<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-12-09</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000929008</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WESCO INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WCC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001023582</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>OBRIEN JAMES J /KY</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>225 WEST STATION SQUARE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 700</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PITTSBURGH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>15219</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Deferred Share Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-12-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2016-12-09</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1087.2897</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>43.495</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1087.2897</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1087.2897</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Deferred Share Units are credited to an account in the reporting person's name maintained by WESCO International.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Each Deferred Share Unit is the economic equivalent of one share of WESCO International common stock.  The Deferred Share Unit Account balance becomes eligible for distribution, only in the form of WESCO International common stock, upon termination of service as a Director.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The price is based on the average of the high and low trading prices for WESCO International's common stock as of the first trading day in January of 2016.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Samantha L. O'Donoghue, Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-12-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
