In the latest round of invitations of the International Experience Canada (IEC) 2024 season, 14,209 work permit invitations were sent out by the week ending February 29, 2024.
Of the 14,209 invitations, 12,972 invitations were sent out under the Working Holiday category. There are 35,974 available spots for young people from 35 countries who can apply for the Working Holiday visa. Currently, there are 29,739 eligible candidates in the pool.
751 invitations were sent for the Young Professional category, and only 486 invitations were sent for the International Co-op (internship) category.
IEC 2024 sent the second-highest number of invitations this week. The highest number of invitations were sent during the week ending January 20.
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Finland Added to IEC Member Countries List
According to the new update, Finland is now on the list of eligible IEC member countries.
Starting from March 1, 2024, Finns can submit their profiles and enter the pool for consideration. The first round of invitations will start being sent out during the week of March 11, 2024.
IEC Season 2024
The IEC 2024 season started on December 11, 2023. Now, young people from eligible countries can send their profiles to the IEC pool.
This year, IEC 2024 plans to invite over 74,000 people from 35 eligible countries.
Processing Time
As of the latest update on February 13th from IRCC, the processing time for IEC 2024 applications is 3 weeks.
Working Holiday Visa Invitations:
People invited from eligible countries under the Working Holiday category get an open work permit. This permit lets them work for almost any company in Canada.
This category is for you if:
- You don’t have a job offer yet.
- You want to work for multiple employers in Canada.
- You’d like to work in different places and make money to fund your travels.
In the latest round of invitations, 12,972 new open work permit invitations were sent out under the Working Holiday category.
Click here to learn more about Working Holiday Visa.
Young Professionals Invitations:
In the Young Professionals category, eligible applicants from certain countries are given a work visa tied to a specific employer.
To qualify in this category, you need:
- A real job offer from a Canadian company that supports your career growth.
- Commitment to work for the same company at the same place.
In the latest rounds of invitations, 751 invitations were sent in this category, providing you with a chance to gain valuable international work experience in your field of study or profession.
Click here to learn more about Young Professionals Invitations
International Co-op (Internship):
You can get a work visa for a specific employer in the International Co-op (Internship) category.
This category is for you if you:
- are a post-secondary student with a job offer for a work placement or internship in Canada.
- will complete your education through this work placement or internship.
- will work for the same employer at the same place during your time in Canada.
In the latest round of invitations, 486 invitations were sent out under the International Co-op (Internship) category.
Click here to learn more about International Co-op (Internship)
Participation Of Finland And Iceland
Finland and Iceland are joining the IEC countries in 2024. On August 4, Canada and Iceland agreed to allow young people aged 18-30 to work and travel between the two nations.
In 2024, Finland is also a part of this program. South Korean youth can participate in programs like Young Professionals and International Co-Op.
To process applications faster, automation tools will be widely used.
IEC 2024 Fees
For IEC 2024, the fee is $172 CAD. Canada encourages qualified applicants from the IEC pools to apply for a Canadian work permit every week.
The cost of your International Experience Canada application depends on the program you choose.
If you’re applying for the Working Holiday program, the fee is $100 CAD.
For Young Professionals and International Co-op candidates, there are no additional fees. However, employers of these candidates need to pay a $230 CAD employer compliance fee.
If biometrics are required, there’s an additional fee of $85 CAD when you pay the IEC fee.
In certain situations, you can get a refund for the IEC fee, open work permit holder fee, and employer compliance fees.
If you withdraw your work permit application before receiving your Port of Entry (POE) letter of introduction or if your employer withdraws their job offer before your work permit is issued, you can get a refund.
Additionally, if your work permit application is refused, you’ll receive a refund.
