INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE CLASS (IEC)
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
This program is one of the most popular ways for youth who are citizens of a partner country to travel and work in Canada. Partner countries must have a Youth Mobility Agreement with Canada, such as Spain or Australia. You can choose between three (3) different experiences:
- Working Holiday
- Young Professionals or
- International Co-op (Internship)
The program seeks to provide a pathway for young people to visit Canada and work to have the funds for their trip while exploring the different landscapes the country has to offer.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
While there are different pools to apply for under IEC, there are common eligibility requirements across all categories.
To apply you must:
- Be from a country or territory of citizenship that has an agreement with Canada such as Australia, Italy, Spain, Taiwan, or Belgium, etc.
- If you’re not from an IEC country, you can apply with a Recognized Organization
- Be between the ages of 18 and 35 (inclusive) – generally
- Have health insurance for the duration of your stay in Canada. Further information on health insurance requirements can be found here.
- If you’re applying under:
- have a job offer for a NOC 0, A or B from a Canadian employer
- If you’re applying under International Co-op (Internship):
- have a job offer for a work placement or internship in Canada and you need to do this work placement or internship to complete your studies. You must also be a student registered at a post-secondary institution
PROGRAM PRIVILEGES
This program is a great way for applicants to come to Canada and gain valuable work experience, which they can use for PR in the future, such as under the Young Professionals pool. Applying under the Working Holiday option grants you an open work permit, allowing you to work for any employer without needing an LMIA and if you are strategic then you can leverage this for Canadian work experience.
After staying in Canada as a worker, you can apply for an extension or change of conditions to a different pathway, if you wish to stay longer in Canada if you have an employer that will keep you and sponsor you or if you have already applied for PR for instance and are well into the process, thus qualifying for a Bridging Open Work Permit. You can use this extra time as a temporary resident in Canada to qualify for permanent residency and in the future, Citizenship.
COMMON TRAPS, PITFALLS AND MISCONCEPTIONS
While everyone’s case and circumstances are different, there are some common traps, pitfalls, and misconceptions when it comes to applying under this program. Here are some general and common ones we have experienced and encountered throughout the years:
While the cases are different for each place and pool, there are limits to how many times you can apply under IEC. For example, in some countries, such as Germany, you can only apply under Working Holiday once. If you want to apply for IEC again, you can but for another category, such as Young Professionals. Other countries, such as Japan, only offer Working Holiday streams for IEC. For these countries, you can only participate in IEC once as there is no other pool. You will need to check the pools and rules for your country. Of note, if you’re a dual citizen, such as a UK and Irish citizen, you can apply for IEC under each citizenship.
This is true; however, you can only have 1 IEC profile at any time. After you complete your profile, the system will tell you which pools are available to you. You can submit your profile to any of these available pools. But you will need to accept an invitation to apply for one pool and then apply for just that one pool.
There are certain times when the IEC pool is open, and you will need to check when the seasons are open for your country. As well, they will tend to do the selection from the pools at different intervals as well. This is purely a lottery and a great opportunity.
The profile will stay in the pool, or it will be taken out of the pool through one of the following:
- You receive an invitation to apply
- All the profiles are removed at the end of the season
- You ae no longer eligible to apply under IEC
You will need to be a citizen for a country and have a valid passport to apply. If not, you can apply through a recognized organization.
OUR VALUE – HOW WE MAKE THIS EASY FOR YOU
We understand that information can be found on the Internet and there are lots of other consultants or lawyers out there, so things can certainly get confusing very quickly for you. However, our value is in our services and how can simplify a sometimes-complicated process while anticipating and proactively making this whole process easy for you, from the start to the end of your immigration journey. We will guide you and provide:
- An affordable service with an individualized payment schedule to suit any budget
- Comprehensive documents required for the process, including information and tips that can’t be found on the IRCC website
- Personalized immigration advice and solutions that are tailored to your case
- Collaboration with a licensed immigration consultant who will communicate and represent your case on your behalf
- Support and Assistance through every stage of the process, from the application to the arrival in Canada.
FAQ
A: We do not provide jobs and can’t provide employers with job offers in Canada. We help by provide immigration guidance and consultations for those who want to immigrate to Canada and can surely help you to plan strategically on how to leverage this opportunity. We have a number of different ways in which to help you with this.
A: You will need to show a minimum of CAN$2,500 to help cover your expenses in Canada. This is because the government wants to know that you can come and support yourself to get started and be able to find work. These funds are proof that you can cover all your associated initial living expenses.
A: No, family can’t accompany you. If they want to go to Canada, they will need to apply for their own separate applications or come in a visitor as you are not allowed to have dependent family members under this application.
A: For those applying under Young Professionals and International Co-op (Internship), your employer must pay a CAN$230 employer compliance fee. They will also need to submit an offer of employment for the file before you can submit your work permit application.