IEC International Co-op (Internship) Work Permit

In order to be eligible for the International Co-op (Internship) work permit, you must:

• Have a valid passport or valid travel document of an eligible, participating country for the duration of your stay in Canada
  • Your country must participate in both IEC and International Co-op
• Be between 18 and 30 years old
  • You may be able to apply if you’re under 35 years old if you’re from certain countries
• Be registered as a student at a post-secondary institution
• Have a minimum of CAN$ 2,500 to help cover your expenses in Canada
• Have health insurance for the duration of your stay
• Not be inadmissible to Canada
• Have a round-trip ticket or demonstrate that you’ll be able to purchase a departure ticket at the end of your stay in Canada
• Have a signed letter of offer or a signed contract for a work placement, or an internship in Canada that meets the requirements of your academic curriculum in your home country
• Not be accompanied by dependants

In addition to this, the work placement or internship you’re taking must adhere to the wage and labour laws of the province or territory you’ll be working in.

To successfully apply for an International Co-op (Internship) work permit, you must first create an IEC profile and submit it into the pools for selection.

If your profile is selected, you will then receive an Invitation to Apply.

Note that the pools are only open for a specific limited season each year. Your profile will stay in the pool until one of the following happens:

• You receive an Invitation to Apply
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) remove all of the profiles from the pools when the current IEC season ends
• You’re no longer eligible for IEC

You will be able to enter your profile into the pool at any time during the IEC season. However, you may have a greater chance of receiving an Invitation to Apply if you submit your profile earlier in the season.

Note also that International Co-op (Internship) is the first category that IRCC issue Invitations to Apply for. This means that places may fill up much faster in this category than the other two.

After accepting your Invitation to Apply, you will then be able to apply for your work permit.

When completing the online application form, you must ensure that you:

• Answer all questions truthfully and completely
  • Your application may be refused if you give false information or leave out important details
• Fill out all the mandatory fields in the form
• Don’t leave any gaps in time in the work history and education history sections
  • You must ensure that you include all absences, periods of unemployment or travel dates
• Include all paid and unpaid work in the work history section
• Click “validate” at the end of each form so there are no errors or blank fields in your application

Once you’ve completed the online form, the system will give you a personalized document checklist, detailing all of the supporting documents you need to provide with your application.

Below is a general overview of the supporting documents you may have to provide with your work permit application:

• Proof of financial support
  • This will normally be a bank statement showing that you have at least CAN$ 2,500, issued no more than one week before your departure for Canada
• Proof of medical exam (if applicable)
• Proof of health insurance that covers the entire duration of your stay in Canada
• Police certificate (if applicable)
• CV or resume
• A copy of your passport
• A digital photo of yourself
• A Family Information (IMM 5707) form
• Proof of school registration
  • This must be a letter from your educational institution that shows that you’re currently registered there
• An internship agreement, which is a 3-party agreement signed by you, your employer and your educational institution. It must contain of the following information:
  • Job title
  • Description of the tasks you’ll do
  • Exact start and end dates of the internship
  • Complete address of the job site
  • Employer’s contact information
• A letter from your educational institution. This letter must:
  • Be on official letterhead
  • State your job offer is linked to your field of studies

Note that this is not an exhaustive list and you may be expected to submit documents that aren’t listed here.

Participation Fees

After you complete your application and upload your documents, you will have to pay the participation fee for the program.

As of 2023, the participation fee for the International Co-op (Internship) program is CAN$ 156.

You may also need to pay an additional fee of CAN$ 85 if you’re required to give your biometrics information in the form of your fingerprints and a photograph.

Note that for the International Co-op (Internship) program, your employer must also pay a CAN$ 230 employer compliance fee and submit your offer of employment to IRCC before you submit your application for a work permit.

Note that the participation fee and employer compliance fee are only refundable if:

• You withdraw your work permit application before you are issued a port of entry letter of introduction
• Your employer withdraws their offer of employment before your work permit is issued
• Your work permit application is refused

Processing Times

The processing time for your application may take between a few weeks and a few months, depending on how busy the service is, and if there are any additional queries or issues with your application.

Up-to-date processing times for the current IEC season can be found on the IRCC website.

Once you submit your application, IRCC will verify that:

• All the information you gave in your application is true
• You’re eligible to work in Canada
• You’re admissible to Canada

You may also receive a letter requesting you to make an appointment to give your biometrics information. If you do, you must do so within 30 days of receiving your letter.

You may also be contacted by IRCC to provide more supporting documents or information, or to attend an interview with an officer.

If Your Application Is Approved

If your application is approved, you will receive a port of entry (POE) letter of introduction. You will need to show this letter and your other supporting documents to a border services officer before the letter’s expiry date.

The border services officer will then review your documents and assess whether you meet the basic entry requirements to enter Canada. In some cases, the border services officer stamps your passport as part of the process.

If Your Application is Refused

If your application is refused, you will receive a letter explaining why.

If you’re unsure as to why your application was refused or need help with the next steps to take, reach out to one of our immigration advisers. Call us on +1 844 290 6312, or contact us online.