Finding Internships in Toronto, Canada

Toronto, parked on Lake Ontario and not too far from New York City in the United States, is the largest city in Canada. With 2.5 million residents, it’s the 5th largest city in North America. Known for a cosmopolitan makeup, a healthy performing arts scene, and a robust offering of sports teams, Toronto always has something going on. 

It may come as a surprise to some that Toronto is also a happening place for film and television, boasting the third largest production center after Los Angeles and New York City. The famous Toronto International Film Festival and Toronto Student Film Festival showcase the great works from the bright minds of the city on an annual basis. 

What’s Toronto Like?

As previously mentioned, Toronto is extremely diverse. According to the United Nations Development Programme, Toronto is second to only Miami, Florida in terms of foreign-born population in large world cities. The big difference, however, between Miami and Toronto is that Miami’s foreign population is mostly made up of Cubans, whereas no one ethnicity makes up a large majority in Toronto. Over 150 languages are spoken in Toronto - that’s one diverse place!

Toronto also has one of the lowest crime rates in the world as far as large cities go, making it one of the safest cities in North America. Its homicide rate is 3 per 100,000, as compared to nearly 18 in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Toronto has humid summers and very cold winters, with temperate and pleasant spring and autumn weather. 

Transportation-wise, Toronto has a large network of trains, busses, and street cars. It also has an extensive network of bicycle lanes. It’s entirely possible not to have a car in Toronto, and potentially advisable in order to avoid high parking fees downtown. 

What Kind of Internships are Available?

Toronto has many institutions of higher learning, the largest of which is University of Toronto with a massive enrollment of over 80,000 students. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings has ranked the University of Toronto academically at 20th place globally and first in Canada. 

Additional universities include Ryerson University, OCAD University, and the University of Guelph-Humber. There are also four degree-granting colleges: Seneca College, Humber College, Centennial College and George Brown College. 

All kinds of internships are available for students from all different kinds of academic focus, including finance, sciences, media, architecture, and even fashion. 

How to Find Internships in Toronto

The University of Toronto’s Career Learning Network “offers students the opportunity to participate in both co-op and internship programs, at the undergraduate and graduate levels.” In particular, the PEY (Professional Experience Year) Internship Program, which is the largest paid internship program in Canada. Over 150 organizations are given the opportunity to recruit students for a length of 12-16 months through this program.  

Additional programs include the four-month Master of Mathematical Finance internship program, and Engineering Summer Internship Program (eSIP) which is a 4-month paid summer internship for students who have finished their 2nd or 3rd year of undergraduate studies. 

For those who do not attend the University of Toronto, online search engines such as Indeed.ca, talentegg.ca, and simplyhired.ca aggregate options throughout the city, among others. 

In Conclusion

Toronto is a safe, diverse, and vibrant city with all kinds of wonderful options for those looking for an internship. The University of Toronto, in particular has a wealth of programs designed to help their students find paid internships in order to enrich their university experience and boost their resumes. 

For anyone looking to study and intern in Canada, Toronto might just be perfect for you!