How does travelling to Canada sound? The Canada Working Holiday Visa allows young travellers to work part-time while travelling through amazing cities such as Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa. This way the part-time jobs can finance your travelling expenses while you gain valuable Canadian work experience. This can prove very advantageous when wanting to turn travelling in Canada to permanently live and work in Canada.
What Is the Working Holiday Visa?
The Canada Working Holiday Visa program is part of the International Mobility Program (IEC). It is a temporary open work permit that is available to 35 countries, who have a youth mobility agreement in place with Canada. The visa has a validity of 12 to 24 months, all depending on your country of origin.
This visa is a great choice for you if you would like to travel for a while but haven't got the funds to do so, or perhaps if you haven't found your career path yet then this would be the perfect way to try a little bit of everything or until you've found what you love. The reasons are endless and the possibilities are real. Who wouldn't want to travel all over Canada while earning money?
You'll also gain credible knowledge and skills, all while working with a range of people from diverse cultural backgrounds. And if you happen to fall in love with Canada, which most people do, then you'll have the Canadian work experience to back your immigration application.
Who Can Apply for the Working Holiday Visa?
Have a look at the list below to see if you're a citizen of one of the qualifying countries.
| Eligible Countries in the International Experience Canada (IEC) Program | ||
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Austria | Belgium |
| Chile | Costa Rica | Croatia |
| Czech Republic | Denmark | Estonia |
| France | Germany | Greece |
| Hong Kong | Ireland | Italy |
| Japan | Korea Rep. | Latvia |
| Lithuania | Luxembourg | Mexico |
| Netherlands | New Zealand | Norway |
| Poland | Portugal | San Marino |
| Slovakia | Slovenia | Spain |
| Sweden | Switzerland | Taiwan |
| Ukraine | United Kingdom | |
How to Apply for a Working Holiday Visa in Canada
There are strict quotas for each country that are filled every year, so it's best to apply as soon as possible as the Working Holiday Visa is a very popular program. To apply for the visa, you'll need to become a candidate in one of the IEC pools. These are the following steps to do so:
Step 1:
- country of citizenship;
- country of permanent residence;
- country of residence; and
- student status.
Answer the 'Come to Canada' questionnaire. This will take around 10 minutes. The questions asked are generally about:
Step 2:
If you're successful, you'll need to complete the online IEC profile. This includes sharing contact details, full name, place and date of birth. Profiles need to be completed within 60 days.
Step 3:
Wait for the random selection draw to take place, where you'll need to receive an invitation. You need to complete your profile within 10 days of receiving this invitation.
Step 4:
Submit an application within 20 days of receiving your ITA.
A decision is usually made within eight weeks after the application is submitted.
What are the Working Holiday Visa requirements?
- Valid passport;
- Be part of the 35 participating countries;
- Aged 18-35 (certain countries have 30 as a cut-off age);
- $2,500 to cover initial expenses;
- Health insurance;
- Round-trip ticket or sufficient funds to cover one; and
- No dependents.
How We Can Help You
VisadeCanada.com will help you navigate through the complex Canadian visa process, making the journey simple for you. As well as optimize your chance of success because of the knowledgeable and experienced Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) we work with, who are experts within the Canadian immigration field.