Work and travel in Canada

 

International Experience Canada (IEC)

International Experience Canada (IEC) is a program that provides youth with the opportunity to travel and work in Canada. Become a candidate in one of the IEC pools, get an invitation to apply, and apply for your work permit here in Canada!

Eligibility 

To participate in the IEC program:

  • Your country or territory or citizenship must have an agreement with Canada that allows you to apply for an IEC work permit OR
  • You may be able to use a recognized organization (RO) 

You must also meet the eligibility requirements for your country or territory of citizenship and the pool you’re applying for. Some countries only allow you to participate once, others allow you to participate twice, but in different pools.

Because each country is different it is important that you check to see if you’re eligible to apply. Even if you’re issues an invitation to apply (ITA), you can’t participate more times than your country allows.

** Even if you hold a refugee travel document issued by a country that has a youth mobility agreement with Canada, you are not eligible to participate.

IEC Pools

Depending on which country you’re from, you can choose from up to 1, 2 or 3 pools of travel and work experiences. The pools include:

Working Holiday

Fund your vacation with temporary work in Canada. Normally this category is for you if:

  • You don’t have a job offer (due to current travel restrictions, a valid job offer is required if you are not fully vaccinated)

This category is also for you if:

  • You want to work for more than one employer in Canada
  • You want to work in more than one location
  • You’d like to earn some money so that you can travel

The type of work permit you get for Working Holiday is an open work permit. An open work permit lets you work most jobs in Canada. However, there are some jobs where you’ll have to get a medical exam first.

Young Professional

Gain Canadian professional work experience to better compete in a global economy. this category is for you if:

  • You have a job offer in Canada
  • You’ll work for the same employer in the same location during your stay in Canada

Under this category, work must be

  • Paid
  • Not self-employed

The type of work permit you get in the Young Professionals category is an employer-specific work permit. Your employer must meet all. labour laws in the province or territory you plan to work, including meeting minimum wage requirements.

The job you are offered in Canada must be classified as a National Occupational Classification (NOC) Code Skill Type Level 0, A or B  to be considered as contributing to your “professional development.” A NOC C job might be accepted if you can submit a post-secondary diploma, certificate or degree, with your work permit application. Your diploma, certificate or degree must be translated to English or French.

International Co-op (Internship)

Get valuable overseas experience related to your field of study.

This category is for you if:

  • You’re a student registered at a post-secondary institution
  • You have a job offer for a work placement or internship in Canada
  • You need to do this work placement or internship in order to complete your studies
  • You’ll work for the same employer in the same location during your stay in Canada

The type of work permit you get int eh International Co-op (Internship) category is an employer-specific work permit. the Internship you are offered in Canada must be directly linked to your fiel of studies.

Wages must follow the labour laws in the province or territory you will be working in. The labour code of the province or territory will determine if the internship needs to be paid or not.

Requirements for Travel to Canada

As an IEC participant you can only travel to Canada if you have a port of entry letter of introduction and

• You’re fully vaccinated

OR

• You have proof of a valid job offer and can start your job as soon as you complete your quarantine – make sure you check the start date on your job offer before you travel.

Unsure which IEC category is available to you in your country? Click here to find out!

You can also find more information about IEC and the application process here.