Eligibility
Citizens of partner nations with bilateral Youth Mobility Agreements with Canada; and who are within the eligible age range (18-29, 18-30, 0r 18-35, (all-inclusive)—depending on the nationality of the applicant) may qualify for an IEC work permit. Generally, there are three main streams under which applicants can apply:
1. The Working Holiday stream – which can grant an Open Work Permit (OWP) for up to two years, allowing holders to work for any employer in Canada and in most industries.
2. The Young Professionals stream – which issues an employer-specific work permit for individuals who have a job offer, and plan to work with a single employer in Canada.
3. The International Co-op Internship stream – which allows citizens of participating countries, who are enrolled in a post-secondary program in their country of citizenship, to intern for a specific Canadian company.
Specifically, candidates who want to apply under the IEC must meet the requirements for their specific stream of choice, and fulfill any documentary requirements set by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The requirement includes:
- Be a citizen / passport holder of one of the 36 partner countries that have Youth Mobility Agreements with Canada.
- Have a valid passport for the duration of their stay in Canada.
- Be within the eligible age range (18-29, 18-30, or 18-35, (all-inclusive), depending on the applicant’s nationality) at the time of their application.
- Have the equivalent of $2,500 CAD upon landing in Canada.
Be able to take out health insurance for the duration of their stay.- Be admissible to Canada.
- Have (prior to departure) a round-trip ticket or the financial resources to purchase a departure ticket at the end of their authorized stay in Canada.
- Not be accompanied by dependents; and
- Pay the appropriate fees.
