On This Page, You Will Find:
- What International Experience Canada is
- The 2026 season at a glance
- Participating countries and territories in 2026
- Age limits and basic eligibility
- The three IEC categories
- How the pools and rounds of invitations work
- Quotas, spots available and your chances
- IEC fees for the 2026 season
- Applying for the work permit: deadlines and documents
- Recognised organisations
- Your rights as a worker in Canada
- Staying in Canada after IEC
- Frequently asked questions
International Experience Canada (IEC) lets young people from partner countries and territories work and travel in Canada for up to two years. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirms the 2026 pools are open.
IEC is a reciprocal youth mobility programme. Canadians aged 18 to 35 can use it to work abroad, and foreign youth can use it to work here without their employer needing a Labour Market Impact Assessment.
This page sets out the 2026 rules as published by IRCC: who can apply, what the three categories cover, what the season costs, and how the invitation system works.
What International Experience Canada is
IEC is built on youth mobility arrangements between Canada and individual countries or territories. Each arrangement sets its own age range, permit length and number of lifetime participations.
Depending on the category, participants receive either an open work permit or an employer-specific work permit. Both are issued under the International Mobility Program, so no labour market test is required.
There is no fee to submit a profile. Fees apply only once you are invited to apply for a work permit.
The 2026 season at a glance
- The 2026 pools are open and rounds of invitations are running.
- Thirty-six countries and territories participate, plus Canada.
- The IEC participation fee for 2026 is CAN$184.75.
- Working Holiday participants also pay the CAN$100 open work permit holder fee.
- The published processing standard for an IEC work permit is 56 days from a complete application.
- Seven recognised organisations are currently listed by IRCC.
Participating countries and territories in 2026
The 2026 list published by IRCC covers Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
Two changes matter for anyone working from older guidance. Finland and Iceland now appear on the official list. Mexico and Ukraine do not appear on the 2026 list of countries and territories with open pools.
If your country is not listed, a recognised organisation may still be able to bring you to Canada under IEC.
Age limits and basic eligibility
IRCC describes IEC as open to people aged 18 to 35, and 18 to 30 in some countries. The exact range is set country by country, and in some cases category by category.
For the 2026 season, IRCC lists an 18 to 30 range for Andorra, Belgium, Hong Kong SAR and Iceland. Austria applies 18 to 30 for Working Holiday but 18 to 35 for Young Professionals and International Co-op. Other countries also apply lower ranges, so check the official eligibility page for your citizenship before you build a plan around a birthday.
Common requirements across countries include:
- citizenship of a participating country or territory, with a passport valid for your whole stay
- at least CAN$2,500 in available funds, shown by a recent bank statement when you arrive
- health insurance covering medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation for the full permit period
- a return ticket, or the means to buy one
- no dependants accompanying you
- admissibility to Canada
Your work permit cannot be issued for longer than your passport validity, and it cannot outlast your insurance policy.
The three IEC categories
Working Holiday
Working Holiday suits people arriving without a job offer who want to work for more than one employer, in more than one location, and fund their travel.
It leads to an open work permit valid for most employers anywhere in Canada. A medical exam is needed for some jobs, including work in health care, child care, elder care and primary or secondary education.
Young Professionals
Young Professionals is for people who already hold a signed job offer or contract that contributes to their professional development. The work must be paid and cannot be self-employment.
The job must fall under NOC TEER category 0, 1, 2 or 3. A TEER 4 job may be accepted if it matches your field of study and you submit a post-secondary diploma, certificate or degree. This category leads to an employer-specific work permit.
International Co-op (Internship)
International Co-op is for students registered at a post-secondary institution outside Canada who need a work placement or internship to complete their programme.
The placement must be directly linked to the field of study, and the permit is employer-specific. Whether the internship must be paid is decided by the labour code of the province or territory where the work takes place.
How the pools and rounds of invitations work
You submit one IEC profile. If you qualify for more than one category, you are placed in each eligible pool for your country.
IRCC then runs rounds of invitations through the season. Candidates who are drawn receive an invitation to apply (ITA) and have 10 days to accept or decline it. All deadlines run on Coordinated Universal Time, not local time.
Once you accept, you have exactly 20 days to submit a complete work permit application and pay your fees.
Quotas, spots available and your chances
A quota is the number of work permits Canada can issue for a given country and category in a season. Quotas are negotiated with each partner country and are announced before that country’s first round of invitations, so they do not all appear at the same time.
IRCC publishes weekly updates, normally on Fridays, on its rounds of invitations page. For each pool it shows the quota, invitations issued, candidates in the pool, spots available and a rating of your chances in the next round, from excellent to very low.
The department is explicit about the difference between categories. Young Professionals and International Co-op pools often have more spots than candidates, so an invitation is usual. Working Holiday is oversubscribed, candidates are selected at random, and there is a real chance of not being invited before the season closes.
IEC fees for the 2026 season
- IEC participation fee: CAN$184.75, paid by every participant after an invitation to apply
- Open work permit holder fee: CAN$100, paid by Working Holiday participants only
- Biometrics fee: CAN$85, where biometrics are required
- Employer compliance fee: CAN$230, paid by the employer through the Employer Portal for Young Professionals and International Co-op hires
The IEC fee, the open work permit holder fee and the employer compliance fee are refundable if you withdraw before a port of entry letter of introduction is issued, if the employer withdraws the job offer, or if the application is refused. Refunds are normally issued within eight weeks to the card used.
Applying for the work permit
The application is completed in your IRCC secure account and generates a personalised document checklist. Typical documents include police certificates for any country where you spent six or more months in a row since turning 18, a passport copy, a digital photo, a CV, and the IMM 5707 family information form.
Young Professionals and International Co-op applicants need an offer of employment number from their employer, beginning with the letter A. Co-op applicants also submit proof of school registration and evidence the placement is linked to their studies.
If you cannot obtain a police certificate or complete a medical exam before the 20-day deadline, you may upload proof that you have requested one. Biometrics, where required, must be given within 30 days of the instruction letter. The published processing standard is 56 days from a complete application.
Recognised organisations
Recognised organisations (ROs) are Canada-based bodies that help youth plan an IEC experience. They can help with job search, banking, accommodation, insurance and support on the ground. They are not immigration representatives and they are not employers, and most charge for their services.
IRCC currently lists seven ROs: GO International, IAESTE, the International Internship Network, A-Way to Work / International Rural Exchange Canada, Languages Canada, Stepwest and SWAP Working Holidays.
Using an RO has one concrete advantage beyond support: participants who use one gain two additional lifetime participations. You can still only hold one IEC permit per season. If you use an RO, you must upload its confirmation letter with your work permit application.
Your rights as a worker in Canada
IEC participants are covered by Canadian and provincial labour law. Employers must pay at least the applicable minimum wage, meet provincial employment standards and provide a safe workplace. No employer may take your passport or work permit.
You cannot work for an employer on IRCC’s ineligible employers list. If your rights are breached, you can report it to the government.
Staying in Canada after IEC
IEC is temporary, but the Canadian work experience it produces counts. Skilled work experience gained on an IEC permit can support an application through Express Entry, particularly under the Canadian Experience Class, or through a Provincial Nominee Program.
Plan the transition early. A one-year Working Holiday permit rarely leaves enough time to accumulate experience, secure a nomination and file a permanent residence application without a gap in status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 2026 IEC season open?
Yes. IRCC confirms the pools for the 2026 season are open and rounds of invitations are under way. Key dates, quotas and spots available are published by country and category on the rounds of invitations page, which is normally updated on Fridays.
How much does IEC cost in 2026?
The IEC participation fee for the 2026 season is CAN$184.75. Working Holiday participants also pay a CAN$100 open work permit holder fee. A CAN$85 biometrics fee may apply, and employers of Young Professionals and International Co-op participants pay a CAN$230 compliance fee.
Which countries can take part in IEC in 2026?
Thirty-six countries and territories participate, from Andorra and Australia through to Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Finland and Iceland are on the current list. Mexico and Ukraine are not on the 2026 list of open pools.
What is the age limit for International Experience Canada?
The usual range is 18 to 35, but several countries use 18 to 30, and Austria uses different ranges for different categories. Because the limits are set in each bilateral arrangement, check the official eligibility page for your country of citizenship before applying.
Do I need a job offer to apply?
Not for Working Holiday, which produces an open work permit. Young Professionals and International Co-op both require a signed job offer or contract before you submit your profile, and the employer must pay the compliance fee and submit the offer through the Employer Portal.
How long does an IEC work permit take to process?
IRCC publishes a processing standard of 56 days from the date it receives a complete application, including biometrics. Processing pauses if additional documents are requested, so gather police certificates and medical exams early.