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Faculty of Social Sciences

Careers & Experiential Education

LR Wilson Hall

International Students

International Student Eligibility for Work-Integrated Learning (WIL)

As an international student you may have questions about your eligibility to participate in employment-based experiences. Here are a few details that might help to make your options clearer:

Co-Op Co-Op Page

International students are eligible to apply for any of our co-op program options. All students typically apply in Spring at the end of Level I.

As an international student, when you are admitted to your co-op program option, you will receive documentation that will help you to obtain a valid co-op work permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Your co-op work permit will typically grant you permission to pursue full-time work during any semester as long as it is connected with your approved co-op work term sequence.

We recommend applying for the work permit as early as possible after admission in order to account for processing times.

Once you have your co-op work permit, you will be able to review the available co-op jobs and apply for those that interest you. Please note:

  • some employers may not be able to hire international students for some jobs, regardless of work permit;
  • some government-funded programs aimed at supporting co-op students are not open to international students;
  • however, McMaster supports and services related to co-op always aim to advocate for international students and to support them in their job search.

Internships Internships Page

International students are eligible to gain access to review the available elective internships on the OscarPlus. The steps are as follows:

  1. Complete the required Social Sciences course (2EL0/2EL3).
  2. Request Internship job board access using OscarPlus system.
  3. Review job postings and apply to positions compatible with your visa.

Internships in the Faculty Social Sciences are elective, have varying length, and can begin in different semesters of the year. When applying, please consider:

  • Many international students are limited to full-time work only in Summer, and limited to part-time work in Fall and Winter;
  • Some employers may not be able to hire international students at all for some roles, regardless of season;

Your visa details may vary. International students must refer to the Government of Canada website to ensure eligibility before submitting any application.