Ever thought of living and working in Canada but only on a temporary basis? Have you wondered what it would be like to travel and work in Canada at the same time? If you have, then we have some great news for you! The IRCC has opened new IEC pools for 2023 from which applicants can be selected and then granted a Working Holiday Visa.
The processes and application pathways that lead to receipt of an IEC Working Holiday Visa can be quite confusing to a lot of applicants.
As a remedy to this problem and a way to bolster confidence among applicants for when they make the important decision to apply, we have put together an evaluative guideline to help navigate the various means, criteria and steps to choose from when making your application.
What Is An IEC Working Holiday Visa?
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has various programs that it offers as a means of immigrating to Canada either on a temporary or permanent basis. Among the programs that offer immigration on a temporary basis is the International Experience Canada (IEC) program.
This program offers temporary immigration to Canada via open and closed work visas that make the recipient eligible to reside and work in Canada Working Holiday under the auspices of a Working Holiday, Young Professionals and International Co-operative program.
The most popular of these three programs is the Working Holiday Visa program since it has both a component that allows the recipient to travel around Canada and the jobs offered within this program require little to no work experience. The Working Holiday Visa program is mainly targeted towards youth who exhibit the following characteristics:
- Have not decided on a career path
- Have not been offered a job in Canada
- Have the aim of funding their travels through work obtained within their chosen destination
- Have the aim of working for more than one Canadian employer if possible
- Have the aim of simultaneously traveling and working in Canada
If you are young and have any of the above mentioned characteristics and aims in mind then we recommend taking the worthy leap of applying for a Working Holiday Visa.
How To Apply For A Working Holiday In Canada?
If you have decided to apply for a Working Holiday Visa, what comes next is the difficult task and process of applying for it. The first hurdle on your path before even applying for a Working Holiday Visa is testing whether or not you're eligible to apply through its IEC pool applicant streams.
This is done through an evaluative process that applies various qualifying criteria that the applicant needs to meet. The more qualifying criteria that the applicant meets the stronger their chances are to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for a working holiday program.
It therefore becomes vitally important that the applicant acquaint themselves with the eligibility criteria before taking the step to apply.
One of the most important eligibility criteria for young people that the IEC outlines is the requirement that they reside in a country with a youth mobility program. The following is a list of countries that have a youth mobility program.
| Eligible Countries in the International Experience Canada (IEC) Program | ||
| Australia | Austria | Belgium |
| Chile | Costa Rica | Croatia |
| Czech Republic | Denmark | Estonia |
| France | Germany | Greece |
| Hong Kong | Ireland | Italy |
| Japan | Korea, Rep. | Latvia |
| Lithuania | Luxembourg | Mexico |
| Netherlands | New Zealand | Norway |
| Poland | Portugal | San Marino |
| Slovakia | Slovenia | Spain |
| Sweden | Switzerland | Taiwan |
| Ukraine | United Kingdom | |
Should you not reside in any of these countries there is an alternative means that can make you eligible to apply. You can become eligible by applying through an organization that is recognized by the government of Canada. The following is a list of these recognized organizations.
| Registered Organisation | Age Range | Eligible Countries |
| GO International | 18-35 | IEC countries, USA |
| A-Way to Work/International Rural Exchange Canada Inc. | 18-35 | IEC countries only |
| Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) | 18-35 | IEC countries only |
| Stepwest | 18-35 | IEC countries only |
| SWAP Working Holidays | 18-35 | IEC countries, USA |
Moreover, if you’re eligible to apply for a Canada Working Holiday Visa as either a member of the eligible countries with a youth mobility program or applicant through one of the recognized organizations, there is one more set of qualifying criteria that you need to meet.
- You must be in possession of a valid passport that won’t expire in the course of your working holiday residence in Canada. (Work permit expires if passport expires).
- You must have at least CAD 2,500 when you first arrive in Canada.
- You must provide documentation as evidence that shows you neither have a criminal record and/or are medically infirmed/have a clean bill of health to show that you’re admissible to Canada.
- You must have enough money to book yourself a flight home once your working holiday visa has expired.
- You must take out and have health insurance for the entire duration of your working holiday.
- You must have no dependents.
- You must still live in the country you're a citizen of during the process of applying for a Working Holiday Visa
Should you meet all of these criteria then you're eligible to apply for a Canada Working Holiday Visa.
Tips For Getting The Best Out Of Your Working Holiday Application
The next step of actually applying for a Canadian Working Visa is the most challenging stage of the application process for a lot of applicants. There are many steps involved in the process and different application streams to consider. The following is a simplified breakdown of the most important steps to follow when applying.
Step 1: Create An Immigration Application Profile
Create an immigration application profile for yourself either directly by opening an IRCC account or consulting with an RCIC affiliated private immigration consultancy company like CanadianVisa.
If you choose to create an application profile through the IRCC then you must register first either through a sign in partner or GCKey. Both of these registration methods can be done via the Government website and following the prompts therein.
Once you have created your account, you must select the “International Experience Canada” option and complete the Come to Canada questionnaire. This questionnaire is evaluative and examines your personal demographic data e.g. age, language ability, education etc.
This is very important to the success of your application and consulting with an RCIC will increase your chances of success. If successful, you will receive an ITA.
Step 2: Receive Your Invitation to Apply (ITA)
You’ll receive a notification via your account of an invitation to apply (ITA) and then given instructions to apply within the next ten days for a work permit should you accept the invitation.
Step 3: Apply For A Work Permit
To apply for a work permit you must submit the following important documentation.
- Police
- Medical certificate
- CV/Resume
- Passport
- Digital photo
- Family Information
- ETA or Visitor Visa
- Proof of financial support
- Health insurance
Your documents will need to be legible and in color.
Step 4: Pay Your Fees And Submit Your Profile
Once your documents are in order (which you should verify with an RCIC for assurance) you can pay the application fees and apply. IEC Working Holiday Visa Fees are as follows.
| Fee | CA$ |
| IEC Participation | 156 |
| Canada Open Work Permit | 100 |
Step 6: Biometrics
Depending on whether or not you’ve traveled to Canada in the last ten years, you may receive a notification from the Canadian government to submit your biometrics information within 30 days at your nearest visa office.
Step 7: Waiting For Work Permit Application To Be Processed And Get To Canada
The application processing times are usually around 56 days and you will receive a Port of Entry letter if your application is successful. When traveling to Canada please remember to carry the following important documents with you.
- Your travel documents
- Open work permit
- ETA
- Port of Entry Letter
These documents are important as they will be the first things that the Canadian border authorities will check for when you arrive.
FAQs
Are you eligible to work in a highly specialized job while on a working holiday?
Most Working Holiday Visa jobs require little to no job experience, are temporary, low-skilled and involve menial labor. It is highly improbable that you will receive a job offer that requires some form of specialized skill.
Are there any other means to become eligible to apply besides residing in a country with a youth mobility program or recognized organization?
As of now there are currently no other means of becoming eligible to apply.