The International Experience Canada (IEC) allows youth to travel and work in Canada for up to 2 years. IEC encompasses three separate programs. Additionally, eligibility criteria, application procedure, and the likelihood of success vary from program to program and country to country. However, in this case, the foreign national must access the program through the assistance of a Recognized Organization.

If you want to apply for this opportunity, three different kinds of work and travel experiences are available (Member countries may not participate in all three types of programs).:

The work & Holiday category provides temporary work permits to young people to legally live and work in Canada. The permits are valid for either 12 or 24 months, depending on your country of citizenship.
The young Professionals category is designed for foreign youth, particularly post-secondary graduates, who wish to further their careers by gaining professional work experience in Canada. Participants must have a signed employment offer letter or contract of employment with a Canadian employer before applying.
International Co-op (Internship) category is designed for foreign youth who are enrolled at a post-secondary institution in their country of citizenship. Applicants must want to complete a work placement or internship in Canada to fulfill part of their academic curriculum and be registered students for the internship duration. Also, they must have a signed job offer letter or contract for a work placement or internship in Canada that meets the requirements of their academic curriculum in their country of citizenship.

To participate, your country or territory of citizenship must have a Youth Mobility Agreement with Canada, or you may be able to use a recognized organization. Because each country is different, it’s important that you check to see if you’re eligible to apply.

THESE PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR NATIONALS FROM THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES:

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

If your country is not eligible, you can contact a recognized organization (RO) for help planning your trip. The Work and Holiday is meant to provide an open work permit under the International Experience Canada Program. This is the most important category as it is meant to allow participants to work and travel for 12 months up to 24 months, depending on their country of origin. Not everyone may apply, and it is based on a yearly selection. Every year there will be a limited intake for each eligible country. Some countries have more spots than others, so it is always good to ensure you are ready as soon as the program opens.

WORK AND HOLIDAY

We will focus on this program as the Work and Holiday Category is an open work permit.

To be eligible for Working Holiday Visa in Canada, candidates must:

Be a citizen (passport holder) of one of the countries that have a “bilateral youth mobility agreement” with Canada as you can see in the list above. In other words, one of the International Experience Canada participating countries.
Have a valid passport for the duration of your stay in Canada (the work permit issued will not be longer than the validity of the passport).
Be between 18 and 35 years old at the time of application.
Have the equivalent of CAD$2,500 to help cover initial expenses.
Be able to take out health insurance for the full duration of their Working Holiday Visa in Canada.

The Working Holiday visa is an ideal option for young people who want to come to work in Canada, this work permit allows you to work full-time, and you can also work professionally. There are a lot of applicants that use this for professional growth and to have a multicultural experience.