Work visa/LMO needed for US Citizen interning in Canada post-graduation?

[theaperturescientist]

I'm trying to get down what exactly is needed to be authorized to intern in Canada next summer. I'm currently in consideration for an internship to start May/June 2016 through Aug 2016 with a company with offices in Victoria, BC. The internship will take place after I graduate with my undergrad degree (May 2016).

Having looked on Canada's official immigration site it looked like visas weren't necessary for American citizens, as long as they had a passport, but other sources make it look like that's not the case and a work permit/visa & LMO would be required, with a lot of mention to a recent revamp in the process. However, there did seem to be a lot of tie-in between intern authorizations and being enrolled, which I will no longer be when this internship takes place.

Any advice on what's needed to get this going? Can I even begin the process without an offer in-hand (though even if I can't, I'd still appreciate knowing what needs to be done)? Roughly how long does it take (I know it can be quite a while)?

Thanks!

 

[scylla]

You need a work permit to accept an internship in Canada. You don't need a permit or visa to enter Canada as a visitor. However working is an entirely different matter - and an internship is the equivalent to working (regardless of whether you are being paid or not). To obtain a work permit, you need a job offer from your employer and an approved LMIA - unless your occupation falls under NAFTA in which case you just need the job offer. You would then apply for a closed work permit tied to that specific employer (since you are American, you can obtain this work permit at the border). So you need to figure out if your occupation falls under NAFTA or not as a first step.

If an LMIA is required, you could very well be looking at 4-6 months - and there's unfortunately an excellent chance the LMIA will be refused. To be approved, the employer must prove they advertised the role and were unable to find a Canadian to take it. This is typically impossible to prove for internships.

You should also look into the SWAP visa (working holiday visa). If an LMIA ends up being required, the SWAP would be another way to try to get a work permit without needing an LMIA.

Anything you've seen regarding being enrolled and internships relates to individuals who are studying in Canada. So these rules would not apply to you.