Latest IEC Working Holiday Canada News

10,274 Invitations Issued in First Week of the 2025 IEC Season

Despite some pre-draw uncertainty about what 2025 would look like for IEC participants, today’s data shows over 10,000 invitations went out in the first week of IEC draws. While this is generally good news, there were over 12,000 invitations sent out in the first round last year, so we are seeing some of the impacts of reduced immigration targets in 2025 reflected in the IEC draws.

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).

Key Trends from the January 17 Invitation Data

Here’s what we know about the draws that took place this week:

Highest Number of Invitations This Round

• Korea’s Working Holiday program saw 1,514 invitations.
• United Kingdom Working Holiday – 1,500
• Australia Working Holiday — 1,150
• France International Co-op – 788
• Ireland Working Holiday – 700
• France Working Holiday – 615
• Italy Working Holiday – 518
• Spain Working Holiday – 416
• France Young Professionals – 390
• NZ Working Holiday – 355.

Low Odds of Receiving An Invitation Next Round

These programs have low or very low odds of receiving an invitation in next week’s round:

• France — Working Holiday
• Costa Rica — Working Holiday
• Costa Rica — Young Professionals
• Taiwan — Working Holiday.

The demand for these programs is extremely strong. While draws are always random and you may secure a spot this year (plus, allocations for these programs are not yet exhausted), you may want to consider whether another program may work for you this year.

Some Pools Are Still Closed
Several programs for Germany (all three categories), Japan (Working Holiday), Chile, and the Czech Republic are listed as “Pool close” with statuses like “To be announced.” No current invitation numbers are available for these, so prospective applicants must wait for further updates. We had hoped that IRCC would update these pools this week.

What’s New For 2025?

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.

Despite the program opening, a complete list of quotas has not yet been announced. To maximize your chances and ensure you don’t miss out, it’s crucial to submit your profile as soon as possible.

With the incomplete quota information we have, here are some notable changes:

France: The Working Holiday and Young Professionals quota decreased by over 2,000 combined however the quota for the International Co-op program increased by almost 3,000.

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.

Haven’t entered the pool yet? Here’s what to do (ASAP)

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!

Quotas & invitations for the 2025 IEC season

Updates for 2025 IEC season- what we know so far

The first round of invitations will be in the week of January 13 for the countries below with a listed quota. Those awaiting a quota will also need to wait for further announcements about pool opening dates. As of January 10, 2024, there are  38,614 applicants across the IEC pools.

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.

The Ban on Flagpoling and How It Could Affect Your IEC Status

Effective December 23, flagpoling is no longer permitted for those in Canada as workers or students. However, it is not clear if this change impacts IEC workers in Canada who have already received a port of entry (POE) introduction letter. What we do know is that we are seeing those with a POE being turned away at land borders with the US.

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 at any port of entry to activate your work permit and, if you plan to leave and re-enter Canada through the United States, you must meet US immigration requirements.

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.

• Learn more about these risks and less risky options for activating IEC your work permit without flagpoling.

Keep in mind that efforts are underway to reduce the burden on Canada’s borders, so be sure to check the latest rules before activating your new status to make sure this hasn’t changed. Also, some border locations have reduced hours for these services, so check the hours at your planned crossing point

How to move to Canada through IEC: VIDEO

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 IEC season

The 2025 International Experience Canada (IEC) season opened on December 16, 2024.

Eligible candidates are able to complete these steps:

1. Submit a profile: Submit a profile through your IRCC account in order to be considered for an invitation. If you submitted a profile in previous years, you can use the same account, but you have to create a new profile.
2. Receive an invitation: In order to apply for a work permit, first you have to be invited. Invitations are issued each week through a randomized lottery system. The earlier you’re in the pool, the more invitation rounds you’ll be considered for.
3. Submit a work permit application: If you receive an invitation, you then have 10 days to accept or decline the invitation. If you accept, you have 20 days from that moment to prepare and submit your application.

Invitation rounds typically begin in the weeks following the season opening.

Finding a job for the 2025 IEC season

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.

Young Guns Container Crew

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:

Further help with your Working Holiday Canada application

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.

Other IEC Working Holiday Canada Resources

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

Articles

• Read our FAQ guide for IEC permits
• Find out which documents you need for your IEC application
• Learn about 5 avoidable mistakes IEC applicants make
• Visit our full IEC portal for more articles
• 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’)