Published · Information reviewed
By Sean G McKinsley and Kimberly J White
Important: The program information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the publication date, October 22, 2026. Immigration programs change frequently. This is general information only, not professional or legal advice, and it should be relied on only with the help of an authorized professional service provider, such as a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant or a lawyer.
International Experience Canada lets eligible young people from partner countries work and travel in Canada on a temporary work permit. This guide explains the categories, how the season and invitations work, what you need before you travel, and where the 2026 season stands.
Watch: International Experience Canada
English captions are available in the player.
Read the video transcript
[0:00] Have you ever thought about living and working in Canada for a year or two? For many young people,
[0:04] International Experience Canada, or I E C, is the way to do it.
[0:08] I’m Sean G McKinsley, and with my colleague Kimberly J White,
[0:12] we put together this guide to explain how I E C works, what you need before you travel,
[0:17] and where the twenty twenty-six season stands.
[0:20] I E C is a Government of Canada program for young citizens of countries and territories
[0:26] that have a youth mobility agreement with Canada. It gives you a temporary work permit.
[0:30] That is the first thing to understand. I E C is not permanent residence,
[0:35] and it does not lead to permanent residence by itself. If you later
[0:38] want to stay in Canada permanently, that is a separate application with its own rules.
[0:43] There are three categories.
[0:44] Working Holiday gives you an open work permit. You can work
[0:47] for most employers in Canada, and you don’t need a job offer.
[0:51] Young Professionals and International Co-op are employer-specific. You need a qualifying
[0:56] job offer, and for Co-op, a placement linked to your studies. The employer
[1:00] has to submit the offer to the government and pay a compliance fee before you apply.
[1:05] If you’re a British citizen, here are the key numbers. You can apply
[1:08] from age eighteen to thirty-five. All three categories are open to you. You
[1:12] can take part up to twice, for a total of up to thirty-six months:
[1:16] up to twenty-four months the first time, and up to twelve months the second time.
[1:21] Other countries have different ages and time limits,
[1:23] so always check the rules for your own citizenship.
[1:26] Here is how the season works. First, you check your eligibility in your
[1:30] IRCC secure account and complete your I E C profile. Then you submit that profile to
[1:36] one or more pools. There is one pool for each country and each category.
[1:40] Submitting a profile is not a work permit application. You wait to see whether you
[1:45] receive an Invitation to Apply, or I T A. The government sends invitations in
[1:49] rounds through the season, and no one is guaranteed an invitation.
[1:54] If you are invited, the clock starts. You have ten days to accept the invitation. Once you accept,
[1:59] you have twenty days to submit your complete work permit application.
[2:03] Those deadlines run on UTC time, so don’t leave it to the last day.
[2:07] You’ll need police certificates, and a medical exam in some situations. You may
[2:11] also be asked to give fingerprints and a photo, called biometrics.
[2:15] On fees: the I E C participation fee is
[2:18] one hundred and eighty-four dollars and seventy-five cents Canadian. Working
[2:22] Holiday applicants also pay a one hundred dollar open work permit holder fee, and a
[2:27] biometrics fee may apply. Government fees change, so check the official fee list before you pay.
[2:33] Before you fly, two things matter most. First, money. You need a bank statement,
[2:37] issued no more than one week before you leave, showing at
[2:40] least two thousand five hundred Canadian dollars, plus enough for your trip home.
[2:44] Second, health insurance. It must cover medical care, hospital stays and repatriation for your
[2:50] entire stay. If your insurance ends early, your work permit may end on the same day.
[2:55] Now the timing. As of October 21, 2026, the twenty twenty-six I E C season is closed. If you
[3:03] already have an invitation, you can still submit your application within your deadlines. If you
[3:07] weren’t invited, your profile will be removed from the pool, but your account stays valid.
[3:12] For twenty twenty-seven, the government says you can create a new profile when the
[3:16] pools reopen. Opening dates and numbers had not been announced when we checked.
[3:20] Please don’t rely on predictions. Check the official rounds of invitations page.
[3:24] Finally, keep the bigger picture in mind. Canadian work experience can sometimes
[3:29] help with a later permanent residence application. But that depends on the job,
[3:33] how long you work, your language results and the rules on the day
[3:36] you apply. I E C does not promise a job, an invitation or permanent residence.
[3:41] To read the full guide and the official sources,
[3:44] visit civs.ca. If you’d like help planning your next step, you can contact us there.
[3:49] This is general information only, not professional
[3:52] advice. The information was believed accurate on the date it was published.
[3:56] This is the digital avatar of Sean G McKinsley.
What IEC is
International Experience Canada (IEC) is a Government of Canada program that lets young citizens of partner countries and territories work and travel in Canada for a limited time. Your country or territory of citizenship must have a youth mobility agreement or arrangement with Canada.
IEC gives you a temporary work permit. It is not permanent residence, and it does not lead to permanent residence on its own. Any later permanent residence application is a separate process with its own eligibility rules.
The three IEC categories
- Working Holiday: an open work permit, so you can work for most employers in Canada. No job offer is needed.
- Young Professionals: an employer-specific work permit for a job that supports your professional development (generally TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3; a TEER 4 job may qualify if it is in your field of study). You need a qualifying job offer.
- International Co-op (Internship): an employer-specific work permit for students who need a placement linked to their field of study.
For Young Professionals and International Co-op, the employer submits the job offer through IRCC’s Employer Portal and pays the CAN$230 employer compliance fee before you apply.
UK citizens: the key facts
- Age: 18 to 35.
- Categories: Working Holiday, Young Professionals and International Co-op (Internship).
- Participations: up to two, for a total of up to 36 months. A first participation is up to 24 months and a second is up to 12 months, in any category. Someone whose only earlier participation was 12 months before 2015 may have one final participation of up to 24 months.
- Territories: British citizens from the United Kingdom, the Bailiwick of Jersey or the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
- A participation counts once you arrive in Canada and your work permit is issued. If your application is approved but you never travel, it does not count.
Other partner countries have different ages, categories and lengths of stay. Check the rules for your own citizenship.
How the season and invitations work
- Check your eligibility in your IRCC secure account and complete your IEC profile. You have 60 days to submit a profile once you start it.
- Submit your profile to one or more pools. There is one pool per country and per category. A profile is not a work permit application.
- Wait for an Invitation to Apply (ITA). IRCC sends invitations in rounds during the season. Invitations go first to International Co-op, then Young Professionals, then Working Holiday. An invitation is never guaranteed.
- If you are invited, accept the ITA within the deadline stated in it (10 days). Then submit the complete work permit application within 20 days of accepting. IRCC deadlines are in UTC time.
- Pay the fees, upload your documents (including police certificates, and a medical exam where required) and give biometrics if asked, usually within 30 days of the instruction letter.
- If approved, you receive a port of entry letter of introduction. The work permit itself is issued when you arrive in Canada.
Fees (government fees, as checked)
- IEC participation fee: CAN$184.75 (IRCC fee list).
- Working Holiday: an additional CAN$100 open work permit holder fee.
- Biometrics fee, if you need to give biometrics.
- Young Professionals and International Co-op: the employer pays the CAN$230 employer compliance fee.
Government fees change. Check IRCC’s fee list before you pay.
Before you travel: funds and insurance
- Funds: a bank statement issued no more than one week before you leave, showing at least CAN$2,500 (or the equivalent), plus money for your return trip. Border officers may ask to see it.
- If you carry CAN$10,000 or more, you must declare it at the border.
- Health insurance: you need it before you arrive, not when you apply. It must cover medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation for your whole stay. If your insurance is shorter than your intended stay, your work permit may be issued only until the insurance ends.
The 2026 season: closed
As checked on October 21, 2026, IRCC says the pools for the 2026 season are closed.
- If you already received an Invitation to Apply, you can still complete and submit your work permit application within your deadlines.
- If you did not receive an invitation, your profile will be removed from the pool. Your IRCC account and GCKey remain valid.
What is known about 2027
IRCC says you can create a new profile when the pools reopen for the 2027 season. As of October 21, 2026, IRCC had not published 2027 opening dates, quotas or fees. Do not rely on any unofficial prediction. Check the IRCC rounds of invitations page before you plan.
IEC and permanent residence are different decisions
Canadian work experience gained on IEC may later be relevant to some permanent residence programs. That depends on the job, its skill level, how long you worked, your language results and the program’s rules on the day you apply. IEC does not promise permanent residence, a job or an invitation, and none of these is guaranteed.
Practical tips
- Check your passport. The work permit cannot be issued beyond its expiry date.
- Plan the timing. Profiles, invitations and the 20-day application window move quickly.
- Budget realistically. CAN$2,500 is a minimum for the first months, not a living budget. Costs vary widely by city.
- Keep records of your work in Canada: contracts, pay slips and reference letters.
Sources
Official sources checked on October 21, 2026 (listed as plain text):
- IRCC: International Experience Canada (program home and 2026 season status): www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/iec.html
- IRCC: Rounds of invitations (United Kingdom): ircc.canada.ca/english/work/iec/selections.asp?country=gb
- IRCC: IEC, who can apply: www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/iec/eligibility.html
- IRCC: Create your IEC profile and get your invitation to apply: www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/iec/become-candidate.html
- IRCC: Submit your work permit application (funds, insurance, fees, biometrics): www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/iec/apply-work-permit.html
- IRCC: IEC, prepare for arrival: www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/iec/prepare-arrival.html
- IRCC: Fee list: ircc.canada.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp
- IRCC program delivery: IEC bilateral agreements and arrangements, United Kingdom: www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/foreign-workers/exemption-codes/international-experience/canadian-interests-reciprocal-employment-international-experience-canada-bilateral-agreements-arrangements.html
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Disclaimer: The program information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the publication date, October 22, 2026. It is general information only and not professional or legal advice. Rely on it only with the help of an authorized professional service provider, such as a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant or a lawyer. Reading this article does not create a professional relationship.