are working beyond that period, you may use your off-campus authorization, limited to 24 hours per week.

What if my study permit expires during my co-op work term?

It is your responsibility to apply for a study permit extension before the expiry date.