International Experience Canada 2026 is now open. Find out who can apply, what categories are available, how the selection process works, and what it takes to work legally in Canada

Canada has officially opened the 2026 season of International Experience Canada (IEC), one of the most popular temporary mobility programs for young people. It allows citizens of dozens of countries, including representatives of Andorra, Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, to legally live and work in Canada for 6 to 24 months without going through a complicated labor market assessment (LMIA) procedure.

IEC is often seen not only as a way to travel and earn money, but also as a first step towards further immigration - through Canadian work experience, language practice, and professional contacts.

How to apply for International Experience Canada 2026, who can participate, and how the selection is made, read this article.

Canada has updated the limits of student permits for 2026, PGWP rules, and financial requirements. Details about the main changes for international students can be found in this article.

Quebec's immigration plan for 2026-2029 in this article.

Planning to move to Canada? A migration lawyer will help!

Our experienced migration lawyer accompanies clients at every stage of the immigration process - from applying for work and student visas to permanent residence programs. We select the optimal migration routes according to your situation, help you properly prepare documents and increase your chances of success.

Entrust the difficult moments to professionals and start your journey to Canada without unnecessary stress!

What is International Experience Canada and why is the program popular?

IEC is an intergovernmental program administered by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It operates on the basis of bilateral agreements between Canada and participating countries and is aimed at young people who want to gain international experience.

Main advantages of IEC:

- No LMIA;

- Faster processing than most work visas;

- Ability to change employers (on Working Holiday);

- A real chance to move on to immigration programs in the future.

When will the 2026 International Experience Canada application process begin?

The International Experience Canada (IEC) pools officially opened on December 19, 2026, allowing eligible international youth to submit a candidate profile for the 2026 season.

Key dates for the 2026 International Experience Canada season:

- December 19, 2025 – IEC 2026 pools open;

- Profile submissions are now open;

- Invitations to Apply (ITA) are sent in waves throughout the year;

- Pools close – typically fall 2026.

Important! If you applied in the 2025 season and did not receive an invitation, you will need to create a new profile.

Who can participate in the International Experience Canada program?

Citizens of countries that have a Bilateral Youth Mobility Agreement (bYMA) with Canada may apply for a work permit under the IEC program, subject to meeting age requirements and other eligibility criteria.

Which countries are eligible to participate in International Experience Canada 2026

- Andorra – Upper age limit: 30, number of attempts available: 1

- Australia – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 3

- Austria – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 3

- Belgium – Upper age limit: 30, number of attempts available: 1

- Chile – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 2

- Costa Rica – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 2

- Croatia – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 2

- Czech Republic – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 2

- Denmark – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 1

- Estonia – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 1 limit: 35, available attempts: 2

- Finland - upper age limit: 35, available attempts: 3

- France - upper age limit: 35, available attempts: 3

- Germany - upper age limit: 35, available attempts: 2

- Greece - upper age limit: 35, available attempts: 2

- Hong Kong - upper age limit: 30, available attempts: 1

- Iceland - upper age limit: 30, available attempts: 1

- Ireland - upper age limit: 35, available attempts: 3

- Italy - upper age limit: 35, available attempts: 2

- Japan – Upper age limit: 30, number of attempts available: 2

- Korea, Republic of – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 2

- Latvia – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 2

- Lithuania – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 2

- Luxembourg – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 1

- Netherlands – Upper age limit: 30, number of attempts available: 2

- New Zealand – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 1

- Norway – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 2

- Poland – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 2

- Portugal – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 1

- San Marino – Upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 2

- Slovakia - upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 2

- Slovenia - upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 2

- Spain - upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 2

- Sweden - upper age limit: 30, number of attempts available: 2

- Switzerland - upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 2

- Taiwan - upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 1

- United Kingdom - upper age limit: 35, number of attempts available: 2

Important! Each country has its own IEC rules and participation restrictions, which may include restrictions such as only being able to enter once in each category.

Requirements for International Experience Canada 2026 Participants

In addition to citizenship of a participating country and meeting the age requirements, all candidates must meet the following basic requirements:

- Be at least 18 years of age;

- Have valid private health insurance for the entire period of stay;

- Have a valid passport that covers the entire period of stay in Canada;

- Have at least $2,500 USD to cover personal expenses during the stay;

- Have a return ticket or sufficient funds to purchase one to depart Canada upon the expiration of the visa.

Some candidates must also provide proof of a job offer. All participants must meet the general requirements for entry into Canada and cannot be accompanied by dependents.

IEC 2026 Categories: What are the Differences and Which One to Choose?

Working Holiday

- Open Work Permit;

- No Employer Offer Required;

- Can Work in Any Province;

- the highest competition, but also the greatest freedom.

Young Professionals

- closed work permit;

- mandatory job offer must meet the requirements of TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 and be considered for professional development;

- cannot be self-employed;

- higher probability of receiving an ITA;

- suitable for career growth and immigration plans.

Important! Job offers under the TEER 4 program can be considered if they are relevant to the candidate's field of study.

International Co-op (Internship)

- for students who must be enrolled in a higher education institution (outside Canada);

- job offer must be for an internship or practice in Canada and be mandatory for completion of studies;

- internships can be paid (depending on the labor code of the province or territory);

- minimal competition;

- popular option for the first Canadian experience.

How do I apply for an IEC work permit?

The first step in obtaining a work permit through the International Experience Canada (IEC) program is to create a candidate profile and add yourself to one or more IEC pools.

IRCC determines which pools you are eligible for based on the information in your profile. Once you are in a pool, you may be selected for the next round of invitations and receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

Once you receive your ITA, you have 10 days to accept it and 20 days to apply for a work permit.

Important! Please note that all deadlines are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

Steps to Apply for an IEC Work Permit

Step 1 – Complete the online application through your secure IRCC account.

Step 2 – Upload all required documents listed in the personalized IRCC Document Checklist.

Step 3 – Pay the applicable fees:

- Standard Work Permit Application Fee – $184.75

- Additional Fee for Working Holiday Program Participants – $100

- For Young Professionals and International Cooperative (Internship) Programs, the employer pays a compliance fee of $230

- For candidates who have not yet provided biometrics – $85

Step 4 – Submit a complete work permit application.

Step 5 – If biometrics have not been submitted previously, IRCC will send instructions and you will have 30 days to submit them.

Step 6 – If your application is approved, IRCC will send a Port of Entry (POE) letter to your online account, which is valid for one year.

Important! Having a POE letter does not guarantee automatic entry to Canada or a work permit.

Applicants who are already in Canada may be eligible to receive a work permit by mail. For more information, visit the IRCC website.

What are the chances of being selected for the 2026 IEC?

IEC candidates are selected through a lottery system due to high demand. Each participating country has a quota for each category. Rounds continue until the quota is filled or until the season ends (2026).

Rounds are typically held weekly or bi-weekly, depending on the number of candidates in the pool and the country’s quota.

IRCC only publishes dates for the first and final rounds of invitations, but candidates can be invited at any time in between.

You can check your chances of receiving an ITA in the next round on IRCC’s IEC website by selecting your country and work permit category.

ITA Probability Categories

- Excellent: 80–90%;

- Very Good: 60–70%;

- Fair: 40–50%;

- Poor: 20–39%;

- Very Poor: 1–19%

What affects the ranking?

1. Number of candidates who accepted or declined the ITA,

2. Candidates who did not respond to the invitation,

3. Country quota for work permits.

The “Young Professional” category usually has priority, so the chances of receiving an ITA through it are higher than through the “Working Holiday” category.

Important! IRCC may conduct additional small rounds even after the last announced round to fill the seasonal quota if a significant number of candidates withdraw or miss the deadlines.

How many candidates are there each year?

This varies greatly by nationality. The best way to keep track of how many people of your nationality are applying is to look at the weekly numbers. This will show how many candidates have joined the pool, how many invitations to apply have been sent out so far in the season, and how many positions are left to fill.

What kind of work can you do in Canada?

The IEC Canada work visa is an open work permit. This means you can work for almost any employer and in any position in any part of Canada for the duration of your visa. You can choose to work both casual and professional jobs, and you don’t have to change employers every six months, as some other working holiday visa programs often require.

How much can you earn working in Canada?

The minimum wage varies by province or state. For example, Alberta, Ontario and British Columbia: approximately 15-17 Canadian dollars per hour, plus tips where applicable.

Thus, in Canada, you can combine work for income and gain experience, without being limited to a specific employer or location.

The International Experience Canada (IEC) 2026 program gives young people a unique opportunity to legally live and work in Canada for up to 24 months without the complicated LMIA procedure. Participants can choose different categories of work - from open Working Holiday permits to International Co-op internships, which allow you to combine income with professional development. The program also creates a foundation for further immigration, gaining Canadian work experience and language practice. IEC is suitable for those who are looking for new opportunities, career growth and international experience.

Planning to participate in IEC 2026, but not sure which category to choose and how to avoid mistakes in the application?

Consulting a migration lawyer will help you assess your chances, check compliance with the requirements and properly prepare documents before submitting your profile.

Reminder! Traveling, learning new cultures and earning money at the same time is a dream for many people around the world. Experiencing life in another country is quite possible within the framework of the Working Holiday Program. We have already told you what this special type of visa is, in which countries it is valid and what are the advantages and disadvantages of this way of moving abroad.

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