🇨🇦 International Experience Canada (IEC) Kicks Off the 2026 Season

✨ Work Permit Pools Are Now Open!

The International Experience Canada (IEC) program has officially reopened its candidate pools for the 2026 season, giving eligible young people from around the world a fresh opportunity to live and work in Canada 🇨🇦.

Under IEC, citizens of 36 participating countries aged 18–30 or 18–35 (depending on nationality) can obtain a Canada-specific work permit for up to two years.

Throughout the season, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducts regular invitation rounds, selecting candidates from IEC pools to apply for a work permit.

⚠️ Important: If you had an IEC profile in 2025 and were not invited, you must create a new profile to be considered for the 2026 season.

🔍 What This Article Covers

✔ Who is eligible for IEC

✔ Types of IEC work permits

✔ How to apply step by step

✔ How to assess your chances of receiving an invitation

👤 Who Is Eligible for IEC?

You may qualify for IEC if:

• You are a citizen of a country with a bilateral Youth Mobility Agreement (bYMA) with Canada

• You meet your country’s age limit

• You satisfy general eligibility criteria

🌍 Participating Countries

The 36 eligible countries include Australia, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, the UK, Ireland, Spain, and many more.

Each country has:

• A maximum age limit

• A limit on how many times you can participate

⚠️ Each country has its own rules, including restrictions on categories and number of participations.

✅ General IEC Eligibility Requirements

All candidates must:

• Be at least 18 years old

• Hold a valid passport for their entire stay

• Have private health insurance covering the full duration in Canada

• Show at least $2,500 CAD in available funds

• Have a round-trip ticket (or funds to purchase one)

• Meet Canadian admissibility requirements

• Apply without dependents

🔔 Some IEC categories also require a valid job offer.

🛂 Types of IEC Work Permits

IEC offers three distinct work permit categories, depending on your nationality and eligibility:

Category	Permit Type	Job Offer	Competitiveness	Key Requirements
Working Holiday 🌍	Open	❌ No	🔥 Very competitive	None
Young Professionals 💼	Closed	✅ Yes	👍 Moderate	TEER 0–3 job related to career (TEER 4 may qualify if relevant); no self-employment
International Co-op (Internship) 🎓	Closed	✅ Yes	⭐ Least competitive	Must be a student outside Canada; internship required for studies

📌 All IEC work permits are LMIA-exempt, making them faster and more flexible than many other options.

📝 How to Apply for an IEC Work Permit

Step 1: Create an IEC Profile

• Submit a profile and enter one or more IEC pools

• IRCC will automatically determine which pools you qualify for

Step 2: Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA)

• Invitations are issued through random draws

• If invited:

  • ⏳ 10 days to accept the ITA

  • ⏳ 20 days to submit your application

(All deadlines are in UTC.)

Step 3: Submit Your Work Permit Application

You must:

• Complete the online application via your IRCC account

• Upload all required documents

• Pay applicable fees

💰 Fees Breakdown

• $184.75 — Work permit processing fee (all applicants)

• $100 — Open work permit fee (Working Holiday only)

• $230 — Employer compliance fee (paid by employer for Young Professionals & Co-op)

• $85 — Biometrics fee (if not previously given)

📍 If biometrics are required, you’ll have 30 days to complete them.

✈️ After Approval: What Happens Next?

If approved, IRCC will issue a Port of Entry (POE) Letter, valid for one year.

⚠️ Note:

• A POE letter does not guarantee entry into Canada

• Final approval happens at the border

📬 Some applicants already in Canada may be eligible to receive their work permit by mail.

🎯 What Are My Chances of Being Selected?

IEC selection is lottery-based due to high demand.

IRCC publishes estimated chances for each country and category:

• ⭐ Excellent (80–90%)

• 👍 Very good (60–70%)

• 🙂 Fair (40–50%)

• ⚠️ Low (20–39%)

• ❌ Very low (1–19%)

Your chances depend on:

• Country quota

• Category demand

• How many candidates accept, decline, or withdraw

📈 Tip: The Young Professionals category is often prioritized and generally offers better odds than Working Holiday.

🔔 Final Note

Even after the official final round, IRCC may conduct additional small draws to fill remaining quotas if invitations are declined or applications are refused.

🤝 Need Help With Your IEC Application?

If you need guidance or professional support with your IEC work permit or Canadian immigration options,

👉 please feel free to contact Open Canada — we’re happy to help.

🇨🇦 International Experience Canada (IEC) Kicks Off the 2026 Season