Following the IRCC notice, as of April 1, 2026, post-secondary international students no longer require a co-op work permit to complete required student work placements such as co-ops, internships, field placements, practicums, or other work-integrated learning activities. Instead, students can use their study permit, if they meet all the eligibility requirements outlined on the IRCC website

If you’ve already applied for a co-op work permit, you may not need to take any action—IRCC may withdraw your co-op work permit application and send a letter which explains that you don’t need a co-op work permit. 

About student work placements

On April 1, 2026, IRCC simplified rules for post-secondary international students participating in internships, co-ops, practicums, field placements, or other work‑integrated learning activities that are required for the completion of the student's academic program. Student work placements can be paid or unpaid and cannot make up more than 50% of the student's program of study. 

Eligibility

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 international student if you meet all of the following conditions:

  • You have conditions printed on your initial study permit that say you’re allowed to work on campus.
  • You have a letter from your USask college/school/academic unit 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.
  • You’re a full-time student at USask and you are enrolled/registered in your co-op, internship, practicum, field placement or other work-integrated learning course. 
  • Your study program is at least 6 months long and leads to a degree, diploma or certificate.
  • The work placement of your study program totals 50% or less of your study program.

On Campus Work Conditions and SIN

To apply for a SIN, you must have 1 of these conditions printed on your study permit:

  • “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.”
  • “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.”

If IRCC didn’t include either of these conditions on your study permit, you need to get them added to your study permit before you can apply for a SIN. 

Work hours and location

  • Student work placements are separate from the eligibility to work on and off campus and refer only to work required to complete your USask study program. 
  • There is no weekly hour limit to participate in student work placements. However, your work placement can’t total more than 50% of your study program.
  • You can work for any employer that’s accepted by your school's/college's/academic unit's student work placement program, even if they’re off campus.
  • You need to have a medical exam if your student work placement is at a place where the protection of public health is important, unless you’ve already had one. For examples of jobs needing a medical exam, please see here. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What's not a student work placement?

  • Any work arranged independently from your academic program requirements.
  • Any work which is not a mandatory requirement of your academic program.

2. When you must stop working in your student work placement?

  • When you no longer meet the eligibility requirements for a student work placement (to name a few, but not limited to: no longer registered in your work placement course, required to discontinue from your program, taking a leave from studies, requested to withdraw from your work placement and/or academic program)
  • When your study permit expires and you did not apply to extend it.
  • When you complete your program of study.

3. Can a student work on and/or off-campus while also participating in a student work placement?

  • Yes, if meeting the eligibility criteria for on and/or off-campus work and if not in conflict with the student work placement requirements.

4. I found a full-time job as an intern but my program does not have internships. Can this be considered a student work placement?

  • No, it cannot, as your program has no internships, and therefore, this is an independently arranged employment. You may participate by using on or off-campus work eligibility and you must abide by the allowable work hours.

5. My program has work placements such as co-ops but they are competative and I did not get accepted into any of them. However, I found a co-op/internship on my own. Can this be considered a student work placement?

  • No, it cannot, as you are not accepted (you will have no course registration either) into your student work placement program. The co-op/internship you found is an independently arranged employment. You may participate by using on or off-campus work eligibility and you must abide by the allowable work hours.

Need more assistance?

The information on this page may change

The immigration information on this page has been reviewed and prepared by Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) in compliance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations. However, this is not a legal document and information may change without notice. Always refer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the most up-to-date information.

 

Getting help

Use the International Student Guide to learn about life as an international student at the U of S including immigration matters and information on working and living in Canada.

International Student Guide

If you can't find what you need in the International Student Guide contact The International Student and Study Abroad Centre (ISSAC). We are here to help! Drop-in advising is available.

ISSAC