International Experience Canada (IEC) is a government program which is specifically designed for international young professionals of age 18 to 30 or 35 years. This program lets you work in Canada for 2 years, while you can travel!
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International Experience Canada (IEC) Categories
The IEC is divided into 3 categories and offers different types of Canadian work permits based on the IEC program you choose.
| International Experience Canada (IEC) Category | Type of Work Permit Issued |
|---|---|
| Working Holiday | Open Work Permit |
| Young Professionals | Employer-Specific Work Permit (ESWP) |
| International Co-op (Internship) |
1. Working Holiday
The Working Holiday category is the best category of all the three since it lets the individual work in Canada for any employer. Moreover, you don’t even need a job offer to be eligible for this category.
Once you apply for a work permit through the Working Holiday category of International Experience Canada, you will be able to work in more than one location and earn enough money to travel around too.
2. Young Professionals
If you have a job offer and you would like to continue working for only one employer at the same location throughout the stay, the Young Professionals category of IEC is the right one for you.
This category also requires you to have a job that pays and must not be self-employed. Since the Young Professionals category offers a closed work permit, your employer needs to meet the employer-requirement and offer you a job under NOC TEER category 0, 1, 2, or 3. If the job is in an occupation NOC TEER 4, it must be related to your education.
The work experience must count toward the “professional development” of the applicant.
3. International Co-op (Internship)
Apply through the International Co-op category if you are a student and you are registered at a post-secondary Canadian institution. This category offers students to get into internships that are related to their field of study.
International students whose study program requires them to complete an internship can choose to apply through the International Co-op program.
Who is eligible for IEC Canada?
The basic eligibility requirement of International Experience Canada (IEC) is that the student must belong to a participating country, meaning their country must have a youth mobility agreement program.
The participating countries are:
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Chile
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Korea
- Latvia Republic
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
In case your country is not listed above, you may get in touch with a Recognized Organization which may help you out.
How International Experience Canada (IEC) Works?
Follow the below steps to apply for the International Experience Canada (IEC).
Step 1 – Create an account on the IRCC portal
Step 2 – Gather the necessary documents
Step 3 – Pay the required fee of CAN$172, and other additional fees
Step 4 – Submit your application and wait for IRCC to approve your application. That’s it!
Can you get PR after IEC?
Once you have gained at least 2 years of Canadian work experience, you can apply for Canada immigration (Permanent Residency) through any of its immigration programs, for example, Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program, Atlantic Immigration Program, etc.
How long can I stay in Canada with an IEC visa?
You can stay for about 2 years in Canada with an IEC visa and work legally.
International Experience Canada Processing Time
An application under the International Experience Canada (IEC) takes about 6 weeks or 1.5 months to be processed.
How much is the IEC fee in Canada?
You have to pay CAN$172 when submitting an application through the International Experience Canada.
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