IEC – General
Who can participate in International Experience Canada?
Normally, you must be a Canadian or foreign youth aged 18 to 35. For some countries, the age limit is 18 to 29 or 30 years old.
Find out if you’re eligible to work and travel in Canada.
If you’re Canadian, find out if you’re eligible to work and travel abroad.
What kinds of jobs can I have with an International Experience Canada work permit?
You can work in many different areas. It depends what you want to do and how hard you want to look for a job. Many participants find work in the tourism and hospitality industries (restaurants, pubs and hotels), where employers are willing to offer temporary work for shorter periods of time.
If you have the right education, experience or certifications, you can also work in fields such as:
- science
- law
- health
- education
- commerce
- communications
Visit Job Bank to find jobs across Canada and to see the qualifications that employers are looking for.
If you apply under the Young Professionals category, the job you’re offered must count toward your “professional development.” To count, the job must be classified under Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) category 0, 1, 2 or 3 of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
Do I need a job offer to submit my International Experience Canada profile?
It depends on the category you’re applying for.
Working Holiday
You don’t need a job offer to submit your profile.
Young Professionals or International Co-op (Internship)
Before you submit your profile, you must have a signed letter of offer or contract of employment for a
- job;
- work placement; or
- internship.
If you receive an invitation to apply for a work permit, contact your employer. Before you submit your work permit application, your employer must
- pay the employer compliance fee of CAN$230; and
- complete and submit an offer of employment to us.
Can I participate in International Experience Canada more than once?
You may be able to participate in International Experience Canada (IEC) more than once. It depends on the agreement between Canada and your country of citizenship.
If you're allowed to participate a second time, you may have to wait a specific period of time before doing so. This waiting period applies to citizens of the following countries:
- Croatia
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Mexico
- Poland
- Slovakia
- Spain
The waiting period starts after your first IEC work permit expires. If you apply for an IEC work permit before the waiting period ends, we'll refuse your application.
Check the eligibility requirements to find out:
- if you can participate a second time, and
- how long you need to wait before participating a second time (if this applies to you).
I’ve reached the maximum number of participations for my country or category in IEC. If I get an invitation to apply, can I participate in the program again?
No. Even if you get a “Welcome to the Pool Letter” and an invitation to apply, for many countries, you can’t participate in the same category twice. For some countries, you can only participate once, even if you apply to a different pool.
Check the eligibility requirements before you submit your profile or pay any fees. We only decide if you’re able to participate in the program once we review the work permit. If you’re not eligible, your application will be refused and we’ll refund you the IEC fee. However, if you’ve given your biometrics, we can’t refund the biometrics fee.
If you’ve reached the maximum number of participations for your country or pool, you may still be able to participate in IEC through a Recognized Organization (RO). Learn more about using an RO.
I’m almost too old for International Experience Canada. Can I still apply?
Yes. You can submit a profile to an International Experience Canada (IEC) pool. Your profile will stay in the pool until:
- your birthday (when you no longer meet the age requirements set out by the agreement in place for your country of citizenship),
- we remove all profiles from the pool, or
- your profile has been in the pool for 365 days.
If we invite you to apply for a work permit before your birthday, you have passed our eligibility assessment for the age requirements for IEC.
If we approve your work permit application, you must enter Canada while your Port of Entry (POE) Letter is still valid. You do not have to enter Canada before your birthday.
Can I immigrate to Canada through International Experience Canada?
No. If you want to live in Canada permanently, you need to apply for permanent residence.
Use the Come to Canada tool to find out what programs you can apply for permanent residence under.
See also Can I apply to International Experience Canada and Express Entry?
Is it possible to study in Canada while participating in IEC?
Yes. You are allowed to enroll in individual courses under any of the IEC categories. The course(s) must be completed within a 6-month period. They also must not be part of a program lasting longer than 6 months, such as a 2-year program or 4-year degree. If the course or program is longer than 6 months, you will need to apply for a study permit.
Workers who can study without a study permit
You may also be eligible to study without a study permit if you are in either of the following situations:
- You have a valid work permit that was issued on or before June 7, 2023.
- You were issued a letter on or before June 7, 2023, authorizing you to work while we process your work permit application.
- You can use this letter if you’re waiting for a decision on your work permit extension.
Note that you’re not eligible if you applied for a new IEC participation and are waiting for a decision.
Can I have both a study permit and a work permit under International Experience Canada?
Yes. You can have two valid permits at the same time under International Experience Canada (IEC). If you receive an invitation to apply, you can apply for an IEC work permit even if you have a valid study permit. You can also apply for a study permit if you have a valid work permit through IEC.
IEC is not meant for foreign youth who plan to study in Canada for more than 6 months during their IEC participation. If you want to study in Canada for more than 6 months, you must apply for a study permit.
Workers who can study without a study permit
You may also be eligible to study without a study permit if you are in either of the following situations:
- You have a valid work permit that was issued on or before June 7, 2023.
- You were issued a letter on or before June 7, 2023, authorizing you to work while we process your work permit application.
- You can use this letter if you’re waiting for a decision on your work permit extension.
Note that you’re not eligible if you applied for a new IEC participation and are waiting for a decision.
What’s the difference between an International Experience Canada work permit and other work permits?
You can get an International Experience Canada (IEC) work permit only if
- you’re a foreign youth who’s eligible for IEC;
- you have a profile in an IEC pool; and
- you’ve received an invitation to apply for a work permit.
IEC is part of the International Mobility Program, which means employers who hire IEC participants do not need to complete a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Can I enter Canada if I am criminally inadmissible?
Normally you cannot enter or stay in Canada if you are inadmissible. However, there are ways of overcoming your criminal inadmissibility.
If you are inadmissible, you may become admissible again if you:
- satisfy an immigration or border services officer that you meet the legal requirements to be deemed rehabilitated;
- apply for individual rehabilitation and get approved; or
- receive a pardon or record suspension.
You may also be offered a temporary resident permit if:
- your reason to travel to Canada is considered justified in the circumstances; and
- you do not pose a risk because of your inadmissibility.
Visits considered justified could include family emergencies or business conferences. Pleasure trips are normally not considered justified in the circumstances.
This permit has a processing fee of C$200. There are some fee exceptions.
Can I travel with a specific person for International Experience Canada?
There is no guarantee that you will both be invited to apply for a work permit through International Experience Canada (IEC).
If you both have profiles in an IEC pool, it is possible that you could both be invited to apply. This applies even if that person is your
- boyfriend or girlfriend;
- spouse or common-law partner;
- sibling;
- best friend.
If one of you gets an invitation to apply before the other, you can accept or decline your invitation.
Before you make a decision, check the rounds of invitations page to learn more about your chances of getting an invitation to apply.
If you accept your invitation to apply
You can complete and submit your work permit application. Be aware that once we issue your port of entry (POE) letter, you can’t get a refund.
If your travelling partner isn’t invited to apply, they may be eligible for a different type of work permit outside the IEC program. In most cases, they will need a job offer before they apply for their own work permit.
If you decline your invitation to apply
You and your travelling partner might both be invited in a future round. Again, there is no guarantee.
Can I apply to International Experience Canada and Express Entry at the same time?
Yes. Create one profile for International Experience Canada and another one for Express Entry.
You can use the same account for both profiles.
If I’m a dual citizen, can I have an International Experience Canada work permit under each citizenship?
Yes. For example, you can get a work permit once as a citizen of the United Kingdom and a second time as an Irish citizen
To do this, you need to:
- have a valid passport issued by the country you're applying under,
- meet all of the eligibility criteria for this country, and
- provide a letter of explanation in your work permit application that says
- you are a dual citizen
- your other work permit is under your other country of citizenship.
I participated in IEC in the past. How do I apply to participate again?
You have to complete and submit a new profile if you previously:
- applied to IEC but weren’t invited to apply or
- were accepted and participated in IEC
You should also make sure that you’re eligible to apply again.
You can’t use your profile from the previous year.
At the end of each season, we remove all the profiles from all the pools. We notify you through your account that the pools have closed.
My International Experience Canada application was approved, but I didn’t go to Canada. Does that count as a participation?
No. As of January 9, 2023, it only counts as a participation if you arrive in Canada and receive your work permit.
In the past, getting a port of entry (POE) letter of introduction counted as a participation. The definition of a participation changed to help youth who could not come to Canada before their POE letter expired.
If you applied before January 9, 2023
If you didn’t come to Canada before your POE letter expired, it doesn’t count as a participation. If you’re still eligible, you can create a new profile.
When to create a new profile
You must wait until your POE letter expires to create a new profile.
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