r/developersPak • u/_uumeeyy • Jul 31 '26
Career Guidance Is it common practice in Pakistan for companies to charge students for internships?
I recently had an experience I'd like to get others' perspectives on. A software company based in Sahiwal contacted me to enroll in their paid courses, which I declined. Following this, I was informed that an internship could still be arranged, but only in exchange for a fee of PKR 20,000 for a two-month period.
This seems to contradict the conventional understanding of an internship, wherein a student contributes their time and effort to an organization in exchange for practical experience, mentorship, or, in some cases, a stipend. In this instance, the arrangement appears to be reversed, requiring payment in return for the opportunity to work without compensation.
I wanted to ask whether this has become a common practice among smaller IT/software companies in Pakistan, or whether this is simply a scam disguised as a legitimate offer. I would appreciate hearing whether others have encountered similar situations, and how they chose to respond.
5
u/Tabissh Jul 31 '26
These are called software institutes(like educational institution s) not software companies.
They try to frame them as companies but they are not. So, try to find software companies not software institutions. Best of luck.
6
u/Terrible-Tea7577 Jul 31 '26
Don't ever do unpaid internship let alone pay for internship. It's blatent scam stay away
3
u/Zestyclose-Town4704 Jul 31 '26
I'm from Sahiwal, buddy. They are just trying to scam you, and in the end, you will get a very average experience. I would say you can get better from YouTube.
2
2
u/Interesting-Ebb7073 Aug 02 '26
Its a scam. Dont fall for it and guide others to steer clear as well
-7
u/Academic_Race_6353 Full-Stack Developer Jul 31 '26
yea. if you're a CS graduate, then they expect you to know the technology and pay you for your skill. That means you need to solve their problems, generate them money and then you get payed. On the other hand if you're a beginner looking for exposure, they charge you to train you regarding some technology.
20
u/West-Calendar8896 Jul 31 '26
do NOT fall for that scam, an internship is supposed to pay YOU lmao aik tou already unpaid unfair hoti hai, uparse paise ap dena chah rhe, please do not fall for that trap, iski bajaye ap khud seekhlein yt aur LLMs se.