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Canada’s Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has officially launched the 2024 International Experience Canada (IEC) pool. The IEC serves as a work permit initiative, enabling youth from countries with established Youth Mobility Arrangements to temporarily reside and work in Canada. In this year’s intake, nearly 90,000 applicants from over 30 countries will have the opportunity to gain valuable Canadian work experience. Eligible and interested individuals can now submit their IEC profiles to IRCC.
How IEC Operates: The IEC is designed for citizens of partner nations with bilateral Youth Mobility Agreements with Canada, falling within specific age ranges (18-29, 18-30, or 18-35, depending on nationality). Applicants may qualify for an IEC work permit through a candidate/applicant system. Initially, individuals submit a candidacy profile to IRCC, and if selected, they are invited to apply for consideration for a work permit. Successful applicants move one step closer to obtaining their work permit.
Under the program, applicants can receive a work permit through three streams:
- Working Holiday Stream: Grants an Open Work Permit (OWP) for up to two years, allowing holders to work for most employers in Canada across various industries.
- Young Professionals Stream: Issues an employer-specific (or LMIA-based) work permit for individuals with a job offer, intending to work with a single employer in Canada.
- International Co-op Internship Stream: Permits citizens of participating countries enrolled in a post-secondary program in their home country to intern/work for a specific Canadian company, provided they have arranged co-op placements in advance.
Basic Eligibility: Candidates applying under the IEC must:
- Be citizens/passport holders of one of the 35+ partner countries with Youth Mobility Agreements.
- Possess a valid passport for the duration of their stay in Canada.
- Fall within the eligible age range at the time of application.
- Have the equivalent of $2,500 CAD upon arrival in Canada.
- Secure health insurance for the entire stay.
- Be admissible to Canada.
- Possess a round-trip ticket or financial resources to purchase a departure ticket.
- Not be accompanied by dependents.
- Pay the relevant fees.
IEC’s Impact on Canada: The IEC plays a crucial role in addressing labor shortages in various Canadian industries. It serves as a vital source of workers, with the bilateral agreements benefiting both Canada and partner IEC countries. By providing young labor to key sectors, these agreements offer valuable international work experience to both foreign and Canadian youth. IEC workers may also become eligible for permanent immigration to Canada after gaining sufficient work experience, contributing to Canada’s long-term labor force.
The 2024 IEC intake maintains momentum from the previous year’s expansion, underlining the significant role IEC workers play in the Canadian economy. Additionally, the upcoming year is anticipated to include Finland as a new partner country, with both nations expected to ratify their new youth mobility agreement in the coming months.
