2024 IEC Pool: How to Secure Your Spot and Work in Canada

Learn how to secure your spot in the 2024 IEC pool and work in Canada. Get valuable Canadian work experience through the IEC work permit initiative.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has initiated the 2024 International Experience Canada (IEC) pool.

The IEC serves as a work permit initiative, enabling young individuals from countries with bilateral Youth Mobility Arrangements with Canada to live and work in the country temporarily. In the current intake, nearly 90,000 applicants from more than 30 nations have the chance to acquire valuable Canadian work experience. As of today, all eligible and interested individuals can submit their IEC profiles to IRCC.

Individuals from partner nations engaged in bilateral Youth Mobility Agreements with Canada, falling within the specified age brackets (18-29, 18-30, or 18-35, depending on the applicant's nationality), may be eligible for an International Experience Canada (IEC) work permit.

Aligned with the structure of programs in Canada's Express Entry management system, the IEC operates on a candidate/applicant model. Prospective individuals can initiate the process by submitting a candidacy profile to IRCC, provided they meet all the essential eligibility criteria. Upon the department's profile selection, candidates are invited to apply for consideration to obtain a work permit. With the submission of this application, candidates transition to the status of applicants, bringing them one step closer to securing their work permit.

How does IEC work?

Within the program, candidates have the opportunity to obtain a work permit through one of three distinct streams:

1. Working Holiday Stream:

• Provides an Open Work Permit (OWP) for up to two years.

• Enables permit holders to work for a wide range of employers across various industries in Canada.

2. Young Professionals Stream:

• Issues an employer-specific (or LMIA-based) work permit.

• It is designed for individuals with a job offer intending to work exclusively with a single employer in Canada.

3. International Co-op Internship Stream:

• Allows citizens of participating countries enrolled in a post-secondary program in their home country to enter Canada.

• Permits them to engage in internships or work with a specific Canadian company.

• Requires applicants to have pre-arranged co-op placements before applying.

Am I Eligible for IEC?

Individuals seeking to apply under the IEC must:

• Hold citizenship/passport from one of the 35+ partner countries with Youth Mobility Agreements with Canada.

• Possess a valid passport for the entire duration of their stay in Canada.

• Fall within the specified age range (18-29, 18-30, or 18-35, inclusive), depending on the applicant's nationality, at the time of application.

• Demonstrate financial readiness with a minimum of CAD 2,500 upon arrival in Canada.

• Secure health insurance coverage for the entire period of their stay.

• Meet admissibility requirements to enter Canada.

• Possess, before departure, a round-trip ticket or financial means to acquire a departure ticket after their authorized stay in Canada.

• Travel without dependents.

• Fulfill the required fee payments.

How does the IEC contribute to Canada's growth?

The International Experience Canada (IEC) program is a crucial solution for addressing ongoing labor shortages in various Canadian industries, such as wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, construction, and more. By fostering bilateral agreements with partner countries through the IEC, Canada gains access to a valuable source of young labour, offering foreign and Canadian youth the opportunity to acquire international work experience. Having contributed to the Canadian workforce, the IEC workers may also become eligible for permanent immigration, thereby enhancing Canada's long-term labour force.

The stability in this year's IEC intake, coupled with the expansion observed in the previous year, underscores the pivotal role played by IEC workers in the Canadian economy. Anticipated expansion in 2024 includes the addition of Finland to the list of partner countries, as both nations are set to formalize their new youth mobility agreement in the coming year. This development highlights the program's continued significance in supporting Canada's economic growth and international collaborations.

If you want to immigrate to Canada and live in any of these cities, we can help you! Contact our consultants and book an appointment! Take advantage of our online assessment today!