International Experience Canada

Eligibility

So, lets take a look first at who qualifies.

1. Your country or territory must have an agreement with Canada that will allow you to apply for the IEC work permit
2. You may also be able to use a recognized organization. (will explain more in detail later)
3. AIESEC Canada 
4. GO International
5. IAESTE
6. IRE (international rural exchange
7. Memorial University of Newfoundland
8. Stepwest
9. SWAP Working Holidays
10. University of British Columbia
11. University of New Brunswick

You must also meet the eligibility requirements for your country or the territory of your citizenship and under the

International Experience Canada

Eligibility

So, lets take a look first at who qualifies.

1. Your country or territory must have an agreement with Canada that will allow you to apply for the IEC work permit
2. You may also be able to use a recognized organization. (will explain more in detail later)
3. AIESEC Canada 
4. GO International
5. IAESTE
6. IRE (international rural exchange
7. Memorial University of Newfoundland
8. Stepwest
9. SWAP Working Holidays
10. University of British Columbia
11. University of New Brunswick

You must also meet the eligibility requirements for your country or the territory of your citizenship and under the pool you are applying

Some of the countries will allow you to apply once where others will allow you to apply twice but under a different program. You must check your country to find out what programs are offered for you for your eligibility.

Even if you are given an ITA or invitation to apply you cannot participate more times than your country allows. Make sure you have read and understand all the requirements.

Programs

Working Holiday.

This is for the traveler in you. This one allows you to work temporarily while you are on a extensive vacation which can be up to 2 years

This is your ideal category if

1. You haven’t a job offer before arrival
2. You want to work with multiple employers (this is especially for someone who plans on exploring a lot.)
3. You want to work in more than one location
4. You would like to earn money while you travel (if you plan on staying for a long holiday you will need money to continue your visit)

Under the working holiday you will receive an open work permit. Thing to know about this program your time in Canada and the experience you receive does not qualify towards any type of immigration program if you chose to immigrate to Canada permanently

Young Professionals

This will allow you to gain Canadian Professional work experience to allow you to compete in the global economy.

This will be a great route for you to take if.

1. You already have a job offer in Canada that will help contribute to your current professional development.
2. You plan on working for the same employer in the same location for the length of you stay in Canada.

You must know that this category must be paid and not self-employed

This experience falls under the employer specific work permit and the employer must meet all the labour laws of the province or territory and meet the minimum wage of the province or territory

This category also must meet the job classifications under the NOC still level of 0, A, or B and it must be enhancing or contributing to your “professional Development”. There may also be consideration for some NOC C if you submit the application with the following

1. Post-secondary diploma
2. Certificate or degree

One of these must be submitted with your work permit and your diploma or degree must be in either English or French only.

International Co-op this is an Internship

This area will give valuable work experience that is related to your field of study.

This is for your if:

1. You have a job offer for a work placement or internship in Canada
2. You are currently registered as a student in a post-secondary institution
3. You need a work placement to complete your internship for your area of studies
4. You will work with the same employer for the entire duration of your time in Canada

This is better known as a Co-op work permit and is a closed work permit and it must be linked to the field of studies that you are doing.

Wages must also follow the labour codes and laws governing each province or territory and meet the minimum wage of them

Dependents are not allowed to accompany you under any of these programs outlined above however they may come as a visitor to see you during your time here. Your application and their applications to travel here will be looked at individually and not as a group

Getting into the Pool

How the pool works for International Experience Canada.

Usually, your profile will stay in the pool until such time as

1. You receive an Invitation to apply for a work permit
2. All the profiles are removed at the end of the season
3. Or, you are no longer eligible for IEC.

Immigration Canada regularly sends out invitations to individual Candidates in the IEC pools during the season.

Submissions to the IEC can be at any time during the season as long as it is before the last round of invitations are drawn.

Rounds of invitations – International Experience Canada (cic.gc.ca)

You should also be aware you are only allowed to have 1 profile at any one time. But, depending on where you are from you may be eligible for more than one program (IEC).

After completion of your profile, Immigration will tell you which pools you are qualified for and you can submit you profile to these. Example you may be eligible for Working holiday and Young Professional so you can submit to both.

Immigration issues Invitations to Apply in this manner

1. International Co-op
2. Young professionals
3. Working holiday

If you have submitted your profile under international Co-op and working holiday you will get an ITA under International Co-op first but if there are no spaces available left under that category you would then receive it under working holiday.

After you receive and ITA you must get you documentation ready. You do not automatically get a work permit you still will have to meet the conditions

1. Show proof of the information you submitted to build you profile
2. Provide any additional information on your education, work history and background
3. And provide any other support documents that are requested of you.

If you are applying for any of these programs you should begin to get your documents together immediately because some of these documents may take months to get together.