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We saw 1,919 invitations issued in this week’s International Experience Canada (IEC) rounds. That brings us to 39,666 invitations sent so far in this year’s IEC season, which is well over half of the quota for this year of 63,555. (Though, remember that we will see more invitations than the quota, since not everyone who receives an invitation will accept.)
What it does mean is that we may see a slowdown in invitations going forward. We usually see the number of invitations drop after the first few larger rounds, and we’re likely at that stage now. But it does seem like there’s something brewing for working holiday candidates after this week’s draw (more on that below).
If you’re one of the lucky recipients of an invitation, you can learn more about the application process via your free Moving2Canada account (just be sure to check off the ‘invitation received’ box).
The biggest news from this week is that all working holiday programs have dropped to ‘very low’ odds of receiving an invitation next round. IRCC has not published details of why, but we can assume that it will either not issue Working Holiday invitations next week or, if it does, it will issue very few.
We know this because even the odds for countries with an unlimited quota, like Australia’s working holiday, have very low odds of receiving an invitation next round.
Turning our attention to this week’s data, here’s what we know about the draws that took place this week:
As we mentioned above, all working holiday programs have very low odds of receiving an invitation in the next round. These programs have low or very low odds of receiving an invitation in next week’s round:
Czech Republic’s First Draw
The Czech Republic saw its first round of invitations this week. The working holiday program saw 240 invitations, while the young professionals program also made the top ten with 59 invitations issued. This means almost all candidates in these pools were invited this week.
For the 2025 season, applicants are required to pay an increased IEC fee of CAN $179.75, up from the 2024 fee of CAN $172.
Here are some notable changes we saw to quotas this year:
France: The Working Holiday and Young Professionals quota decreased by over 2,000 combined.
United Kingdom: The International Co-op program and Young Professionals quota increased however the quota for the Working Holiday program decreased by 500.
Ireland: The Working Holiday quota has been significantly reduced from 10,500 in 2024 to 3,800 in 2025. While this might seem concerning at first glance, it reflects a practical adjustment. In 2024, only 5,746 invitations were issued, indicating a lower level of interest in this pool. The new quota aligns more closely with the current demand.
Australia: This year, Australians will continue to enjoy unlimited quotas.
South Korea: The Working Holiday decreased by 1,625 spots however the quota for the Young Professionals and the International Co-op program increased by 1,625 spots showing that the overall spots available for South Koreans remain the same as in 2024.
Taiwan: The Working Holiday decreased by 2,240 spots.
You can read more about this in our IEC Quota comparison.
If you’re hoping to snag an invitation through IEC, the best thing to do is plan ahead. You can start by checking your eligibility for IEC — take our free Canadian Immigration Quiz to see if you’re eligible.
First, make sure you’re eligible for one of the three IEC programs: the Working Holiday program (the most popular option), Young Professionals, and International Co-op.
If you meet the eligibility for one of the programs, the next step is to submit yourself to the pools. Submitting your profile as early as possible will guarantee that you’re considered for all invitation rounds. Invitations are issued randomly and will be sent starting January 13 (for select countries), so you want to be in the pools as early as possible.
You can also begin preparing yourself for the work permit application you’ll have to submit if you receive an invitation.
For free personalized guidance, make sure to sign up for a Moving2Canada account. Your account gives you access to tons of resources, including checklists with step-by-step instructions for your immigration process, job openings from Canadian employers looking to hire IEC participants, and much more!
Updates for 2025 IEC season- what we know so far
The first round of invitations took place in the week of January 13, with the quota for this year’s IEC season sitting at 63,555.
Get the latest IEC news straight to your inbox! To receive alerts and updates about the 2025 IEC Working Holiday Canada season, make sure you sign up for the Moving2Canada newsletter.
Effective December 23, flagpoling is no longer permitted for those in Canada as workers or students.
According to the IRCC, if you’re in Canada when you receive your POE letter of introduction, you must leave the country and re-enter to activate your work permit.
On 19 February, 2025, IRCC updated its guidance to note that “You may not be able to activate your work permit if you re-enter from the US or Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon.”
In other words, if you intend to travel to the US to activate your approved work permit, there is a high risk that such a request will be refused due to the confusion around the flagpoling issue and it’s impact on IEC workers.
Rachel walks us through how to come to Canada through IEC in 2025.
In order to come to Canada on an IEC work permit, such as the Working Holiday Visa, you need to get health insurance for the duration of your stay.
Every year, we hear stories of people who make major errors when it comes to insurance for their IEC adventure in Canada, leading to shorter-than-expect work permit durations and unnecessary medical bills. That’s why we released a video on all things health insurance. Check it out!
The 2025 International Experience Canada (IEC) season opened on December 16, 2024.
Eligible candidates are able to complete these steps:
Invitation rounds typically begin in the weeks following the season opening.
Many IEC Working Holiday participants may want to start looking for jobs in Canada before they arrive. Thankfully, we have partnered with several Canadian employers who are looking to hire 2025 IEC participants.
Check out the Moving2Canada Jobs Board.
If you’re looking for a physically demanding job with a great crew, we recommend taking a look at our partner, Young Guns Container Crew. They’re hiring labourers to help unload shipping containers in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Cornwall, Ontario (among others!). They love IECers and can offer you a job before you arrive. Apply here — or get more information by watching this video:
Please explore our many resources to help you plan your application. Research is crucial as you plan for success on your Working Holiday Canada permit.
IEC Health Insurance
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