IEC Recognized Organizations: A way to Move to (or Stay in) Canada

Repeat participation in the IEC through IEC Recognized Organizations

So, you want to stay in Canada. Let’s find out if using a recognized organization is the way to go.

If you have used up the maximum allowable participations under the specific youth mobility agreement (YMA) between your home country and Canada, you may still be able to secure another IEC work permit through a recognized organization and, if still eligible, maximize the number of lifetime participations up to two more times.

In short, it is possible to live and work in Canada for longer, using a recognized organization, without having to pursue a non-IEC immigration option. The guidance was published by Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees Canada (IRCC) on July 31, 2019.

However, for these would-be repeat participants, only two of the nine IEC recognized organizations (specifically: Stepwest and Go) are in a position to offer this option. Moreover, their respective packages are priced at CAD $4,000 or higher. So, you really have to want to stay in Canada and have limited other options in order for this to be an attractive option for you.

• Not sure of the details of your country’s agreement with Canada? Visit this page and scroll to the menu towards the bottom to select your country.

IRCC states:

Inbound foreign national youth are eligible to participate in the IEC program twice in their lifetime through a recognized organization. Participation with these recognized organizations is over and above the participation that the YMA allows.

While most second lifetime participations granted via ROs can be in the same category or a different category, some exceptions apply, e.g. Ireland, Australia.

The 2 participations are cumulative among all present, past or future recognized organizations. There is no discontinuity requirement for these individuals.

Participations that occurred before the 2016 season do not count toward the 2 participations.

 

There’s plenty to take in there, so let’s clarify a few things.

What’s an IEC Recognized organization?

IEC recognized organizations offer guidance and support to candidates who are hoping to live and work in Canada on an IEC work permit. They are private companies, authorized by the government, to provide and charge fees for their services. These fees are in addition to the program participation fees charged by the government of Canada. They are useful for those who feel they would benefit from additional help as they prepare their work permit application and become settled in Canada. They are also useful for those who initially came to Canada through the IEC program and now want to stay, provided their other options are limited.

Additionally, the participation of applicants from an IEC participating country with an employer-specific recognized organization is not included in that country’s quota. So, if a country has a quota of 1,000 spots for its citizens to participate in the IEC program, any citizens of that country who come to Canada using a recognized organization are not counted against that quota. This means that if your country has exceeded (or may soon exceed) its quota for work permits under any of the three IEC categories you may be eligible for, then a recognized organization may still be able to assist you.

IEC recognized organizations:

• provide support services to Canadian and foreign youth for IEC work and travel experiences, including assisting with finding employment, arranging transportation, securing accommodations, and helping with other logistical supports;
• promote IEC to Canadian youth; and
• support greater Canadian youth participation abroad.

In exchange, IEC recognized organizations receive a small number of IEC annual inbound quota spaces to nominate their clients for participation in the program, subject to admissibility requirements.

Note that people wishing to apply through a recognized organization must still meet all IEC eligibility requirements, which include a minimum and maximum age requirement. Moreover, in the list of recognized organizations below you may notice that some IEC recognized organizations may have a specific mandate to assist workers in specific industries or internship programs. If you wish to take part in a Working Holiday (and therefore enjoy an open work permit), take note below of which IEC recognized organizations help with this type of work permit and do not specify particular industries or internships, as these organizations are more likely to be able to assist you in your objective.

What’s the discontinuance requirement, and who is affected by it?

Some youth mobility agreements include a discontinuance requirement, though most do not (you can check the requirement for your country here). People from countries that have this requirement need to wait a defined period from the expiration of their previous IEC work permit before being eligible to apply again.

Unlike some applicants who apply exclusively through an IEC program (without the assistance of a recognized organization), those who wish to apply for a repeat participation through a recognized organization are not subject to to the discontinuance requirement (even if the details for their country in the page linked in the paragraph above say that such a requirement exists). In essence, this means that there is no waiting period required from the expiration of your previous IEC work permit before being eligible to apply for a repeat participation with a recognized organization.

How can I Apply to Participate Again in the IEC Program Using an RO?

Step 1: Identify a recognized organization that could potentially help you, based on the details per organization in the tables below. Currently, only Go and Stepwest are offer repeat participation for those from IEC-eligible countries who previously obtain an IEC work permit.

Step 2: Reach out directly to the given recognized organization for details on eligibility and process. A link to each organization’s website is placed above each table below.

Step 3: This may depend on the situation. Variables may include: your country of citizenship, the IEC category you intend to apply under, and the recognized organization assisting you. If you have any difficulty navigating the process, Moving2Canada offers:

• For Facebook users, an IEC group
• A list of recommended immigration consultants who may assist you with your questions

IEC Recognized Organizations (OR): For Countries That don’t have a YMA with Canada

If your country is not one of the IEC participating countries, then a recognized organization may be able to help you participate in the program, as they can utilize their own private quota of work permits. Some IEC recognized organizations receive applications from citizens of specific countries, including the United States, Brazil, India, China, Iceland, Singapore, and Pakistan. Updated information is below.

IEC Recognized Organizations List 2025

The  IEC recognized organizations that offer their services to participants under specific IEC categories are listed below. All of them offer services to and from countries and territories that have a youth mobility agreement (YMA) with Canada. Conditions listed below are for IEC participation in Canada. In some cases, IEC recognized organizations have been granted nomination quotas for work permit categories that are not part of the negotiated youth mobility agreements. In these cases, the maximum validity period for a participation is 24 months.

Aiesec Canada
Go international work & travel providers
IAESTE
International Internship Network
A-Way to Work / International Rural Exchange (IRE)
Languages Canada
Stepwest
Swap working holidays

AIESEC Canada

AIESEC Canada is a non-profit organization that develops leadership in youth through international exchanges.

GO International Work & Travel Providers is a Canadian organization that offers work and travel opportunities to Canadian and foreign nationals.

IAESTE offers student and professional-internship opportunities in technical-career-related fields to Canadians and foreign nationals.

International Internship Network

The International Internship Network offers personalized academic internship/co-op and working holiday programs for post-secondary students and youth from specific countries.

IRE is a Canadian organization that offers paid placements in agriculture, horticulture and viticulture to individuals with experience or education in Canada or overseas.

Stepwest and Stepabroad, a program for Canadian youth, facilitate work experiences in Canada and abroad. Their multi-award nominated program portfolio ranges from paid ski resort jobs to industry-specific student internships.

SWAP Working Holidays facilitates working holidays, young professional work and travel opportunities for Canadians and foreign nationals.

IEC Recognized Organizations FAQ’s

If my country has a YMA, do I still need a Recognized Organization (RO) to apply?

You may be able to apply for a work permit without needing a recognized organization.

If you are from one of the IEC participating countries, aged between 18 and 35, and have never previously applied for an IEC work permit, you can save around $4,000 by applying to the program directly, rather than with the assistance of a recognized organization.

The same opportunity is available if you are from one of these countries, aged between 18 and 30, and have never previously applied for an IEC work permit: Austria, Belgium, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden, United Kingdom.

Sure, recognized organizations can help with job opportunities, application preparation, and orientation after landing in Canada, but if you feel (as many do) that this does not justify the price tag, we encourage you to head over to our IEC section to get moving on your application, no recognized organization required.

Can I work in Canada through a Recognized Organization (RO) if I’m over 35?

If you are over 35 years old, you are not eligible to participate in the International Experience Canada (IEC) program—even if you apply through a Recognized Organization (RO).