Many think about what is IEC or how to immigrate to Canada by International Experience Canada (IEC) program. IEC is one of the “fun” immigration programs that comes with a lot of benefits.
Don’t have a job offer but still want to immigrate to Canada? Apply through IEC! Want to work for more than one Canadian employer? IEC is at your disposal! Want to earn money while traveling? IEC is your friend! You see how many advantages there are of this one immigration program? Moreover, through IEC, you could get a 2 year work permit, Canada !
What is the International Experience Canada Program?
The International Experience Canada program is the best immigration program for those in the ages between 18-35 years, some countries consider the age range of 18-30 only. As mentioned above, this program is associated with various benefits for the applicants. There are three work and travel experiences available under this program. These are: Working holiday, International Co-Op (Internship), and Young Professionals.
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Actually, the International Experience Canada program is an agreement that Canada has signed with various countries to offer youths an opportunity to travel and work in Canada for around 2 years.
Since this program is based on agreement between countries, if your country also signed a Youth Mobility Agreement with Canada, you can apply as well. In case there’s no agreement between your country and Canada, that’s okay, just contact a Recognized Organization (RO) for this and they’ll help you.
5 Steps on How to Apply for IEC Canada?
You only need to know the below 5 steps to apply through the IEC program. Let’s check them out!
Step 1: Fill Out the Form
There’s an online application that you need to complete. Ensure that whatever information you are entering is true and correct. Try not to leave any questions blank. Don’t worry, you can always save the form and go back to edit it.
Make sure all the mandatory fields are filled, and there’s no gap of time between the work history and education history section. Moreover, at the end of each form, you’ll see the “validate” option. Click on it so there’s no error or blank fields in the application.
Step 2: Gather Necessary Documents
After you have completed the form, the system will provide you with a document checklist. This checklist tells you all the documents that you need to upload. This checklist may ask you to submit a police certificate, CV, medical examination, family information, passport, etc. Also, you may be required to submit more documents later on.
Once you have made electronic copies of the documents, the “Document Checklist” page is where you are going to upload them.
Step 3: Pay the Fee
Once you are done with uploading documents, it’s time to pay the fee. Though the pay depends on which IEC category you are applying for, still, there’s a general fee of CAN $161 that every applicant must pay.
Moreover, if you are applying through the Working Holiday category, which means you require an open work permit, you need to pay an additional CAN $100.
For those in the Young Professionals and International Co-Op (Internship) IEC category, their employer will pay an extra amount of CAN $230 employer compliance fee, and also submit the offer of employment to IRCC.
Step 4: Submit the Application
It’s time that you submit your application. If you have submitted all the required documents and completed the application correctly, the application should soon be processed.
Step 5: Give Biometrics (If you need to)
In case you have never submitted your biometrics, this is the time you give them. You will receive a Biometric Instructions Letter (BIL) if you have never given them before. Make sure you give your photographs and fingerprints (biometrics) soon so your application could be processed sooner.
Countries Eligible for IEC Canada
Below is the list of countries which are eligible for the International Experience Canada Program.
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Chile
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- France*
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Korea
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Mexico
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
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