International Experience Canada (IEC): Eligible Countries, Categories and Criteria — Complete 2026 Guide

International Experience Canada (IEC) is a family of reciprocal youth mobility agreements that let foreign youth aged 18 to 35 (18 to 30 in some countries) work and travel in Canada for up to two years without going through the LMIA process. This is one of the fastest and most accessible ways for young foreign nationals to gain Canadian work experience — and, ultimately, to build a case for permanent residence through Express Entry or a provincial nominee program. Below is the complete list of eligible countries, the three IEC categories, and the exact eligibility criteria as published by IRCC on canada.ca/iec.

What is International Experience Canada?

IEC operates through Youth Mobility Agreements (YMAs) that Canada has signed with more than 35 partner countries and territories. Because the arrangement is reciprocal, foreign IEC participants are exempt from the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirement under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. That is the single biggest reason IEC is so popular: an employer does not have to prove they tried to hire a Canadian first, and the worker does not have to be sponsored.

The general framework is set by IRCC on the main IEC page, and each country’s specific rules — age range, quota, categories, second-participation rules — are set out in the bilateral YMA and mirrored on the applicant’s country page.

The three IEC categories

Every YMA offers one, two, or all three of the following categories:

1. Working Holiday (WHP) — open work permit

The most popular category. Participants receive an open work permit that lets them work for any employer, in any job, anywhere in Canada, and change jobs at any time. There is no job offer requirement. This category is designed for youth who want to fund their travel by working as they go — bartending, ski-resort work, hospitality, retail, agriculture — while still leaving room to explore. Duration: typically 12 months, up to 24 months for some countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, and Chile.

2. Young Professionals (YPP) — employer-specific work permit

For youth with a job offer in Canada that contributes to their professional development in their field of study. The offered position must fall under TEER category 0, 1, 2, or 3 of the National Occupational Classification; a TEER 4 job may qualify only if it is squarely in the applicant’s field of study. Applicants must submit a diploma, certificate, or degree with the application. The work permit is employer-specific — participants must work for the same employer for the full duration — and self-employment is not allowed.

3. International Co-op (Internship) — employer-specific work permit

For post-secondary students who need to complete a work placement or internship as part of their studies in their home country. Requires an offer of employment for an internship, proof of registration at a post-secondary institution, and a letter from that institution confirming the placement is mandatory. Employer-specific work permit.

Eligible countries and territories (2026)

The following countries and territories currently have a Youth Mobility Agreement with Canada. The categories column shows which of Working Holiday (WH), Young Professionals (YP), and International Co-op (Co-op) are offered. Applicants should check their country-specific IEC page for the exact age range, quota, and season status before creating a profile.

Country / Territory	Age range	Categories available
Andorra	18–30	WH, YP, Co-op
Australia	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Austria	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Belgium	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Chile	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Costa Rica	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Croatia	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Czech Republic	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Denmark	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Estonia	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Finland	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
France	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Germany	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Greece	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Hong Kong	18–30	WH, YP, Co-op
Iceland	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Ireland	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Italy	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Japan	18–30	WH, YP, Co-op
Latvia	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Lithuania	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Luxembourg	18–30	WH, YP, Co-op
Mexico	18–29	YP, Co-op (no Working Holiday)
Netherlands	18–30	WH, YP, Co-op
New Zealand	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Norway	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Poland	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Portugal	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
San Marino	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Slovakia	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Slovenia	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
South Korea	18–30	WH, YP, Co-op
Spain	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
Sweden	18–30	WH, YP, Co-op
Switzerland	18–35	YP, Co-op (no Working Holiday)
Taiwan	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op
United Kingdom	18–35	WH, YP, Co-op

General eligibility requirements — every applicant

Regardless of country or category, every IEC applicant must:

• Be a citizen (not just a resident) of an IEC partner country or territory at the time of application and while in Canada;
• Hold a valid passport for the duration of the intended work permit (the permit cannot be issued for longer than the passport is valid);
• Be 18 to 35 years old (18 to 30 for certain countries — see table above);
• Have enough funds — a minimum of CAD $2,500 — to help cover expenses at the start of the stay;
• Have health insurance valid for the entire duration of stay in Canada (officers can cut the permit short if coverage is shorter);
• Be admissible to Canada — no serious criminal history, no medical inadmissibility;
• Hold a round-trip ticket or the funds to buy one before leaving Canada;
• Not be accompanied by dependents;
• Not hold a refugee travel document from any country.

Second-participation rules and waiting periods

Some countries allow youth to participate in IEC only once. Others allow participation twice, but only in different categories (for example, one Working Holiday plus one Young Professionals stay). A defined waiting period applies to citizens of the following countries after their first IEC work permit expires — a new IEC application submitted before the waiting period ends will be refused:

• Croatia
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Mexico
• Poland
• Slovakia
• Spain

Applicants from those countries should confirm the exact waiting period on their country’s IEC page before filing.

How the application process works

1. Create an IEC profile on the IRCC secure account. Select the categories that apply to your country. There is one candidate pool per country, per category.
2. Wait for an invitation to apply (ITA). IRCC issues invitations in periodic rounds. You can track key dates and available spots on the Rounds of invitations page.
3. Accept the ITA within 10 days. Once accepted, you have 20 days to submit the work permit application.
4. Submit the work permit application with documents: passport, police certificates (if required), CV, proof of funds, medical exam (if required for certain jobs or countries of residence), and job offer letter for YP or Co-op.
5. Pay the fees. IEC participation fee $172 plus $100 open work permit holder fee for Working Holiday, plus biometrics $85.
6. Give biometrics if required.
7. Receive a Port of Entry (POE) Letter of Introduction. Present it to a border officer on arrival in Canada — the officer issues the actual work permit at the POE.

Recognized Organizations (ROs) that help IEC applicants coming to Canada

IRCC recognizes seven youth service organizations that can help applicants plan job placement, housing, and travel. Using an RO is optional, but participants working with an RO are exempt from the standard proof-of-funds requirement:

• GO International — working holiday support (all IEC countries).
• IAESTE — technical career-related placements for students (IEC and IAESTE member countries).
• International Internship Network — academic internship, co-op, and working holiday programs (Australia, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, United Kingdom).
• A-Way to Work / International Rural Exchange Canada — agriculture, hospitality, culinary arts, tourism, horticulture, landscaping (all IEC countries).
• Languages Canada — English or French language study combined with employment in Montréal, Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, or Victoria (all IEC countries).
• Stepwest — ski resort jobs and industry-specific internships (all IEC countries).
• SWAP Working Holidays — working holidays and young professional placements (IEC countries plus the United States).

After IEC — using the experience for permanent residence

The strongest strategic reason to use IEC is the Canadian work experience it delivers. One year of full-time skilled work in Canada under an IEC permit builds the exact experience the Canadian Experience Class under Express Entry requires, and it can also anchor a provincial nomination through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Employer Job Offer streams, BC PNP Skills Immigration, or Alberta’s Opportunity Stream. Combined with a decent CLB 7+ language score, a candidate finishing a Working Holiday year is often well-positioned to submit an Express Entry profile before the second-participation waiting period closes off a return.

How VG Immigration can help

VG Immigration Services Inc. advises IEC applicants on: choosing the right category (Working Holiday vs. Young Professionals) for a Canadian PR strategy, sequencing IEC with Post-Graduation Work Permit years, structuring Young Professionals job offers to survive scrutiny, and moving from an IEC permit into Express Entry, OINP, or another provincial pathway. If you are inside or outside Canada, we can review your file and tell you exactly what the next 12–24 months should look like.

Book a Consultation. You can also reach us on WhatsApp or by email at immigration@vgis.ca.

Frequently asked questions

Which countries are eligible for International Experience Canada?

Canada currently has Youth Mobility Agreements with 37 countries and territories, including Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Chile, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. See the full country table above.

What is the age limit for IEC?

18 to 35 for most countries, and 18 to 30 for Andorra, Hong Kong, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, and Sweden. Mexico caps at 18 to 29.

Do I need a job offer to apply for IEC?

Only for the Young Professionals and International Co-op categories. Working Holiday applicants receive an open work permit and do not need a job offer.

How much money do I need to bring to Canada under IEC?

Applicants must show a minimum of CAD $2,500 in proof of funds to cover initial expenses on arrival. Participants working through a Recognized Organization may be exempt from this proof-of-funds requirement.

Can I bring my spouse or children on an IEC permit?

No. IEC participants cannot be accompanied by dependents on the IEC permit itself. A spouse or partner would need a separate work permit or study permit to accompany the IEC holder.

Can I participate in IEC more than once?

Some countries allow participation only once. Others allow twice, in different categories. Citizens of Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Poland, Slovakia, and Spain must wait a specific period after their first IEC permit expires before applying again.

Is IEC an open work permit?

Only Working Holiday is open. Young Professionals and International Co-op are employer-specific — the participant must work for the named employer for the full duration of the permit.

Can IEC lead to permanent residence in Canada?

Yes, indirectly. IEC does not include a direct PR pathway, but the Canadian work experience it produces counts toward Canadian Experience Class (Express Entry) and toward most provincial nominee employer-job-offer streams.

Published August 12, 2026 by Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308, VG Immigration Services Inc. Sources: IRCC — International Experience Canada; IEC eligibility; IEC recognized organizations; IRCC IEC portal; IRCC IEC program evaluation.