Can Canadian international students apply for internships? Well, most students across Canada are eligible for co-op & internships if they are enrolled in an eligible program at a DLI.
Moreover, many Canadian post-secondary students take advantage of co-op & internship programs at their universities to acquire industry work experience before graduation. For these students, this work experience can be beneficial to building their resume even before they attempt to enter the workforce once they complete their educational program.
According to IRCC, in order to be eligible for such co-op & internship programs, foreign students have to enroll in academic, professional, or vocational training programs at a DLI that mandates work experience as a requirement for program completion.
In addition, IRCC indicates that the work experience cannot be more than 50% of a student’s total program of study. In this case, eligible international students will also need to obtain a work permit on top of their study permit.
How To Pursue A Co-Op/ Internship Program As An International Student
Can Canadian international students apply for internships? Well, yes, they can. To pursue a work permit as a co-op student or intern, foreign students must verify their eligibility & then apply for a co-op work permit online.
Determining Your Eligibility
As Canadian international students apply for internships, it is vital to note that in order to be eligible, international students must meet the following criteria:
- They must possess a valid study permit.
- They should have a letter from their DLI confirming that all students in the program must complete work placements to obtain their degrees.
- They must be able to prove that the work permit experience for which they are obtaining a work permit is essential to completing their study program.
To prove that this work experience is a requirement for the program completion, students can use such things as a letter from their DLI or a copy of the school curriculum.
Note: IRCC indicates that certain international students might not need to apply for a co-op work permit to complete their educational programs. The need to apply for this type of permit depends on when IRCC obtained the student’s study permit application & if they meet certain other criteria.
On the contrary, international students are ineligible for a co-op or internship work permit of they are:
- Taking English/ French as a second language
- Taking ‘general interest’ courses
- Taking courses to prepare for another study program
Note: Ineligible students can still work in Canada by applying for a work permit.
How To Apply For A Co-Op/ Intern Work Permit
IRCC notes that the application process for this type of work permit changes depending on whether an international student has already applied for their study permit.
Particularly, students who have already applied for their study permit & are already in Canada can apply for their co-op/ intern work permit online with IRCC. Meanwhile, those who have already submitted their study permit application but are not in Canada can proceed as follows, depending on their situation:
- If The Study Permit Application Is Still Being Processed
Use the IRCC web form to show the department they are in a program with a mandatory co-op/ internship.
- If The Study Permit Is Already Approved
It is still possible to complete a co-op/ internship placement outside of Canada, but you cannot complete such a placement inside Canada without a permit.
To do this, the candidate must have an acceptance letter from their DLI that confirms that a co-op or internship placement is part of the program’s curriculum. At this time, the student can apply for their study permit & IRCC will process their co-op/ intern work permit alongside the study permit application.
Moreover, the Government of Canada also has a web page that includes a tool to allow permit-eligible students to answer a few questions & obtain the application instructions that are right for them.