F1 international student in US, Summer internship in canada

[dhonirules]

Hi,

I am an international student on F1 Student Visa doing my Masters in Computer Science at a top 10 univ in the US.

I have an offer for a Paid Summer Internship (for 12 weeks) from a major software company, based in Toronto.

However, the company says that they will be unable to provide sponsorship for F-1 US visa holders for the internship opportunity.

Given my situation, I would be glad if you could let me know, if there is a possibility that I would be able to do my summer internship with them, in Toronto.

Please treat this post as urgent.

 

[scylla]

I don't think it's going to work out for you.

To be able to take the internship, you need a work permit. To be approved for a work permit, the employer must first obtain an approved Labour Market Opinion (LMO). You cannot obtain the LMO - this is only something your employer can do.

For the LMO to be approved, the employer will have to prove they advertised the roll and were unable to find a Canadian to take the position. (I don't see how it will be possible for them to prove this.) More information on the LMO process is here:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/employers/lmo-basics.asp

Again, unfortunately don't see how this internship is going to work out for you.

 

[dhonirules]

Thanks a lot for the reply.
I pretty much foresaw this

Would it be possible for me to make it work because im a student here in the US on F1 visa, and I have a valid CPT to work here in summer?

Also, if we look at this:
www dot canadavisa dot com/how-the-nafta-program-can-work-for-you.html
2. Professionals

Certain American and Mexican professionals may enter Canada to provide pre-arranged professional services. To qualify for this category, applicants must have a job offer from a Canadian employer in one of the 63 recognized occupations which includes accountants, engineers, management consultants, technicians, physicians, nurses, college teachers, and more. Applicants must meet the minimum education and/or experience requirements related to each profession.

Professionals may also enter Canada to provide training related to their profession as long as the training session is pre-arranged with a Canadian employer and the subject matter is at a professional level.


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So, i'm just wondering if there is a bleak possibility that I could make it work some way :-|
Please help.

 

[scylla]

Do you have American or Mexican citizenship? I'm assuming you can't be American because if you were, you wouldn't need the FI visa.

If you aren't a citizen of either the US or Mexico, then NAFTA does not apply to you.

 

[scylla]

Would it be possible for me to make it work because im a student here in the US on F1 visa, and I have a valid CPT to work here in summer?

To answer this question... No. Definitely not.

Canada and the US are completely different / separate countries. Having a work permit in one does not allow you to work in the other.

 

[dhonirules]

Thanks for those replies.
What if I could talk to some university and enroll myself for some summer program?

That way, i can enter as an exchange student, (the visa for which, i think, comes with a work permit)?
That would also allow me to do my summer internship, right?

Anyway, i dont want to stay back in canada after those 12 weeks of internship. I live in the US and my family lives here too.
All of this is just for my summer internship.

Would this be possible?

 

[PMM]

Hi

Thanks for those replies.
What if I could talk to some university and enroll myself for some summer program?

That way, i can enter as an exchange student, (the visa for which, i think, comes with a work permit)?
That would also allow me to do my summer internship, right?

Anyway, i dont want to stay back in canada after those 12 weeks of internship. I live in the US and my family lives here too.
All of this is just for my summer internship.

Would this be possible?

1. That is not going to work either. The study permit doesn't come with a work permit. You have to enroll in a full time course greater than 6 months. Only have 6 months, with satisfactory marks, can you apply for a part time off campus work permit.

 

[scylla]

As PMM has explained, you won't qualify for a work permit you have completed six months of full time studies in Canada (and even then, the work permit only allows you to work a maximum of 20 hours per week).

You need to start looking for internships in the US. Sorry.

 

[Aggie95]

But US employers are not entertaining international students for internships. we are facing this difficulty now a days. any way out in anybody's great mind. thanx.

 

[scylla]

But US employers are not entertaining international students for internships. we are facing this difficulty now a days. any way out in anybody's great mind. thanx.

It's not clear what you are asking. If you are an F1 student in the US and want to work in Canada, you need to get a job offer in Canada and the employer needs to get an approved LMIA, then you can apply for a closed work permit.