International Students will need a work permit in order to complete a Co-op work term here in Canada. You will need to apply for your work permit about 12 to 16 weeks prior to the start of your first work term. To apply, you will need a letter from our office which indicates that the work placements are part of your program requirements. Please contact a coordinator to make specific arrangements for picking up your letter.

For your Co-op work term, the University will be listed as the employer and the expiry date of your Work Permit should match that of your Study Permit. This should mean that you will not have to get a new Work Permit for your second/third work term. The normal permit processing fee will not be charged if you are applying as a co-op student.

How to Apply for the Work Permit:

On the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website you will find up-to-date information regarding how to apply to work in Canada as a student in order to fulfill your co-op requirements. Be sure to download and read their guide for more details:

To begin you will need to fill out an application form (IMM1249E). Please contact the co-op office if you need help filling out your application. You will need to follow the instructions carefully and submit all required documents with your completed application form. This includes your letter from the Co-op office. Remember to allow 8 weeks for your application to be processed. Before applying, go through the CIC checklist (you should have read the guide carefully and gathered all of your documents prior to going through the checklist).

Your completed application should be sent to (see the CIC Guide for more details on mailing):

Citizenship & Immigration Canada
Work Permit, Case Processing Centre - Unit 777
Vegreville, AB
T9C 1W1

Please contact a coordinator in the Co-op Office if you have any questions or concerns. In addition, for up-to-date information and more comprehensive details on regulations and assistance for International Students, visit or contact the International Student Centre at the St. George campus for more details. In addition, please remember to visit our own International Student Centre at UTSC.