International Experience Class (IEC) Pools Reopen

On March 1, 2021, Canada began opening pools for applicants interested in applying for through International Experience Canada in order to travel and work in Canada legally. This program targets young individuals who reside within a country or hold citizenship that has an agreement with Canada that allows them to apply for an IEC work permit.

Depending on the country that the applicant is from, they can choose from up to 1, 2 or 3 pools of travel and work experiences. There are three separate categories under the "IEC" named as Working Holiday, Young Professionals, and International Co-Op.

A new requirement came into effect for those applying under a Working Holiday visa. Only IEC participants with a Port of Entry Letter of Introduction and a valid job offer are eligible to travel to Canada right now. They must also be able to start their job as soon as their quarantine is complete. This change resulted from the pandemic, as only essential travellers are allowed to travel to Canada.

As of March 2, 2021, IEC pools are open for the following countries:

• Australia
• Belgium
• Chile
• Costa Rica
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• France
• Greece
• Hong Kong *You may qualify for special measures including priority processing and an open work permit for Hong Kong recent graduates per the new public policy. Check out our blog post for more information.
• Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• Korea
• Luxembourg
• Norway
• Portugal
• San Marino
• Slovakia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Taiwan
• United Kingdom

Contact us at AKM Law to see if you are eligible for temporary immigration in Canada through IEC.