Canadian immigration officials move to ease rules around student work permits

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced a package of amendments to the current rules around student work placements – such as co-ops and internships – and plans to ease some of the processes around work permits for foreign graduates.

Some of these changes are in effect immediately; some are still pending.

What has already changed?

As of 1 April 2026, international students no longer need a separate co-op work permit for student work placements that are part of their post-secondary programme in Canada. This change applies to work-integrated learning components within the student's programme of study, including co-op placements, internships, practicums, and mentorships.

This is a significant departure from the previous practice where students pursing any such work-integrated learning placement were obliged to obtain a separate co-op work permit in addition to their study permit.

Commenting on the change on LinkedIn, Ankita Goyal, an adjunct professor of immigration law at Queen's University, said, "Removing the need for a co-op work permit means students won’t be stuck waiting to start their placements—something that has historically caused delays, stress, and even lost opportunities."

"This change simplifies the administrative process for students by requiring only one permit to complete a single study programme," adds a statement from IRCC. "It does not increase the number of students who are authorised to work or affect temporary resident volumes; it simply removes an administrative step that is no longer necessary."

In order to be eligible to carry out any such work-integrated learning with only a study permit, the work placement must be a requirement of the study programme. The updated IRCC guidance says that eligible students must 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 DLI [Designated Learning Institution] 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 a DLI.
• Your study programme is at least 6 months long, at a post-secondary level and leads to a degree, diploma or certificate.
• The work placement of your study programme totals 50% or less of your study programme."

Further easing ahead?

In addition to those immediate changes around co-op of other work placements, IRCC has also proposed a series of amendments to rules around post-graduation work permits (PGWP).

Most notable among these is a proposal, for which consultations will be ongoing for the next month or two, that would allow international students to work without a work permit in cases where:

• An international student is waiting for a decision on a study permit extension; and
• An international graduate is awaiting a decision on an application for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP).

"When international students finish their programme, they can apply for a PGWP. However, there's a gap between graduating and receiving the PGWP," says a related report on CIC News. "Currently, gaps between permit expiry and approval of a new permit can leave students and graduates in limbo, and unsure about their ability to work, even though current regulations do allow graduates to begin work before receiving their work permit."

The process and timeline for implementation of any new rules around PGWPs is not yet clear, but the current proposals reflect the government's stated intention to streamline and modernise Canada's immigration system, and so seem likely to proceed in some form.

For additional background, please see:

• "Canada: Government audit finds impact of international student cap far greater than expected"
• "Canada’s foreign enrolment has fallen by nearly 300,000 students over the last two years"
• "Canada: A case study of immigration policy impacts on postsecondary institutions and the wider economy"