IEC Young Professionals: Fast-Track Your Career in Canada

What is the IEC Young Professionals Program?

Young Professionals is one of the streams under the International Experience Canada (IEC) program, and it is designed for those who wish to further their careers by gaining professional work experience in Canada.

IEC Young Professionals candidates will need to have a valid job offer in Canada prior to their arrival, and participants will need to work for the same employer, in the same location, during their stay in Canada.

The IEC Young Professionals permit offers a number of advantages compared to the IEC Working Holiday Visa in Canada:

• Demand for these permits usually does not exceed supply, meaning eligible candidates enjoy a high chance of obtaining one.
• In some countries, a second participation in IEC is allowed, so long as it’s in the Young Professionals or International Co-Op category. This means former IEC Working Holiday participants can avail of additional time in Canada.

If you are on an IEC work permit and want to remain in Canada, learn how and when you may be able to benefit from maintained status.

IEC Young Professionals: Who can apply?

Citizens of the countries below can create a profile to be considered for a Young Professionals work permit. Age eligibility and maximum validity varies from country to country.

IEC Young Professionals: Eligibility

To be eligible for an IEC Young Professionals work permit, candidates must:

• Have a signed letter proving a job offer, or a contract of employment, for a role which, as IRCC states, “adds to your professional development”. This is defined as a job with a National Occupational Classification (NOC) Training, Education, Experience, Responsibilities (TEER) category 0, 1, 2, or 3. A TEER 4 job might be accepted if the applicant can submit a post-secondary diploma, certificate or degree with their work permit application, demonstrating a direct link to their field of study. This rule also applies to those intending to work in the agricultural industry. Under the IEC Young Professionals category, the candidate must always demonstrate that an employer-employee relationship exists.
• The employment offer must be within the applicant’s field of expertise.
• Be a citizen (passport holder) of one of the countries that participate in IEC and have a profile in the Young Professionals pool.
• Have a valid passport for the duration of their stay in Canada (the work permit issued will not be longer than the validity of the passport).
• Be between the ages of 18 and 30 or 35 (inclusive) at the time of application. The upper age limit depends on the applicant’s country of citizenship, as outlined in the ‘Who can apply?’ section above.
• Have the equivalent of at least CAD$2,500 on landing to help cover initial expenses.
• Be able to take out health insurance for the full duration of their IEC permit (participants may have to present evidence of this insurance at the point of entry in Canada). View providers and get quotes on our health insurance for Canada page.
• Be admissible to Canada.
• Have, prior to departure, a round-trip ticket or the financial resources to purchase a departure ticket for the end of their authorized stay in Canada.
• Not be accompanied by dependants.
• Pay the appropriate fees.
• Citizens of certain countries are also required to be resident in their country of citizenship at the time they apply for their IEC work permit.

How to get an IEC Young Professionals work permit

Interested IEC Young Professionals candidates will first need to complete the ‘Come to Canada’ questionnaire on the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website. This will give an initial indication of eligibility for an IEC Young Professionals work permit.

You may then create a profile, and choose to be entered into the IEC Young Professionals pool for your country.

IRCC will select candidates at random from the pool, and provide them with an ‘invitation to apply’, or ITA, for a work permit.

At this stage, applicants will need to upload all supporting documentation, and pay the IEC participation fee. In recent years, this fee has been CAD $179.75.

Employers will also need to pay a C$230 Employer Compliance fee through their online Employer Portal. Once this is paid, they’ll receive an Offer of Employment number, which the applicant will then need to supply along with their application.

For a detailed list of Costs and Fees, read our full article: How much does it cost to move to Canada through IEC?

Once you submit your IEC Young Professionals application, staff at IRCC will spend approximately eight weeks assessing it, and may request additional documents during this process.

When you land in Canada on your young professionals work permit, make sure you bring a copy of your offer of employment letter. It is important that you also know your rights as an foreign worker in Canada. IRCC offers a great guide on this.

• Read our IEC Canada FAQ guide for more advice.

Further help with your IEC work permit application

Please explore our many resources to help you plan your application. Research is crucial as you plan for success in Canada.

IEC Health Insurance

• Health insurance is a mandatory requirement for IEC — compare prices for IEC health insurance options with a free quote comparison from BestQuote

More resources to prepare for your IEC:

• Read our FAQ guide for IEC permits
• Find out which documents you need for your IEC application
• Biometrics for IEC
• Make sure you understand everything about police certificates
• Learn about 5 avoidable mistakes IEC applicants make
• Where to buy your health insurance for Canada (note: this is a mandatory IEC requirement).
• What are your alternatives when you can’t immigrate through IEC? 

Facebook

• Join our IEC Working Holiday group on Facebook
• Get updates on our Moving2Canada Facebook page

Employment tips

• For construction and engineering jobs, visit our Outpost Recruitment agency
• How to adapt to the resume format in Canada (or ‘CV’)

Your Canada Young Professional Visa FAQs Answered

Can I apply for a study permit after the Young Professionals IEC?

Yes, you can apply for a study permit after participating in the Young Professionals program. However, you must meet the eligibility requirements for a study permit, including:

• A letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution (DLI)
• Proof of financial support
• Other documentation as required by IRCC

Can you change employer on a Young Professionals IEC work permit?

No, the Young Professionals work permit is employer-specific, meaning:

• You must work for the same employer at the same location for the duration of your stay.
• If you want to change employers, you must apply for a new work permit and get approval before starting the new job

Can you extend IEC Young Professionals?

In most cases, IEC permits cannot be extended. However, you may be eligible to:

• Apply for another IEC category (if your country allows multiple participations)
• Apply for a different type of work permit (e.g., employer-sponsored LMIA-based permit)
• Use a Recognized Organization (RO) to re-enter the IEC pool if you’re from a non-partner country
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How Companies hire under IEC Young Professionals?

Canadian employers can hire youth through the Young Professionals stream by:

• Offering a job that contributes to the applicant’s professional development
• Ensuring the job is in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 of the National Occupation Classification (NOC)
• Providing a valid job offer and complying with all provincial labour laws
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Employers do not need an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) for IEC participants.

Is Young Professionals the same as an IEC open work permit?

No, they are different:

• Young Professionals: Employer-specific work permit (you must work for one employer).
• Working Holiday: Open work permit (you can work for almost any employer in Canada)