International Experience Class - Your Trusted Canadian Immigration Source

Citizens of countries with a bilateral Youth Mobility Arrangement with Canada who are between the ages of 18 and 35 may be eligible for IEC work permits. Work permits issued under IEC are exempt from the requirement for a Labor Market impact Assessment (LMIA).
The LMIA is the labour market test that the Canadian government often uses to assess how the potential arrival of foreign workers may affect workers in Canada. However,International Experience Canada exists to promote Canada’s economic, social, and cultural ties with participating countries. As a result, IEC participants can obtain a Canadian work permit through the following options.

Working Holiday Visa

Under the Young Professionals category, citizens of participating countries can gain valuable international experience by working for a Canadian company. Applicants to this category receive an employer-specific work permit if approved. A signed job offer letter or contract of employment with a Canadian employer related to the applicant’s professional development is required before applying. The job offered must be classified as a National Occupation Code (NOC) Skill Type Level 0, A, or B.
This category is for individuals who:

have a valid job offer in Canada for a paid position that contributes to their professional development; and
plan on working for the same employer during their stay in Canada.

Participants in the Working Holiday category can receive an open work permit, valid for one to two years. Open work permits allow participants to work anywhere in Canada for almost any Canadian employer. Nationals of some countries may be allowed to stay in Canada for more or less than one year.
The Working Holiday category is for individuals who:

do not have a job offer;
want to work for more than one employer in Canada;
want to work in more than one location; and/or
want to earn more so they can travel.

Young Professionals

have a valid job offer in Canada for a paid position that contributes to their professional development; and
plan on working for the same employer during their stay in Canada.

International CO-OP Internship

The International Co-op Internship category allows citizens of participating countries who are enrolled at a post-secondary institution in their country of citizenship to spend a period of time interning for Canadian companies. Applicants to this category would receive an employer-specific work permit.
This category is for individuals who:

are registered at a post-secondary institution outside of Canada;
have a job offer for a work placement or internship in Canada that is required to complete their studies;
plan on working for the same employer during their stay in Canada.
Participants must arrange co-op placements with Canadian employers before applying.

Employer-Specific Worker Permits

An employer-specific work permit is a work permit that indicates the name of a foreign worker’s employer, occupation, work location, along with the duration of the authorized period of work. Young Professionals or International Co-op Internship applicants are required to maintain employment in Canada that is relevant to their studies, training or professional experience.
In some cases, Young Professionals or International Co-op Interns holding employer-specific work permits may request a change of employer. Prior to submitting a new work permit application, the participant must, as part of its request for a change of employer, provide the required documentation regarding the new employer and occupation. Additionally, the participant must be prepared to provide a justification, which may include reasons such as company closure. The decision to approve such a request is at the discretion of the case processing agent.
Should a change be requested after the initial work permit has been issued and during a participant’s stay in Canada, the authorized period of work will, in accordance with bilateral agreement/arrangement, be reduced by the amount of time that has already elapsed.

Post Graduate Work Permit

Post-graduation work permits (PGWPs) are open work permits given to international students who graduate from a Canadian program of study. PGWPs allow the holder to work for any employer, for as many hours they wish, anywhere in Canada.
PGWPs are valid for between eight months to three years and are a great way to obtain valuable Canadian work experience. Once an applicant has work experience in Canada, it opens a lot of opportunities to obtain Canadian permanent residence.

Countries with Bilateral Youth Mobility Agreements with Canada

The validity/length of each visa type is specified in the three central columns and will depend on the nationality of the applicant and the visa type that he or she has applied for.

Country	Working Holiday	Young Professionals	International Co-op	Age Limit
Andorra	Up to 12 months	N/A	N/A	18-30
Australia	Up to 24 months	Up to 24 months	Up to 12 months (unless it is the applicant’s second participation since 2015, in which case, 12 months)	18-35
Austria	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 6 months (internship or work placement must be in forestry, agriculture, or tourism)	18-35
Belgium	Up to 12 months	N/A	N/A	18-30
Chile	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-35
Costa Rica	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-35
Croatia	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-35
Czech Republic	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-35
Denmark	Up to 12 months	N/A	N/A	18-35
Estonia	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-35
France*	Up to 24 months	Up to 24 months	Up to 24 months	18-35
Germany	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-35
Greece	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-35
Hong Kong	Up to 12 months	N/A	N/A	18-30
Ireland	Up to 24 months	Up to 24 months	Up to 24 months	18-35
Italy	Up to 12 months **	Up to 12 months **	Up to 12 months **	18-35
Japan	Up to 12 months	N/A	N/A	18-30
Latvia	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-35
Lithuania	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-35
Luxembourg	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-30
Mexico	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-29
Netherlands	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	N/A	18-30
New Zealand	Up to 23 months	N/A	N/A	18-35
Norway	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-35
Poland	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-35
Portugal	Up to 24 months	Up to 24 months	Up to 24 months	18-35
San Marino	Up to 12 months	N/A	N/A	18-35
Slovakia	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-35
Slovenia	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-35
South Korea	Up to 12 months	N/A	N/A	18-30
Spain	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-35
Sweden	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-30
Taiwan	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-35
Ukraine	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months	18-35
United Kingdom	Up to 12 months	N/A	N/A	18-30

*Citizens can participate in special IEC student summer job initiatives exclusive to their country.
**Candidates may participate twice for a total of 24 months.

IEC ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

be a citizen (passport holder) of one of the above countries or be a resident of one of the territories that have a bilateral Youth Mobility Arrangement with Canada;
have a valid passport for the duration of their stay in Canada (the work permit issued will not be longer than the validity of the passport),
be between the ages of 18 and 30 or 35 at the time of application (the upper age limit depends on the applicant’s country of citizenship);
have the equivalent of $2,500 CAN upon landing to help cover initial expenses;
be able to take out health insurance for the duration of their stay (participants may have to present evidence of this insurance at the point of entry in Canada);
be admissible to Canada;
have, prior to departure, a round-trip ticket or the financial resources to purchase a departure ticket for the end of their authorized stay in Canada,
not be accompanied by dependents; and pay the appropriate fees.
Age and eligibility requirements may vary by country.

There are scenarios where Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) may allow IEC work permit holders to extend the validity period of their work permit to reach the maximum validity period allowed within a specific category. As a rule, no work permit extensions are authorized under the IEC program. However, IEC participants may be able to extend the validity period of their work permits beyond what was initially granted by the border services officer at the time they entered Canada.

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