Many young people want to travel the world while they are still young. They can work within their field of studies, work on their professional development, and practice their foreign language and intercultural skills. The International Experience Class (the IEC program) allows for just this.

So, if you are young and would like to temporarily migrate to Canada, this could be the chance of your life. When coming to Canada, citizens of participating countries can work for a Canadian employer for a period of up to 1 year. This timeframe allows them to work on their English, corporate, or work skills and to improve themselves in more ways than one – including getting to know Canada.

Joining the program is fairly easy, although there are some eligibility requirements for you to start the application process. When it comes to these, just about any student can fulfill them and come to Canada. Your new employer does not need to have an LMIA, and you need to apply for a work permit. That’s about it! Now let’s consider the program in more detail.

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IEC Travel and Work Meaning

The IEC travel and work meaning – this is a self-explanatory case, as the program allows you to work and travel. If you are looking at the IEC program from Europe, it is very similar to a similar program of Work and Travel organized by the US government. The main difference is that the Canadian IEC allows for a much longer stay, sometimes up to a full year or two. You can work for the entire duration, and a work permit application will be necessary.

The citizens of countries that participate in the program have to make sure that the labour laws and the labour code are respected and that the minimum wage requirements are met. You will need a valid passport and a few more documents, but the program overall is easy to join. However, this does not mean that you will be able to get selected by simply applying for the program and submitting the work permit application. The draws are randomized, and in many cases, there are limits to both how many students can travel to Canada in any given year and how many can travel from Canada to other participating countries.

As the work and travel needs are different in any of the participating countries, it is necessary to understand that you can choose between three different programs that are organized by the IEC. These programs include:

  • Working Holiday
  • Young Professional
  • International Co-op Internship

Eligibility Criteria for International Experience Class

When it comes to the three programs outlined above, not every participating country may offer all of these to its citizens traveling to Canada and vice versa. Some countries may only allow one (the United Kingdom, Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and San Marino). On the other hand, there are a multitude of countries that allow all of these programs to take place (Australia, Croatia, Estonia, Germany, Ireland, etc.). Here is the list of countries with the program(s) they allow:

On the other hand, citizens of all participating countries have to be at least 18 years old at the time of their visa application and they need to be no more than 30-35 years old at the application time. The application package contains all the necessary prerequisites and documents to join the program. By using the visa application package, you make sure that you can apply in time, since the application processing time can be a bit longer at times, depending on the profile of the applicants (candidates). As all countries have different demands and eligibility criteria, you will need to have a look at the IRCC website for that particular country.

Different types of Canadian visas have different requirements and processing times, and these may also be different depending on your country of citizenship. If you are applying from another country, make sure to understand that you are applying as a citizen of your country of citizenship, not your country of residence. Depending on where you come from, the documents required for a Canadian work permit may change ever so slightly, and the conditions for the IEC work visa may be different as well.

Here are the eligibility criteria for the IEC program:

  • you need to be a citizen and a passport holder of one of the eligible countries listed below, depending on the program pathway you would like to take will need to have a passport that is valid for your entire stay in Canada
  • be between 18 and 30 or 35 years old, depending on the country that are travelling to and the program pathway that you are about to join
  • have CAD2,500 to help with the initial expenses upon landing
  • have healthcare insurance from a Canadian insurance house and have travel healthcare insurance for the period until you find a Canadian-issued health insurance
  • be admissible to Canada – on medical and criminal grounds
  • have a round-trip ticket or enough financial resources to purchase your return ticket once your stay in Canada has ended. Bear in mind that the return date has to be within your allowed stay, as even a single day of tardiness in departure will be considered an overstay, and may compromise your chances of getting a Canadian visa of any type in the future
  • you need to have no accompanying dependents
  • you need to pay the processing fees

How To Apply for the International Experience Class Program

There are many immigration and temporary immigration programs in Canada. The QSWP is a good example, as it is aimed at skilled workers who speak French and would like to move to Canada. However, while there are some similarities between the programs, it is necessary to understand that there are differences as well, and it is these particular differences that ask for additional documents in some of the programs.

However, if you are a student or a young individual seeking to immigrate to Canada temporarily, to explore the country, and perfect your language and your intercultural competence, it is necessary to understand that this type of immigration program (the IEC Canada) is the best one for you. To join it, you will have to apply first, and you will need to apply for both the program and the work permit. Here is how to do that:

Establish an IEC Profile

The first step is to see what country you are from and whether you would like to travel to Canada or not. While there, check if your country is a participating country and what the documentation requirements are in your particular case. The individual eligibility requirements barely ever apply to this program, for as long as you have a clear medical and criminal history. Once you are sure that you can gather all the documents from the list of documents that you are in good health and that you have no criminal history, it is time to make the IEC profile.

This is done on the IEC website, and this is a necessary step. Without it, you cannot join the program. All foreign nationals who wish to join the program will need to enter their basic information, and, as long as they meet the eligibility requirements, they will be able to enter the pool of candidates. International agreements and the program itself take over and you may get drawn at any moment.

Obtain a Request to Apply

The next step is to wait to be drawn. Overseas applicants can be drawn at any moment, as the draws happen periodically, and the pool of candidates is reassessed at every new draw. When it comes to the successful applicants, they will be issued a request to apply or an ITA – Invitation to Apply.

Accept the Request for Applications

Once you have this, you will be asked to submit all your documents. All eligible candidates should have all their documents ready, as the Invitation to Apply is only valid for 20 days. On top of this, you will have 10 days to accept the invitation itself. For some, the 20-day period may not be long enough to gather all the documents, so you will need to act fast and submit the documents as soon as possible. Always remember that there is more processing time, even after the documents are submitted and after you have accepted the ITA. Proof of Education, proof of health insurance, proof of school registration, and many more documents are standard when it comes to the documents you will be asked to submit.

Apply for a Work Permit

So, after you receive your ITA, you will have 20 days to submit all the documents for verification. In the same 20-day window, you will need to submit your work permit application as well. This is an integral part of the International Experience Canada program, and without a work permit, you will not be able to work in Canada, which defeats the purpose of the program itself. When it comes to the Young Professionals and the International Co-Op category, you will also need a job offer.

Have a Work Permit

If your application for a Canadian work permit is successful, you will receive the work permit and will be able to work. If you do not get one, you may retry, but make sure to speak to an immigration consultant or an immigration lawyer who specializes in the field, as simply repeating the same procedure for the work permit may not bring in desired results.

What Is a Working Holiday Visa?

One of the IEC programs is the Working Holiday Visa. This is an ideal program for those who would like to go to Canada with an open work permit and seek employment while there. Unlike a closed work permit which is issued to a specific employer or a specific industry, the open work permit or open work visa allows you to work for just about anyone. This program is ideal for all who:

  • do not have a valid job offer
  • who want to work for more than one employer
  • would like to move during their stay in the welcoming country and
  • would like to travel and work, moving frequently during the program

This is a very popular program, in particular, because it has very relaxed job-seeking and application requirements. There are some requirements and quotas for the applicants, and they change depending on the country that you would like to travel to. Despite limited quotas, it is easy to see that the program offers realistic chances for you to get accepted and visit the country of your dreams.

Here are the countries allowing the Working Holiday Visa Program:

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

What Is the Young Professionals Program?

The Young Professionals program is a very different program from the Working Holiday Visa. When it comes to this program, it can only issue closed work permits or more specifically employer-specific work permits. The program is intended for those seeing professional work experience in a different country and is a valuable addition to just about anyone’s CV.

To be considered acceptable, your job offer has to be NOC-categorized, that is it needs to be easy to validate and provide a high level of protection when it comes to the work quality and protecting your rights as a potential employee. In Canada, this is hardly an issue, but different countries can have very different work and corporate cultures, so this is something to consider. When compared to the Working Holiday visa, the Young Professionals program does not have relaxed requirements, but this is still a preferred program for many.

This program is intended for all who:

  • have an existing job offer by a Canadian employer
  • have a job offer that will help them develop professionally
  • have a job offer for a paid job position: volunteering work and self-employment are not allowed with this program

Here are the countries that allow the Young Professionals program:

  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Chile
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Czech Republic
  • Estonia
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Ireland
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Mexico
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan
  • Ukraine

What Is an International Co-op Internship Program?

The third program within the International Experience Canada which can bring in valuable work experience for you is the International Co-op Program. This program is intended for students and younger employees working to improve their work experience within their field of expertise and those looking for an internship program within their studies.

The International Co-op internship program also has a longer document checklist and you will need to have a valid travel document and, a valid job offer the job that you would like to do will have to be within your area of expertise, will need to be contributing to your work experience and will need to be carried out in one of the eligible countries or you will need to be coming from one of these countries. The program is intended for

  • students who are registered in a post-secondary institution, such as a college or a university
  • those with an existing valid job offer for work or internship in Canada
  • those who need to have a work placement or a finished internship to be able to finish their studies and get their degree
  • those willing to work for the same employer and in the same location for the entire duration of their stay in Canada

Here are the countries that allow the International Co-op program:

  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Chile
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Czech Republic
  • Estonia
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Ireland
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Mexico
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan
  • Ukraine

Check Out Internship vs CO-OP | Everything You Need to Know About the Co-Op Programs in Canada:

What Is an Employer-Specific Work Permit?

The work permit application is an integral part of the International Experience Canada program. When making an application for one, you will be able to get either an open work permit or a closed work permit. However, as there is some confusion as to what exactly a closed work permit or an employer-specific work permit is, let’s consider it in more detail.

An employer-specific work permit is issued with the Young Professionals or the International Co-op program. These work permits allow you to work for a specific employer, in a specific work position, and for a specific wage. When applying for one, you will need to present:

  • your information
  • the location of the employer’s business
  • their CRA business number
  • the details of the proposed/offered work contract, including the work position, duties that you will be responsible for, as well as the wages, work hours, weekly workload, etc.

Please bear in mind that you may need to present additional paperwork or more details, depending on the work position and the employer.

If, during the employment, it happens that you need to switch your employer, you will need to make changes to your Canadian work permit, be it a co-op work permit or a Young Professionals Canadian work permit. In any case, you will need to report the changes to the employment details before the changes take place so that they can be verified by the Canadian personnel. In this case, the newly issued work permit duration will be reduced by the same amount of time you already have spent working for the previous employer.

Nations with Canadian Agreement under International Experience Class

Many countries allow one of the three programs under International Experience Canada. These countries are outlined below, and there is also information on the types of programs that they allow you to join, as well as the maximum duration of your stay in the country. When it comes to the programs supported by France, it has 4 programs in total, with the Inter-University Exchange Program being the fourth one, specific to France. It enables foreign nationals to finish a portion of their studies in Canadian or French universities, depending on the country they are coming from.

CountryWorking Holiday ProgramYoung Professionals ProgramInternational Co-op ProgramAges Allowed in the Program
Australia2 Years2 Years2 years on the first visit18-35
Austria1 Year1 Year6 Months18-30; 18-35
Belgium1 YearNo Agreement YetNo Agreement Yet18-30
Chile1 Year1 Year1 Year18-35
Costa Rica1 Year1 Year1 Year18-35
Croatia1 Year1 Year1 Year18-35
Croatia1 Year1 Year1 Year18-35
Denmark1 YearNo Agreement YetNo Agreement Yet18-35
Estonia1 Year1 Year1 Year18-35
France2 Years2 Years1 Year18-35
Germany1 Year1 Year1 Year18-35
Greece1 Year1 Year1 Year18-35
Hong Kong1 YearNo Agreement YetNo Agreement Yet18-30
Ireland2 Years2 Years1 Year18-35
Italy6-month work permitNo Agreement YetNo Agreement Yet18-35
Japan1 YearNo Agreement YetNo Agreement Yet18-30
Latvia1 Year1 Year1 Year18-35
Lithuania1 Year1 Year1 Year18-35
Luxembourg1 Year1 Year1 Year18-30
Mexico1 Year1 Year1 Year18-29
Netherlands1 Year1 YearNo Agreement Yet18-30
New Zealand23 MonthsNo Agreement YetNo Agreement Yet18-35
Norway1 Year1 Year1 Year18-35
Poland1 Year1 Year1 Year18-35
Portugal2 Years2 Years2 Years18-35
San Marino1 YearNo Agreement YetNo Agreement Yet18-35
Slovakia1 Year1 Year1 Year18-35
Slovenia1 Year1 Year1 Year18-35
South Korea1 YearNo Agreement YetNo Agreement Yet18-30
Spain1 Year1 Year1 Year18-35
Sweden1 Year1 Year1 Year18-30
SwitzerlandNo Agreement Yet18 months18 months18-35
Taiwan1 Year1 Year1 Year18-35
Ukraine1 Year1 Year1 Year18-35
United Kingdom2 YearsNo Agreement YetNo Agreement Yet18-30

How to Stay in Canada After IEC?

‘How to stay in Canada after IEC’ is a common question that you may ask yourself. after all, many students and graduates who visit Canada this way like Canada so much that they would like to extend their stay. Although the IEC work permit and visa can only be extended under very special circumstances, staying in Canada after IEC is possible, although through different programs.

The programs that allow you to stay in Canada after your IEC has been completed include:

  • another IEC program – many countries allow students to participate in the EIC more than once. They also allow you to join different programs and to repeat your experience if you’ve liked it the first time. This means that you will have to go back to your country and then make another application
  • apply for a different program that can result in you getting the work permit – these programs include the International MOBILITY program (not the International EXPERIENCE program), and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. A part of the application process is done by your current Canadian employer, as they will need to get an LMIA – Labour Market Impact Assessment. With this, you continue with the application
  • apply for a visitor visa – this is another attractive option, but you may not be able to work with it. A visitor visa is typically issued for a period of up to six months and with this in mind, you will need to leave Canada after the period has expired. However, this is a great chance to gain some more time to visit all of Canada’s natural beauties and to secure lasting memories
  • apply for a PR status – the PR (Permanent Residence) status allows you to stay in Canada indefinitely and to work for any employer that you would like to work for. You can get PR status and become a permanent resident of the country through the Express Entry (EE) or Provincial Nominee (PNP) programs. They all have their eligibility criteria and prerequisites, but this is nothing too hard, especially considering that you can use the IEC experience in Canada as a Canadian experience when applying for these. Make sure to understand that PNP programs may allow you to immigrate only to the province that you have already been in, as so many of them have their own local experience-based immigration programs
  • apply for a study permit – a study permit allows you to stay in Canada for a longer time. However, if you were already in Canada on an IEC program, this means that you already have a study course finished. So, what to do in this case? Well, the study permit can be issued to those who would like to finish one more University or college program or to those who would like to continue their studies. During the time spent in Canada, you will be able to work with a student work permit, and you will also be able to use some of this time to apply for PR status later on.

FAQs

Can I Stay in Canada After IEC?

Yes, you can stay in Canada after the IEC program, but you will have to find a legal way to do so. Many programs allow you this, and you will be able to see which apply to you if you read above. When it comes to simply overstaying your IEC period, this is not legal and we do not advise you to do this.

Is IEC an Open Work Permit?

IEC can issue both open and closed work permits. When it comes to the first kind, it is issued with the Working Holiday visa, when you can choose which employer you want to work for/with. When it comes to the Young Professionals and International Co-op programs, they issue closed or employer-specific work permits.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to the IEC program, it’s intended for young people who would like to move to Canada temporarily and make a living there while travelling the country and gaining international work experience. When it comes to the program itself, there are three possible pathways to take, depending on your needs and your current status. In any case, our handy guide is there to make the application process easy and a breeze for you.