Participate in the Youth Mobility Program

What is the Youth Mobility Program?

Have you always wished of seeing foreign parts of the world? Are you a youth who wishes to travel and work abroad while you’re young? If so, the Canadian government has developed the program for you! The youth mobility program sets out to make it possible for youths to travel internationally to experience other cultures, study and work. Essentially, the youth mobility program is a part of international experience Canada, made possible by the various agreements Canada has with other nations which allow for individual exchanges. There are a variety of countries you could choose to visit, so, if this is something which has always interested you, keep reading to learn more!

How Does the Youth Mobility Program Work?

The youth mobility program is made possible by several bilateral agreements Canada has made with other counties. Depending on the country, the specific rules of an exchange may vary. For example, each different country has their own set number of individuals who can participate in an exchange. This means for any country, for example Italy; there will be a designated number of individuals who can go to Italy from Canada, and also come to Canada from Italy. Furthermore, there are different program streams you could enter; there is the working holiday stream, the young professional’s stream, and the international co-op internship stream, each with their own specific rules and requirements. Therefore, depending on what you want to do with your Canadian experience, you will choose what program to apply for. Finally, these are the countries that have agreements to participate in IEC:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia Republic, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, and United Kingdom

Please note: depending on your country of origin, you may not be eligible to apply for any of the three streams within the youth mobility program.

Eligibility for International Experience Canada

This is a slightly difficult thing to explain, because the requirements you must meet to be eligible for the youth mobility program are different depending on the country you are a citizen of, while at the same time, the requirements are different for each program stream one choses to apply to. Generally, you must be between 18-35 years old to participate, though, many countries have a slightly different age requirement. Though, it is a universal requirement that the applicant be a citizen of a county who has entered an agreement with Canada supporting our international experience program.

What is the Working Holiday Program?

Essentially, through this program the applicant is given an open work permit if they are successful in their application, and is then permitted to work and live anywhere is Canada without having to first obtain a positive labor market impact assessment (LMIA). This is a very attractive option for those who wish to continue to travel while they are in Canada, because an open work permit allows them to legally work wherever they can find a job while they are on the road. Though you do not need an LMIA to be eligible for a working holiday work permit, there are a variety of other things you’ll need, for example, you’ll need to be able to prove you have sufficient funds to support yourself while you are in Canada and to finance your trip home, or have a pre-paid return ticket. Additionally, you will likely need to secure your own health care insurance, to be prepared for any health emergencies you encounter. Finally, you must not be inadmissible to Canada, and you must have a valid travel document to be permitted to enter the country.

What is the Young Professionals Program?

Oftentimes, foreign nationals are drawn to the Canadian educational system and the professional sphere, because North American professionals are highly respected worldwide. Therefore, the young professionals stream was brought in to provide a unique opportunity to young, successful foreign nationals to get professional work experience in Canada which can be brought back to their home country to help further their career. Through this program, individuals have applied for a specific job position in the Canadian professional sphere; therefore, this is a closed work permit. Having a closed work permit means an individual cannot work for any employer they chose. Rather, they can only work for the employer they asked permission to work for within their application for the Young Professionals Stream. This means, within your application, you must have a signed job offer from a Canadian employer. It is also required that the job the applicant is applying for is from Skill Type Level 0, A or B according to the National Occupational Classification (NOC), and, that the job is related to the applicants educational background. In addition to these, you are subject to the requirements of individuals who apply for the working holiday program stream.

What is the International Co-op Internship Program?

The international co-op internship program is as it sounds, essentially, an international co-op. Many universities and colleges already include domestic co-ops and internships as part of curriculum requirements for the student enrolled. Therefore, the international co-op internship provides a unique opportunity to students whose completed co-op terms will go towards their curriculum requirements, by allowing them to complete co-ops internationally. The important things are that the foreign national is currently enrolled in a learning institution in their country of origin, and, that the co-op term will count towards the individual’s program requirements, and that the individual will be a registered student during the time they are in Canada. Proving these things are the only major differences with this application process. Other than this, you are subject to the requirements of those applying for the working holiday stream.

Invitations

Once you have submitted your application online for the youth mobility program stream you wish to participate in, you are entered into a selection pool. If your application is successful, you will be invited to participate in International Experience Canada. Then, you will have 20 days to submit the rest of the requested documents online. Unfortunately, if you are not invited, you will need to re-submit your application to be included in the selection pool the following year.

Contact Akrami and Associates

It is important to remember that every country has its own unique agreement with Canada under the International Experience Canada program. Once invited, an applicant only has 20 days to complete his or her application and provide all of the requested documentation, and this will definitely vary based on your specific circumstance. If you are a youth considering coming to Canada and would like to supplement your travels with work, or if you are a current student or professional looking to further your career, contact Akrami & Associates for more details at 416-477-2545. Our immigration experts have submitted many successful immigration applications and we can help you achieve your immigration goals as well. Contact us today!

With Akrami & Associates there is always a way!