<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-22</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000929008</issuerCik><issuerName>WESCO INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>WCC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001212354</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>VAN OSS STEPHEN A</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>225 WEST STATION SQUARE DRIVE, SUITE 700</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>PITTSBURGH</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>15219</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>VICE PRESIDENT &amp; CFO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>WESCO International Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>88465</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Option for WESCO International Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>4.34</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-11-26</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>WESCO International Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>60112</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>60112</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Option for WESCO International Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>10.75</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F2" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-08-06</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>WESCO International Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>69360</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>129472</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Option for WESCO International Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>9.875</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F3" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-05-11</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>WESCO International Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>27500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>156972</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Option for WESCO International Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>9.3125</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F3" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-10-23</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>WESCO International Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>22500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>179472</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Option for WESCO International Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>4.5</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F3" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-12-21</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>WESCO International Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>50000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>229472</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Option for WESCO International Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>5.9</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-22</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>70000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>5.9</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F4" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-08-22</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>WESCO International Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>70000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>299472</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Options are vested and fully exercisable.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Half of the option grant vested over a four year time period from the grant date, while the remaining half are subject to performance vesting, with any unvested options becoming fully vested on 1/1/2008.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Option grant is subject to accellerated vesting upon achievement of performance targets, with cliff vesting of any unvested options 90 days prior to the expiration of the options.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Options vest at a rate of 1/3 on the anniversary date of the option grant over the next three years.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Stephen A. Van Oss</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-26</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

