Participate in International Experience Canada (IEC)

Work and Travel in Canada as a Youth

As you may know, Canada has many tourist hotspots that attract foreign travelers to visit. For example, Banff National Park, Niagara Falls, Toronto’s CN Tower, Whistler, and many more. There are also many young individuals who want to work in Canada, while having the ability and opportunity to visit the aforementioned tourist hotspots. If you are a young individual who wants to work and travel in Canada, you definitely have the opportunity to do so. The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada has introduced the International Experience Canada Program that allows youth to travel and work in Canada. In this blog, you will learn relevant information about the International Experience Canada Program.

What is the International Experience Canada Program

The International Experience Canada Program, as previously mentioned, is a program that allows youth to travel and work in Canada temporarily. Citizens of countries with a bilateral Youth Mobility Arrangement with Canada who are between 18 and 35 years old may be eligible for the International Experience Canada Program applications. There are three types of travel and work experience under the International Experience Canada Program: Working Holiday, Young Professionals, and International Co-op Internships

Working Holiday

Working Holiday allows you to fund your vacation with temporary work in Canada. If you don’t have a job offer yet, or you want to work for more than one employer and/or in more than one location in Canada, then Working Holiday is the option for you. For Working Holiday, you will obtain an open work permit.

Young Professionals

If you are an ambitious young individual who wants to gain professional work experience, in order to be competitive in the global economy, then the Young Professionals category is definitely suitable for you. In this category, you will be obtaining an employer-specific work permit. In order to be eligible for the Young Professionals category, you will need to have a job offer from your employer in Canada first. You also cannot work for multiple employers or in multiple locations in Canada. Moreover, the work cannot be self- employed and needs to be paid. Last but not least, the job you are offered in Canada must be classified as a National Occupational Classification (NOC) Code Skill Type Level 0, A or B.

International Co-op Internships

If you are a student registered at a post-secondary institution and want to gain valuable work experience in Canada that is related to your field of study, then the International Co-op Internships is the option for you. Similar to the Young Professionals category, you will be obtaining an employer-specific work permit as well. Please note, the internship you are offered in Canada must be directly linked to your field of studies and classified as a National Occupational Classification (NOC) Code Skill Type Level 0, A or B.

How to Become a Candidate

After you have decided which option(s) may be the best for you, you need to become a candidate in one or more of the International Experience Canada pools. In order to be a candidate, you will need to answer some questions regarding your eligibility. The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada will then determine if you’re eligible for a pool in one or more IEC categories based on your answers. The questionnaire contains the following questions:

• country of citizenship
• country of permanent residence (where you live permanently)
• country of residence (where you live now)
• student status (if this applies to you)
• job offer (if this applies to you)

After you complete the questionnaire, you will submit your profile for the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada to review.

After You Submit Your Profile and Questionnaire

The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada will review your profile and your answers. If you are invited to apply, you will be notified. You have ten days to accept or decline the invitation. If you accept the invitation, you will then have twenty days to apply for your assigned type of work permit. If you decline the invitation, you profile will remain in the International Experience Canada pool(s) for future consideration. If you do not respond to the invitation within ten days, your invitation will then be expired. In that case, you will need to file a new IEC application for future invitations.

You accept your invitation

As previously mentioned, you will have twenty days to prepare for your assigned type of work permit. Documents include but are not limited to, police clearance certificates, resume/CV, medical exam results, etc.

If you are not invited to apply

It can be frustrating if you are not invited to apply. However, you profile will stay in the pool until Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada removes all profiles from the pool at the end of the season. Some categories will run out of spots before the season ends. If your profile is in a pool for another category, you may still get an invitation to apply for that category. That being said, you might be just on the waitlist, instead.

Even if you are not invited to apply for IEC, do not give up your hope to come to Canada. You have other options such as, applying for a work permit, study permit, or a visitor’s visa, to visit this wonderful country.

Contact Akrami and Associates

Preparing for an International Experience Canada application can be confusing, or sometimes, overwhelming. If you misrepresent information, your application can be delayed, or ultimately, refused. Fear not! Akrami and Associates have dealt with many International Experience Canada cases. We have helped our clients in their difficult situations and have guided them to draft a more effective application. We can help you draft your application and arrange the required documents. A well-planned and complete application will increase your likelihood of acceptance and will save your from hassle. Please feel free to contact Akrami & Associates at 416-477-2545 for more information, or if you would like to book a consultation with an immigration professional for more advise.

With Akrami and Associates, there is always a way!