Recruiting interns from abroad

Foreign missions and international organizations established in Canada pursuant to the Foreign Missions and International Organizations Act may hire foreign interns for short periods of time. While the Office of Protocol of Global Affairs Canada does not issue accreditation documents to interns recruited by foreign missions and international organizations, it provides guidance on this page to assist them.

The Immigration Liaison Unit of the Office of Protocol is responsible for this web page.

Mandatory work permit

Foreign nationals seeking entry into Canada for an internship with a diplomatic mission or international organizations cannot benefit from a work permit exemption under paragraph 186(b) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) because they are not foreign representatives on posting.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) may issue work permits to foreign nationals who have a genuine internship offer at a foreign mission or international organization in Canada pursuant to paragraph 205(a) of the IRPR. Foreign missions and international organizations are exempt from the employer compliance regime. Interns seeking to work with a bilateral post or international organization established in Quebec are exempt from the requirement to obtain a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ).

The decision to issue a work permit is the shared authority of IRCC and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). For their part, prospective interns must demonstrate through documentation that they meet the employment requirements for the position and the requirements for a work permit. Required documentary evidence includes written confirmation from the mission or international organization attesting to the details of the work in an internship position. Documentation should include the employment contract or invitation letter and contain:

  • an explanation of the program in which the internship takes place
  • the timing of the internship (start and end dates).

If enrollment and attendance at a post-secondary institute is a requirement of the internship program, then the foreign national should submit a letter of enrollment and transcripts. If a degree is required, then a graduation certificate/diploma should be included.

Interns are strongly advised to apply for a work permit from IRCC at least 75 days in advance of planned travel using the online application. Certain visa-exempt foreign nations are eligible for apply for a work permit at the Canadian Port of Entry. These individuals are also strongly advised to apply in advance with the online application to reduce the possibility of a permit refusal at the border.

Interns who apply at a Canadian port of entry must have all required documentation prepared and ready and may wish to present a copy of this page.

Limited role of Global Affairs Canada

To note that the Office of Protocol of Global Affairs Canada (GAC) does not have a decision-making role on matters related to interns. Nor does the Office of Protocol:

  • provide individualized letters of no objection or support
  • respond to enquiries on the status of work permit applications or help with expediting processing
  • overcome an IRCC decision (or one from CBSA at the point of entry).

Interns do not enjoy any privileges or immunities. In cases of paid internship or an internship that comes with a modest stipend, GAC does not provide guidance or advice to interns regarding their tax exposure in Canada, or on the impacts of bilateral tax treaties. Beneficiaries of a work permit seeking guidance regarding their local tax obligations should feel free to consult a legal practitioner or tax expert, or conduct their search through publicly available resources (for example, Non-residents of Canada).

Foreign interns cannot be assimilated with locally engaged staff for which other guidelines apply. See our Recruitment of local staff page for more information.