Are you interested in a working holiday in Canada? Let’s find out about International Experience Canada Working Holiday work permits (often known as a Working Holiday Visa in Canada) on this page. The Working Holiday Visa enables you to fund your holiday with temporary work in Canada. This option is very common with young adults who are traveling and working in Canada to fund their travels. Thus, the type of work permit you obtain for Working Holiday is an open work permit.
Working Holiday Visa Permit Type
An open work permit is a visa program that permit a person to work for any employer in Canada. The permit is valid for either 12 or 24 months, depending on your country of origin. Applicants have to first create a profile, which informs the Canadian authorities of their request to obtain a working holiday visa in Canada. Successful applicants will receive an invitation to formally complete their application process for a work permit, but this success is determine by their eligibility and availability.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offers young people from around the world the opportunity to work in Canada for up to two years, in any Canadian province and for any Canadian employer. The Working Holiday Visa In Canada does not require a job offer to be eligible.
Students and Workers can apply for Working Holiday Visa
Students, foreign workers and other individuals from specific countries who meet the requirements may apply for this working holiday visa. In Canada, this program is designed for visiting youth seeking Canadian work experience. If you have an interest in working abroad and you are between the ages of 18 and 35, consider the working holiday visa!
Eligibility Requirements for Working Holiday Visa
There is a set of eligibility requirements for candidates from countries that are qualified under the Working Holiday Visa in Canada.
- Candidate have to be a citizen from one of the countries listed above.
- Candidate must have a valid passport throughout your stay in Canada
- Candidates must be between the age requirement for their country.
- Candidate must have the equivalent of $2,500 CAD to fund initial expenses.
- Candidate must be admissible to Canada under Immigration regulations.
- Candidate must not be accompanied by any dependants.
- Candidate must pay the application fees.
- Candidate must have a round-trip ticket or financial ability to purchase a departure ticket out of Canada.
Who Can Apply for the Working Holiday Visa?
The Working Holiday Visas are for those:
- Candidates who don’t have a job offer yet
- Candidates who wish to work for more than one employer in Canada
- Candidates who want to work in more than one location
- Candidates who like to earn some money so that they can travel.
Applicants from some countries will not be eligible to apply if they are over 30 years. Check the table below to see if your country is qualified to participate in this program.
The Working Holiday Visa is relatively easy to obtain. As long as the applicant meets the following criteria:
- Minimum age requirement
- Proof of citizenship and residence in their country of origin
- Must be free of any medical or criminal issues that may cause inadmissibility.
With this type of work permit, you will not be allowed to work in certain fields such as healthcare or with children because in most cases, a medical exam is not required. The government processing fees for this is $150 CAD as well as all Canadian work permits. The expiry date will vary based on your country of citizenship. See table below to find out if you meet the requirements for a working holiday visa, Canada offers tremendous opportunities for young travelers.
The following countries grant permit for the Working Holiday Visa for their citizens. Each country has a particular age eligibility and maximum validity.
| Country of origin | Age Requirement | Country of origin | Age Requirement |
| Australia | 18 to 30 | Korea, Rep. | 18 to 30 |
| Belgium | 18 to 30 | Latvia | 18 to 35 |
| Chile | 18 to 30 | Lithuania | 18 to 35 |
| Czech Republic | 18 to 35 | Mexico | 18 to 29 |
| Costa Rica | 18 to 35 | Netherlands | 18 to 30 |
| Croatia | 18 to 35 | New Zealand | 18 to 35 |
| Denmark | 18 to 35 | Norway | 18 to 35 |
| Estonia | 18 to 35 | Poland | 18 to 35 |
| France | 18 to 35 | Slovakia | 18 to 35 |
| Germany | 18 to 35 | Slovenia | 18 to 35 |
| Greece | 18 to 35 | Spain | 18 to 35 |
| Hong Kong | 18 to 30 | Sweden | 18 to 30 |
| Ireland | 18 to 35 | Taiwan | 18 to 35 |
| Italy | 18 to 35 | Ukraine | 18 to 35 |
| Japan | 18 to 30 | United Kingdom | 18 to 30 |
If your country is not on this list, there is every possibility that Canada will establish a partnership for youth work and travel in the future. Be sure to check back regularly.
How To Apply For The Working Holiday Visa
You must first create a profile on the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.
Draws take place at “regular intervals”, where applicants are picked at random to receive an invitation to file in for a work permit, until all places are filled for the year.
But, your sure bet is to become a candidate as early as possible for a working holiday visa in Canada, as this IEC streams is particularly popular. This will open you to a greater number of these draws.
You may be required to enter one or more ‘pools’ as decided by country and work permit category. ‘Australia: Working Holiday’ and ‘Ireland: Young Professionals’ are good examples of pools.
The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is committed to giving at least five (5) days prior notice for each country’s and category’s final rounds of invitations, which will mark the closure of that pool for the season. That’s how to become a candidate, and obtain an invitation to apply for a working holiday visa in Canada.
