On April 9, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that, effective April 1, 2026, eligible post-secondary international students no longer need a separate work permit to participate in student work placements required by their program, such as co-op placements and internships.
Students may work for employers approved by their designated learning institution as part of their program requirements.
This change simplifies the administrative process for students by requiring only one permit to complete a single study program. It does not increase the number of students who are authorized to work or affect temporary resident volumes; it simply removes an administrative step that is no longer necessary.
International students with pending decisions on their co-op work permit applications will not need to take any action. IRCC will withdraw all eligible and active co-op work permit applications.
The change is part of a raft of proposed amendments to study and work authorization rules which IRCC added to its forward regulatory plan on 1 April 2026. The proposed amendments, which are currently under consultation, also include the removal of the study permit requirement for foreign apprentices that meet certain conditions. Other related housekeeping amendments would also be made to standardize international students work authorization during scheduled academic breaks, and to clarify study permit and designated learning institution requirements would also be undertaken.
The forward regulatory plan includes initiatives planned or anticipated to be proposed or finalized between 2026 and 2028.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.