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SWAP

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Make money while you travel with SWAP. Whether you're in Canada or abroad, we've got you! Provide expert guidance and SWAP support to have your visa approved.

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Our brand family

Inspo from around the world

Read the SWAP blog

Need to Know

Professional internships

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Torn between going travelling and working on your resume? Read on.

10 brilliant benefits of doing an internship abroad  

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You want to intern abroad. Great! Now let's make it happen.

How to find an internship in the USA

If you still have questions about interning in the USA – visa requirements, types of placements, which city is the best – give us a call. We'll figure it out together.

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Find out more about interning in the USA

Your program cost is determined by the **length of your internship placement.** On this visa, you have a 30-day grace period either side of your internship where you can travel in the USA. This is automatically included in your sponsorship and medical insurance policy. e.g., if you choose a 6-month internship, your overall stay in the USA can be up to 8 months.
 
 
**Length of internship**

0-3 months - $2,375 | 4 months - $2,450 | 5 months - $2,525 | 6 months - $2,600 | 7 months - $2,675 | 8 months - $2,750 | 9 months - $2,825 | 10 months - $2,900 | 11 months - $2,975 | 12 months - $3,050



Cost breakdown 

- Canadian passport holders must be aged 18+
- And either a Canadian post-secondary student, or if you've already graduated, you must enter the USA within 12 months of graduating 
- Be at least halfway through your degree before beginning your internship
- Have a 1-12 month internship offer before we can start the process of sponsoring you
- Your placement must be related to your academic field of study  
- Have the savings to support yourself during your time in the US and provide proof of financial support (min USD $,1500/month that you're in the US)
- Have a sufficient level of English to function in an American internship



Am I eligible for a J-1 internship visa?

Your final payment is dependent on the length of your sponsorship. Check the 'Cost breakdown' below for more. 

Intern USA

To intern in the USA, you must be eligible for a J-1 Intern visa. 

Thinking of making the swap? Check these USA internship visa requirements for Canadians and make sure you tick all the boxes.




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Intern USA visa requirements

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Global

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Run by our UK-based team – put your career on the map with a professional internship in the UK. From tea breaks to big breaks, excitement and opportunities await.

UK visa sponsorship for 1-12 months

Intern in the UK

18+ | 1-12 month visa | Student + grad

Intern UK

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Starting in Sydney or Melbourne, our Work Australia packages include everything you need to kickstart your Australia working holiday – including hostel nights, job workshops, bank account set-up, future best friends and more. 

Visa processing + 4 or 7 day arrival orientation 

Working holidays Australia

18-35 | 12+ month visa | Job support 

Work Australia

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Starting in Auckland, hit the ground running on your New Zealand working holiday with hostel nights, job support, new mates, nights out, and all the nerdy bank and tax stuff included. 

Visa processing + 4-day Auckland orientation

Working holiday New Zealand

18-35 | 12+ month visa | Job support

Work New Zealand 

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Earn, learn and explore with a South Korea working holiday – complete with visa support, daily language lessons, and a guaranteed backpacker job at the end of your four-week intro. 

28 days' accommodation, language lessons + job support

Working holidays South Korea

18-35 | 24-month visa | Language lessons

Work South Korea

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Full-time student? Spend your university summer holidays earning and exploring in the USA – complete with a pre-arranged hospitality job, medical insurance, visa support and more. 

Pre-arranged 2-3 month summer job 

Summer working holidays USA

Student only | 4-month visa | Summer job

Summer Work USA

More ways to work the world 

Our dedicated intern team will go over the visa eligibility, when you need to apply and what types of internships you can do.

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Internship gurus 

What is an internship?

What are the requirements for my internship?

When will a site visit be required?

 What is a DS-2007 training plan?

Does SWAP secure my internship for me?

Can I do more than one internship?

Will my internship be paid?

Does my internship have to be related to my degree?

Are there any industries that I can't work in?

Do I need my own travel insurance?

What is a DS-2019?

What is SEVIS?

What is the difference between SWAP and JENZA?

Ask a question

We've got answers

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Your earning potential will depend on your sector and location. Average monthly salaries per industry for past interns include: Marketing or Business Management USD $3,000/month; Law or Engineering $4,000/month; Finance or Politics $5,000/month; Media or Film $2,000/month. 

Paid internships

What you can earn 

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If you don’t have a degree or you’ve already done Intern USA and want to return to the USA for an additional traineeship – ask us about our 1-18 month [Trainee USA](/experiences/international-internships/trainee-usa/) visa. As a non-graduate you’ll need five years’ industry expertise or as a graduate, one year’s industry expertise. 

More ways to make it in America

Not a student or grad? 

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Want to spend your summer getting ahead or need credit as part of your course? Turn your academic achievements into professionnal work experience with a 1-12 month USA internship – with 30 days either side to travel. 

Sponsorship, visa support + medical cover included

Professional internships in America

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Internships bridge the gap between education and real-world work experience, providing post-secondary students and recent grads with hands-on training alongside industry pros. Interning in the USA vs Canada can give you access to more businesses, sectors and placement opportunities – plus you'll have the life experience of living in a new country.

Why should Canadians do an internship in the USA?

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Intern USA is a SWAP program for full-time Canadian students or graduates of one year to do a professional placement in their area of study for up to 12 months. 

Part of the same travel family as leading USA visa sponsor, IENA, we'll guide you through every stage. First, you need an internship offer. We'll let you know the exact internship requirements, the types of companies to search for, and link you to a ton of free resources and a database of US employers on our Intern Hub. Once you’ve found your placement, we check your internship meets the visa criteria, vet your host company (if required), and start the process of sponsoring you to work in America. Our US sponsor then supports you on the ground with regular check-ins to make sure your training is on track.

What is Intern USA?

In a crowded and competitive job market, getting hands-on work experience can help you to stand out in a stack of resumes. It's also a great way to get employee references for when you permanently enter the job market.

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Resume building 

From creative start-ups to tech giants, the US attracts leading talent from around the world – making it the number one place to intern. You'll learn from leaders in your field, grow your network, and show future employers that you're ambitious.

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New skills 

Sure, the USA is only over the border. But if you've every dreamt of marching to your office in Manhattan or surfing before work in California – then now is a great time to test the waters and grow personally by living abroad.

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Live abroad 

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Years we’ve run US cultural exchanges   

There are some restricted fields (check our FAQs for more), but otherwise, you can intern in most industries anywhere in the USA – so long as your training position is related to your degree. 

- You can do one internship for between 1-12 months
- It can be paid or unpaid (all internships over six months must be paid)
- For paid placements, your salary will be negotiated directly with your employer
- Your internship must be office-based and a minimum 32 hours per week
- It must be no more than 20% clerical based
- There must be a clear training plan that benefits your professional development

You’re responsible for finding your own US internship – and the majority of students come to us with an internship secured through their student career office or personal contacts. But don’t worry if not, we're here to help you start your search.

What types of internships can I do?

You can request a coaching call with our internship team, where we’ll dive into your degree, career goals, and the direction you want your internship to take.

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Coaching call 

Based on past students who’ve interned in the USA with the same degree as you, we’ll help shortlist companies to target and advise on how best to approach them.

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Placement advice

You'll also find step-by-step guidance on finding your position on our [Intern Hub](https://jenza.com/infohub/intern-hub/) over on our parent JENZA site. Including downloadable templates for emails, visa letters and a directory of US employers.

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Intern Hub

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If you're a full-time Canadian student or recent graduate, boost your employability with a summer or 1-12 month internship in America. 

Intern in America | JENZA 

18+ | 1-12 month visa | Student + grad only

Intern USA 

Check your eligibility in the **visa + cost** section, hit **Apply now** and create your profile to start your application. You can then access your online account anytime from the top of this page. Once you’ve paid your deposit, book a time to have your compliance call with our team. This can take up to 45 minutes and is a US Government requirement to check your suitability for this program – plus it's a great time to ask any questions. 

You need to to have an internship secured before we can start the process of sponsoring you. If you don't have one already, check out the resources on our Intern Hub or arrange a separate call with our team to talk about how you can go about finding your placement.

Apply + book your compliance call

Your US employer will need to fill out your DS-7002 Training Plan – this details company information, your training goals and information about your role. All the instructions and links to the form are provided in your online account. Once completed, we send this to our US sponsor for approval to ensure it meets US Department of State requirements. Please note, if a site visit to your host employer’s workplace is required, this can take an additional 21 days. Check our FAQs for the scenarios and cost. 

Training plan + placement vetting

Once your internship is approved and you’ve paid your balance, your work papers (DS-2019), training plan (DS-7002) and SEVIS receipt will be sent to you electronically. You’ll need these to apply for your J-1 visa. This involves an online application (DS-160).

Sponsorship + visa application

Once you have your J-1 visa, it’s safe to book your flights or transport, travel insurance, and confirm any accommodation you have sourced. Once you’ve had your online orientation to make sure you’re perfectly prepped for life in the USA – you’re good to go!

Book transport + pre-departure orientation   

You can arrive into the US up to 30 days before the start date on your DS-2019. When you arrive, you’ll need to download a i-94 form from the US government website and go to a local social security office to get your Social Security Number. Your US sponsor will check in with you regularly to make sure your training is going to plan – plus they’re on hand for 24/7 emergency support. 

Arrive in the USA

You are allotted 2 weeks to complete your application. After submitting your application, the review process can take 6-8 weeks. Do not make travel or accommodation arrangements until your program coordinator lets you know that everything is good to go. 