International co-op work terms allow you to expand your horizons and industry networks as you immerse yourself in a new culture and new experiences. Students have worked in mines in Australia, developed software in the U.S., planned roads in Peru, and surveyed tunnels and dams in Japan. Our Co-op Career Advisors are here to help you understand what’s involved when you secure an international work term.
Working Internationally
All students (including Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and international students) who accept an international co-op work term must secure the appropriate legal paperwork and travel documents prior to departure. Co-op Career Advisors can help guide you through the process, but the Program is not a legal authority on international documentation.
Please note: It is each student’s sole responsibility to ensure legal documents are attained to work in the country of the co-op work term. Be sure you research the required documentation for an international work term before starting your search. Some countries may require an internship agreement or other legal document that UBC may not be able to provide or sign. Please check with your Co-op Career Advisor prior to accepting a job that requires an internship agreement or other signed document from UBC.
If you’re completing a work term outside of Canada, you must register with the UBC Student Safety Abroad Registry and review the UBC Safety Abroad information and modules at safetyabroad.ubc.ca.
When working outside Canada, you are required to submit and pay taxes in the country in which you are employed. You must also report your earnings to the Canadian government and may be required to pay additional taxes.
Working in the United States
If you’ll be working in the U.S. for a co-op work term, you’ll either need a J1 Visa or a TN Visa before you can legally start working. For information on how to obtain a J1 Visa, please visit Cultural Vistas, a non-profit organization that assists UBC Applied Science Co-op with this process.
Working in France
Work terms in France require that a ‘Convention de Stage’ (internship agreement) be signed between the company and the student’s post-secondary institution. UBC is unable to sign this agreement. If you are looking for a work term in France, please contact your Co-op Advisor before beginning your job search to understand what UBC can provide regarding internship agreements.
Working in Japan
If you are interested in working in Japan, consider applying to the Canada-Japan Co-op Program. This Canada-wide co-op program, that is administered by UBC, is open to co-op students from participating schools across the country. Like the UBC Applied Science Co-op Program, acceptance into the Canada-Japan Co-op Program does not guarantee you a job in Japan.
As the visa processing time is quite lengthy, we recommend applying at least 6 to 8 months before your desired work term start date. For example, if you want to begin a work term in Japan in May, you should apply to the program by September.