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Find the best health insurance providers for your 2025 IEC Working Holiday in Canada.
By Hugo O'Doherty
Updated on June 12, 2025
But knowing exactly what type of insurance you need and what your options are can be a headache. This guide will help you understand exactly what IEC health insurance is, and which providers can cover you so you can get on with the fun stuff — living and working in Canada!
You have heard or read that you need travel insurance before arriving in Canada under the IEC program. This is confusing. Once upon a time, the Government of Canada actually used the term ‘travel insurance’ in some communications to IEC candidates. Insurance providers and publishers hopped on this and marketed policies or developed guides specifying the need for travel insurance.
More recently, the Government has been clearer in its messaging, specifying that IEC health insurance is what you should be looking for. This makes sense, because the minimum coverage you need is related to healthcare, not travel. More on that in the next section.
Insurance providers, however, may continue to market insurance policies under the banner of IEC travel insurance, rather than IEC health insurance, even though the coverage may be health-related (confusing, eh?). So, it’s essential to look carefully at what you’re potentially buying.
While “IEC health insurance” and “travel insurance” might sound similar, not all travel insurance plans fulfill IEC requirements. The key is to confirm that your coverage includes the three essential coverages outlined in more detail in the paragraph below.
Another difference lies in trip duration. A working holiday under IEC can last up to two years, depending on your country of origin. Many typical travel insurance plans have shorter coverage limits. Always check that your insurer allows long-term policies that match your IEC work permit.
If you’re not clear on what the difference is – consider where the requirement is coming from: The Canadian Government. While we’re sure the government hopes you have a nice stay in Canada, it probably isn’t overly concerned about whether your luggage is lost or stolen or if you need to return home early due to an emergency. This is the typical domain of a travel insurance policy.
The Canadian government wants to protect itself from the high costs of coverage for medical emergencies. It does not want to risk being in a position to provide very expensive medical care to people who come to Canada for a short-term stay. So, your IEC health insurance policy is required essentially to cover situations where an IEC participant requires expensive medical help.
Your IEC health insurance must cover:
Don’t purchase a policy that does not clearly cover all of the above.
Thankfully, the Government of Canada is clear on what your IEC health insurance needs to cover at a minimum.
In addition, many IEC participants may choose to purchase additional coverage for certain possible outcomes. One example is additional winter sports coverage.
Pro tip: make sure sports coverage covers health outcomes specifically, as some insurance providers may market such additional coverage that only covers outcomes such as lost, stolen, or damaged property. (Don’t be that person who racked up a mega-hospital bill but had “winter sports” coverage that covered only property).
And, while winter sports coverage may be advised for those hitting the slopes, note that it is not a requirement.
IEC insurance won’t necessarily cover things you’d usually expect a travel insurance policy to cover. That’s because IEC insurance isn’t a standard travel insurance policy – it’s a policy that the Canadian government wants you to get to reduce its healthcare risk – that is, the risk that you’ll come to Canada and require expensive healthcare.
So, your IEC insurance policy won’t necessarily cover:
Plus, it won’t cover you for many losses once you’re in Canada either. Check out our detailed post to learn about 20 surprising things your IEC insurance policy won’t necessarily cover.
The Government of Canada has put this task squarely on you to figure out, with the Immigration Department (known as IRCC) stating on its website: ‘We can’t recommend specific insurance companies or plans, but you can search online for something that meets your needs.’
That’s where Moving2Canada helps. For more than 10 years we have worked with a selection of great IEC health insurance providers that offer competitive policies underwritten by reputable brands. When you come knocking asking for IEC insurance, they know exactly what you’re looking for and will be able to sort you out. Plus, these providers generally offer excellent customer service, a key attribute if you need to make a claim at a later date.
There are three factors that need to be balanced carefully if you want to find the best IEC insurance policy for your trip to Canada:
Cost is often one of the more significant factors, but we’d caution against finding the cheapest IEC-eligible policy and buying it on autopilot. The great outdoors makes up a great part of Canadian culture – so you want to make sure you can explore without risking bankruptcy once you’re here.
We covered this topic in more detail in a dedicated post about the best IEC insurance policy, including policy comparisons and important policy features. Check it out to learn more about how to choose the policy that’s best for you.
But if you’re keen to get started finding a quality IEC insurance provider right now, grab a free quote from our recommended IEC health insurance providers:
Best Quote Travel Insurance is a full-service Canadian travel insurance broker offering the widest selection of travel insurance plans for visitors to Canada. Available plans may include health coverage, coverage for up to 24 months, and coverage related to pre-existing medical conditions. Plans are available before or after leaving home. Get your quote from BestQuote today!
Best Quote Travel Insurance is available to travellers currently in:
True Traveller is a popular option for Europeans seeking mandatory insurance for International Experience Canada (IEC), including the Working Holiday program. True Traveller’s IEC insurance covers medical care, hospitalization, and repatriation, and it exceeds IRCC’s mandatory requirements. Get your quote from True Traveller today!
True Traveller policies are available to people currently in:
Getting insured through Letz Travel is a breeze. This Aussie-owned and operated provider offers competitive pricing, unlimited medical coverage, add-ons for snow sports cover, and even travel discounts so you can experience the best of Canada. Get your instant quote here.
Letz Travel policies are available to people in:
We act as a referrer only, we don’t act for or endorse or give any advice on the service provider/product and whether they are right for you generally or personally. Read the relevant provider/product information before deciding. We may receive a commission for any product issued.
The Government of Canada recommends that you buy this insurance only after you receive your port of entry (POE) letter, which is a key document you need in order to travel to Canada and obtain your work permit.
If your IEC health insurance policy is valid for less than the maximum potential validity of your work permit, you will be issued a work permit that expires at the same time as your insurance. If this happens, you will not be able to apply to change the conditions of your work permit at a later date.
Wait a moment, doesn’t Canada have a world-renowned, publicly-funded healthcare system? Yes, indeed it does. But, like many other temporary residents in Canada, IEC participants don’t get access to publicly-funded healthcare. Access to the public healthcare system is reserved for Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and some temporary residents (not including IEC participants).
Compare prices for IEC health insurance options with a free quote comparison from BestQuote.
This question is a bit of a red herring because it doesn’t relate very strongly to your need to get IEC insurance.
The answer is that you may be able to get provincial coverage in Canada, which would give you access to some publicly-funded healthcare in Canada.
But, this coverage doesn’t change the fact that you need an IEC-eligible policy to enter Canada and get your work permit.
The only reason provincial coverage is relevant is because it can, in some cases, mean that you get a partial refund for your IEC policy. This will vary depending on your insurance provider though.
If you haven’t already grabbed a free quote from the recommended providers above, start by getting a quote for your IEC health insurance from BestQuote.
But, if you do want more information about provincial health coverage in Canada, check out our comprehensive pages covering healthcare in Canadian provinces.
IMPORTANT REMINDER:
While previously referred to as travel insurance, IEC health insurance is specifically geared towards healthcare needs rather than general travel aspects. It must cover medical care, hospitalization, and repatriation, which are not typically the focus of standard travel insurance policies.
Yes, repatriation coverage is a mandatory component of IEC health insurance. It covers expenses for returning you to your country in cases of severe illness, injury, or death.
You must purchase IEC health insurance before arriving in Canada.
Costs vary based on factors like age, coverage limits, and duration. Compare at least three providers to find the right balance between cost and coverage.
Your IEC health insurance policy should be valid for the entire duration of your stay in Canada. If the policy is valid for less than your work permit’s potential validity, your work permit will be issued to match the insurance coverage period.
In some situations, yes IEC participants can access Canada’s publicly-funded healthcare system. But it depends on the province you’re living in, how many hours per week you work, and how long you’ve been with your employer. For many IEC working holiday participants, you may not be eligible. It’s best to read up on the requirements outlined by your province to be sure.
The possibility of extending IEC health insurance depends on the policy terms and the insurance provider. Participants should consult their insurance provider to understand the options for extension.
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