Individuals interested in applying for the International Experience Canada (IEC) program must submit their applications by October 21.
The 2024 application pool was opened by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) last December.
The IEC program allows young people from over 30 countries with Youth Mobility Agreements with Canada to obtain work permits. These permits grant the opportunity to live and work in Canada for a set period. For 2024, the application intake target was set at 90,000.
Canadians can also apply to live and work in any of these countries.
How does IEC work?
The government’s work permit program is aimed at young people between 18 and 35 years old (or 18 to 30 in certain countries) who want to explore Canada while gaining valuable work and living experience abroad.
Similar to Canada’s Express Entry programs, eligible candidates must submit their profiles to the IEC pool for consideration. IRCC will then select candidates from the pool and invite them to apply for a work permit.
Each country and category has its own pool of eligible candidates.
Depending on their citizenship, applicants from some countries can participate in the program more than once, across different categories. This varies by country, and candidates cannot exceed the participation limits set by their home country.
The categories
There are three streams available under the IEC program:
- International Co-op (Internship)
- Young Professionals
- Working Holiday
The International Co-op (Internship) stream allows citizens from eligible countries to work as interns for Canadian companies. Applicants must have a co-op placement secured before applying.
The Young Professionals stream issues employer-specific work permits (based on a Labour Market Impact Assessment or LMIA) for candidates with a job offer, allowing them to work for a single employer in Canada.
The Working Holiday stream provides open work permits, enabling participants to work for most employers in Canada for up to two years, offering flexibility in job location.
Once a candidate receives and accepts an Invitation to Apply (ITA), they have 20 days to submit their work permit application, with IRCC confirming the deadline in their online account.
Entering Canada
Along with their passport and Port of Entry Letter, IEC participants may be required to provide proof of funds, proof of health insurance, and a ticket for their departure from Canada (or evidence of sufficient funds to buy one).
IRCC emphasizes that candidates must present bank statements that are dated no more than one week prior to their departure for Canada.
These bank statements should demonstrate that the candidate has enough financial resources to support themselves for the first three months in Canada, or a minimum of $2,500.
