Applications are currently being accepted for the 2023 pool of the International Experience Canada (IEC) program. After the announcement made the previous year that the International Experience Canada (IEC) would be expanding its program intake in 2023, the application pool has now been opened.
This comes as a direct result of that announcement. In 2023, the IEC will give close to 90,000 applicants from partner nations a chance to work and travel in Canada.
The program is the conduit through which Canada offers youth from its 36 partner countries the opportunity to gain international exposure and work experience. Approved applicants are allowed to work in Canada with a work permit and are free to travel anywhere within the country.
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have high hopes that the development of this program will further assist in meeting the demand for labor in industries negatively affected by the epidemic, most notably the tourism industry.
How does the IEC program work?
An International Experience Canada work permit may be available to applicants who are citizens of partner countries that have signed bilateral Youth Mobility Agreements with Canada and who fall within the eligible age range (18-29, 18-30, or 18-35, (all inclusive) depending on the nationality of the applicant. There are three primary avenues through which applicants can submit their applications:
- The Working Holiday stream, which can issue an Open Work Permit (OWP) for up to two years, enabling permit holders to work for any business in Canada and the majority of industries:
- The Young Professionals broadcast, which issues an employer-specific work permit to individual people who have a job offer and anticipate working with a single employer in Canada; and
- The International Co-op Internship stream enables citizens of participating nations registered in a post-secondary program in their country of residence to intern for a particular Canadian company. Both of these streams are available to individuals who meet the requirements.
The program works according to a paradigm known as “expression of interest/invitation to apply,” in which interested and eligible candidates can submit a candidacy profile to an IEC pool to be considered for the program. If selected, these applicants (now candidates) will receive an invitation to apply for a work visa in Canada.
The applicant can enter and work for their authorized stay in Canada if the application is accepted. They will obtain their work visa by the specific stream for which they applied.
Eligibility For IEC
Candidates who wish to apply for positions under the IEC are required to:
- Be a citizen of and hold a passport from one of the 36 partner countries that have a Youth Mobility Agreement with Canada; Have a passport that is valid for the entirety of their time spent in Canada;
- At the time of application, the applicant’s age must fall within the permissible age range, which varies based on the applicant’s nationality and might vary from 18 to 29, 18 to 30, or 18 to 35 (all ages included).
- When you arrive in Canada, you must have the equivalent of $2,500 in cash;
- Have the ability to purchase health insurance that will cover them for the entirety of their stay;
- Be admitted to Canada;
- Have, at the time of their departure from Canada, either a ticket for the return journey or the means to buy a ticket out of the country after their approved stay in Canada;
- Neither be accompanied nor supported by dependents;
- Make sure you pay the correct amount.
The increase in the capacity of the IEC program comes at a time when Canada hopes to welcome more newcomers than ever. Over 800,000 economic immigrants are anticipated to come to the country within the next three years, and this expansion of the program’s capacity comes at the perfect time.
Young people who participate in the International Experience Canada program and amass the required work experience in Canada may find that they are eligible for additional immigration to Canada in the future.
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