How to Get a Working Holiday Visa in Canada (IEC 2023/2024)
Every year, thousands of young people apply to work abroad through the Working Holiday Visa in Canada, allowing them to temporarily live and work in Canada while exploring the country in their off time. If you’re considering applying for the Working Holiday Visa in Canada, here’s everything you need to know to ensure your application goes smoothly. This step-by-step guide will show you how to prepare and submit your application correctly and fill out an application even if you don’t meet all the requirements at first glance.
![How to Get a Working Holiday Visa in Canada (IEC 2023/2024)](https://megahams.com/uploads/images/202209/image_750x_6336186903341.jpg)
A working holiday could genuinely change your life. Residing, working, and traveling in various places, you can enjoy a wide range of life experiences. You can learn about many diverse cultures, surroundings, and people from all walks of life by taking a working vacation. This can help you learn new business strategies, visit a different nation, and improve your language abilities.
You can gain information and understanding from all of this that you can use for the rest of your life. As a result, taking a working vacation in Canada is an excellent choice for anyone wishing to broaden their horizons. It also helps Canadian businesses by giving them a competitive edge worldwide. Canada's pristine environment and urban splendor await you if you enjoy traveling, backpacking, and exploring new areas for a few months.
The Canadian Working Holiday program enables young persons from specific nations—we'll list these nations later—to travel and work in Canada for 12–24 months while shifting between jobs throughout the nation. The excellent part of a Canada working holiday is the opportunity to make money to support your travel expenses while there.
So if you think this will be helpful for you, you've come to the correct place. You must get a Canadian working holiday visa through International Experience Canada to take advantage of a working vacation in Canada (IEC).
How Does the Working Holiday Work?
With 35 nations, the IEC has a youth mobility agreement. This enables nationals of the above nations to travel to Canada with an active work permit. With a Canada open work visa, international employees can work for any Canadian company they want for a set amount of time.
This visa program is specifically for young people who:
- I haven't settled on a career path yet
- I don't have a Canadian job offer
- would like to fund their travels through the money they earn in their travel destination
- I would like to work for more than one Canadian employer
- want to have the ability to travel around Canada while working
Eligibility Requirements for Working Holiday Visa in Canada
As previously stated, the Canada Working Holiday Visa program is only open to nationals of nations with a youth mobility program. You can apply to a group approved by the Canadian government if you are not from one of those nations. However, these are also restricted to a few nations.
The countries that are involved in Canada's youth mobility program are as follows:
Australia |
Austria |
Belgium |
Chile |
Costa Rica |
Croatia |
Czech Republic |
Denmark |
Estonia |
France |
Germany |
Greece |
Hong Kong |
Ireland |
Italy |
Japan |
Korea, Rep. |
Latvia |
Lithuania |
Luxembourg |
Mexico |
Netherlands |
New Zealand |
Norway |
Poland |
Portugal |
San Marino |
Slovakia |
Slovenia |
Spain |
Sweden |
Switzerland |
Taiwan |
Ukraine |
United Kingdom |
|
Furthermore, suppose you're a citizen of one of the approved countries or can apply through one of the organizations. In that case, you also need to fulfill the following criteria to be eligible to apply for a Canada working holiday visa.
- You must have a valid passport for one of the countries mentioned above that will not expire while you travel and work in Canada.
- Your work permit will expire if your passport expires.
- Depending on your program, you must be between 18 and 35 or 18 and 30 years.
- This depends on your country of origin or recognized organization.
- You need at least CA$2500 upon your arrival in Canada.
- You must be admissible to Canada.
- This means you must have no criminal record and be in good health.
- You may need to provide documentation to prove this.
- You have either booked and paid for a flight home or have sufficient funds for a flight home.
- You must take out health insurance for the entire duration of the working holiday in Canada.
- You can't have dependents.
- You must live in the country you're a citizen of when you complete the Canada Working Holiday Visa application process.
- Due to current travel restrictions, you must be fully vaccinated with a Canadian-approved vaccine.
You can apply for a Working Holiday Visa in Canada if you meet these requirements. After establishing your eligibility, you can choose to have the RCIC submit your working holiday visa application on your behalf.
How to Apply for Working Holiday Visa in Canada
The IEC Working Holiday Visa application procedure is reasonably simple, and it may be finished online through the website of the Canadian government from any location.
Create your Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) account
The IRCC offers two options for registration. You have the option of registering either using a GCKey or a Sign-in Partner. A GCKey is a unique credential authorized by an authentication service offered by the Canadian government. To register with a GCKey, you must visit the Canadian Government website.
Select the "International Experience Canada" option to open the Come to Canada questionnaire after creating your account. For the success of your application, you must complete this step correctly. Please feel free to speak with an RCIC who can assist you in ensuring that you submit the most robust application possible if you want to ensure nothing is overlooked.
Fill out the Come to Canada Questionaire
You should start by completing the Come to Canada Questionnaire on the Canadian government website. This form asks you basic questions such as your:
- nationality
- age
- language ability
- family members
- education
- student status (if applicable)
- work experience
- income and net worth
- details on any job offer
Based on your responses to these questions, you will receive recommendations for the programs and procedures that are best for you. After submitting the form, you will be given a unique reference number (it will look like this: JM1234567890). Your profile will be added to the IEC pool of your choice once it has been submitted. The Canadian government will issue you an Invitation to Apply if your profile qualifies.
Receive your Invitation To Apply (ITA)
The Canadian government will let you know via your account if you are selected to apply for the IEC. You'll then be given directions on what to do next. You then have ten days to say yes to the invitation. You must submit a work permit application as soon as you accept the offer.
Apply for a work permit
To get a work permit, you'll have to:
- Show proof of the information you submitted in your IEC profile
- Describe your educational background, employment history, and background
- If necessary, provide other supporting documents
The documentation is as follows:
- Police certificates
- Medical exams
- CV/resume
- Passport
- Digital photo
- Family information
- eTA or visitor visa
- Proof of financial support
- Health insurance
Pay your fees and submit your profile
Once you have gathered the required paperwork, it is time to pay your fee. The following fees apply to IEC Working Holiday visas:
- IEC Participation CAD156
- Canada Open Work Permit CAD100
The Canadian government will get in touch with you following the submission of your application to confirm the accuracy of your information and your right to work and enter Canada.
Do your biometrics
You cannot complete this step online. You only need to provide your biometric information once every ten years, so if you've visited Canada recently, you can skip this step. However, there are certain instructions to assist make the process much simpler if you must submit your biometrics.
- Pay your biometrics fees when you initially submit your application, as it makes the process much faster.
- You will receive a letter from the Canadian government telling you to get biometrics, after which you will have 30 days to do so.
- You must give your biometrics in person at a visa office.
Wait for your IEC work permit application to be accessed.
The processing time for a working holiday visa is around 56 days. This procedure is your final opportunity to withdraw your application and request a refund, but it may take some time. Your application may be rejected if it is not complete, and this could cause the process to take longer. The Canadian government will get in touch with you after reviewing your application. The government will provide you with a Port of Entry letter if you have been authorized. If you haven't, they will write to you and explain why in a letter.
Once you're approved, it's time to pack your things and get to Canada. Make sure you bring all the documents by Canada's government. This includes:
- Your travel documents
- Open work permit
- eTA
- Port of Entry Letter
The Canadian border authorities will check all these documents at your Canadian port of entry. You will be forced to return home if your documents are incomplete or invalid.
FAQs
Furthermore, here are some frequently asked questions about the Canadian Working Holiday Visa.
After your Working Holiday Visa expires, is it possible to remain in Canada?
Yes, you continue living in Canada when your working holiday is over.
Is the IEC open currently?
The IEC does have an on- and off-season. Generally speaking, the season begins in March, but it depends on where you are.
What types of occupations are available during a working holiday?
Throughout your IEC working holiday, you can perform various tasks.
Choosing to travel and work in Canada via a working holiday is not just more feasible than ever, thanks to the abundance of excellent alternatives. But it might also deliver a wealth of knowledge you can't get anywhere else.