What to Declare in Your IEC Work History (and Why It Matters)

This article breaks down what IRCC expects in your IEC work history once you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) and begin completing your full application. We also explain why being accurate at this stage matters – because the information you submit now becomes part of your immigration record and may need to match future applications, including Express Entry.

Understand What IRCC Is Really Asking For 

Although the section is often referred to as “work history,” what IRCC is really building is a continuous timeline of what you’ve been doing. You will need to complete this whether you are applying for a Working Holiday, Young Professional, or International Co-op. 

In International Experience Canada (IEC) applications, you must declare your activities for: 

• The last 10 years, or

• Since your 18th birthday (whichever is more recent) 

There must be no unexplained gaps. IRCC wants to know what you were doing, whether that was working, studying, travelling, or unemployed. It’s less about judging your employment and more about documenting your timeline. 

Full-Time Study: Yes, Include it 

If you were studying full-time, you should declare “Student” as your activity during that period. Many applicants hesitate because they think “work history” only means you include paid employment. That’s not the case, there should be no gaps. If your primary activity was studying, list it clearly with accurate dates. 

Properly declaring study periods ensures your timeline remains complete and avoids unnecessary gaps between jobs. 

Paid Employment: Include It Even If It’s Part-Time 

Any paid job should be declared, regardless of: 

• How many hours you worked.

• Whether it was temporary. 

This includes student jobs, casual roles, weekend shifts, seasonal positions, and on-campus employment. Even if a job lasted only a few weeks or months, it should be listed with correct dates. Leaving out short-term or part-time roles is one of the most common mistakes applicants make. 

Internships and Work Placements 

When completing your IEC work history, you are required to declare all employment, not just paid roles. This can include internships, volunteer positions, work placements, and other unpaid roles. The purpose is to provide a full and continuous record of your experience. Even if you were not paid, the role still should be included in your work history. 

Periods of Unemployment 

Unemployment is not a problem but not declaring it can be. If you had months where you were not studying or working, list that period honestly as unemployed (or travelling, studying, if applicable). IRCC does not penalize applicants for being unemployed. They do, however, question unexplained gaps in your work history. Trying to smooth over gaps by adjusting dates is far riskier than simply declaring the period accurately. 

Travel and Other Activities 

If you took extended time to travel or handle personal matters, those periods should also be declared if you had gaps in employment during this time. Even if these activities don’t fit neatly into work, they still should be reflected in your timeline. 

Why Being Accurate Now Protects Future Applications 

Even though IEC is a temporary permit, what you submit becomes part of your immigration record. If you later apply for another permit or permanent residence (including Express Entry), you may be asked to provide your employment history again. If your work history becomes inconsistent, or jobs appear later that weren’t declared earlier, you can end up spending time explaining discrepancies or risking your application being refused/rejected. 

Most issues here are unintentional – people estimate dates, forget short roles, or simplify their work history. But the easiest way to avoid stress later is to be careful now. Check old contracts, payslips, or emails if you need to confirm start and end dates. Consistency is your friend. 

Your IEC work history isn’t about presenting a polished career narrative. It’s about giving IRCC a clear, accurate timeline. Include all paid employment, don’t leave gaps, and make sure periods of unemployment or travel are listed where they apply. If you approach it that way, you’ll not only reduce the chance of delays now, but you’ll also make future applications much easier to keep consistent. 

Join the Moving2Canada Community to get IEC news, quota updates, and practical tips sent straight to your inbox.