International Student Permit Policy Update

Students who hold a valid study permit are not impacted and these measures do not affect your ability to progress and complete your program.

A co-op work permit is a work permit that allows students to complete a program required work term. A co-op work permit is required when a student is required to engage in any form of work integrated learning for their program. Examples of work include work terms, work exposures, clinicals, and field placements- both paid and unpaid work. Students apply for a co-op work term when they apply for a study permit. It is a separate document from a study permit. A co-op work permit can ONLY be used for the work term component of their study program. Work as a co-op student or intern - Canada.ca  

A Post- Graduation Work Permit allows students to work in Canada to gain Canadian work experience after they complete their studies. Eligible students can apply for a PGWP after receiving confirmation of program completion. The length of the PGWP depends on the length of your program of study. Work in Canada after you graduate: About the post-graduation work permit - Canada.ca  

Please check the program details section of your Letter of Acceptance as well as the Program Guide to determine if a work term is a required component of your program. International students require a co-op work permit to complete work placements, internships, or clinicals required for their programs (paid or unpaid). This is mandatory. Students who do not have a co-op work permit will not be allowed to participate in the work component part of their program. It is the student's responsibility to ensure they have the required documentation to study in Canada and a co-op work permit to complete the work placement requirements of their program.

Current students and applicants remain eligible to apply for a PGWP as per the Immigration, Refugee, Citizenship Canada (IRCC) eligibility requirements. For more information regarding PGWP and your eligibility please visit: Work in Canada after you graduate: Who can apply - Canada.ca .

Applications are being considered for the Fall 2025 intake. Please check our Program Guide to see which programs are open for applications.

College of the North Atlantic is a public college, funded and operated by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

College of the North Atlantic does not have any programs that are considered master’s degree or doctoral degree programs.

A Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) request form will accompany each Letter of Acceptance. Once you receive your Letter of Acceptance, please complete the PAL request form and upload it with a copy of your passport to your CNA application. CNA will then work with the Provincial Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to have a PAL generated and sent to you.

You can apply for a study permit online through IRCC. Read the instruction guide for your country and get your documents ready. Click this link to follow the steps to apply. Study permit: How to apply - Canada.ca . CNA is not responsible for denied permits.

International students who are eligible to work on/off campus as per study permit conditions can work 24 hours per week off campus and unlimited hours on campus. Please refer to the IRCC website for any changes to this.

International students who are eligible to work on/off campus as per study permit conditions can work full time during scheduled academic breaks. Please check the academic calendar for your program for dates of the scheduled breaks.

A scheduled break is a period during your academic program when there are no classes or required academic activities such as summer break, winter break, and reading week. Please check the academic calendar for your program for dates of the scheduled breaks.

Students must update their DLI if transferring to a new DLI.  This can be done online through your IRCC account. Click this link for steps to follow to change your DLI. Change your post-secondary school - Canada.ca .