Servica : International Experience Canada Program

If you’re looking forward to traveling to Canada and living temporarily for work or professional experience, here’s a golden opportunity to fulfill your dreams.

Canada is inviting applications for its prestigious International Experience Canada Program (IEC) for the 2022 round.

What is IEC?

International Experience Canada (IEC) mainly comprises a set of  three programs for young people around the globe to travel to Canada to live and work temporarily. A major advantage of applying through the IEC program is that foreign nationals who are successfully admitted will become eligible to apply for a Canadian work permit without undergoing the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). The work permit under IEC extends for about a year.

The three programs under IEC are:

• Working Holiday : The Working Holiday Visa is granted to individuals who wish to have the liberty to work under any employers while travelling to Canada. relatively relaxed requirements. Applicants interested in this program need to check upon the quotas of their respective countries. This will help to gauge the estimated probability of their selection.
• Young Professionals : This program is for those foreign nationals who have already bagged a job offer from a Canadian employer. The position can be Skill Level 0, A or B under the National Occupation Classification (NOC) to be considered under this program.
• International Co-op Internship : This program caters to the needs of students who wish to pursue an internship or job placement in Canada as a part of their post-secondary education. Under this category, students are required to do employer-specific work to gain experience in their field of study.

What is the eligibility to apply?

To apply under the IEC, applicants should be between the age group 18 to 35. The country of citizenship should have an agreement with Canada allowing the foreign national to apply for a work permit. Currently, there are forty such countries where the exchange can take place.

The number of candidates invited to apply during each round varies every year. For 2022, Canadian immigration officials have clarified that the profiles created during or after the season last year still hold validity.

Canada’s current travel restrictions permit only fully-vaccinated participants to travel as mentioned by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

How to apply?

IEC work permits are based on a  randomized draw system. The chances of selection depends upon the quota for each program and country.

1. After confirming that your nation is a participating country and checking eligibility, create a profile.
2. If selected, you’ll receive an ITA (Invitation to Apply). Remember, once you accept your ITA, you have exactly 20 days to submit your work permit application.
3. Fill out the form and answer all the questions truthfully and completely.
4. Don’t forget to click on ‘validate’ at the end of each form to avoid blank fields in your application.
5. Once the application is completed, the system will generate a personalized document checklist for you.
6. Keep the professional documents and medical records handy to avoid the last minute rush.