Some international students are required to work for some amount of time as part of their studies. In this case, such students must apply for co-op work permit along with their study permit so they can work while studying in Canada.
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Canada Co-Op Work Permit
International students need to apply for co-op work permit if their study programs require them to carry out some amount of work.
Those in a professional, vocational or in an academic training program at a designated learning institution (DLI) which specifically requires work experience need to apply for a work permit along with their study permit. The work experience could be in the form of a co-op or internship placement.
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Usually, students don’t apply for a work permit while they are studying in Canada. This is because the immigration authorities want to ensure that foreign students don’t take advantage of their study permits and come to Canada for study purposes and not work purposes.
Hence, when an international student applies for a co-op work permit with a study permit, they have to prove that the work experience is absolutely necessary so they can complete their program.
Eligibility Criteria for Canada co-op Work Permit
- must have a valid study permit
- work in Canada as part of study curriculum
- letter from school confirming that all students must complete work placements to get degree
- co-op placement or internship in either 50% or less of study program
Who is not eligible for co-op Work Permit?
- those who are pursuing general courses
- those going for English or French as second language (ESL/FSL)
- students pursuing courses so they could prepare for another study program
Steps to Apply for Co-op Work Permit
Before applying for a co-op work permit, you must have either already applied for a study permit or you can apply for both at the same time.
Let’s check out the steps to apply for co-op work permit below:
1. Apply online
2. Go through instruction guide
3. Answer questions to create a document checklist
4. Know the fees
5. Create/sign in to your account
Step 1- Apply online
You must apply online for co-op work permit. Before starting out the application, make sure that you have necessary documents to complete the form. Also, you must have a camera and a scanner so you could create electronic copies of the documents.
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Step 2- Go through instruction guide
Before you complete your application, it is important that you take a look at the instruction guide. The guide will help you out and tell you how to fill out each section and field of the application correctly.
Step 3- Answer questions to create a document checklist
Now, it’s important to answer some questions so a personalized document checklist can be prepared for you. Based on the checklist, you will need to submit those documents for the co-op work permit application.
Step 4- Know the fees
A co-op work permit is fee exempt. This simply means that you don’t need to pay any kind of fee for this work permit.
Step 5- Create/sign in to your account
In order to apply online for co-op work permit, you must either create or sign into your existing IRCC account. Using your IRCC account, you would be able to submit your applications, pay their fees, as well as check the status of your applications.
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When can I apply for co-op work permit in Canada?
You can apply for a co-op work permit at the same time as your study permit application, if you have a letter from your school confirming the need for a co-op work permit to complete the study program.
Is co-op work permit different from PGWP?
Yes, co-op work permits and PGWP are different. With a co-op work permit you can work while studying in Canada. Whereas a Post-graduate Work Permit (PGWP) allows you to work in Canada after graduation.
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