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By Stephanie Ford
Updated 17 seconds ago
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You can join our community to receive weekly updates covering invitation activity, key information about the IEC pool, and tips to make your season run smoothly.
IRCC’s update on January 9 came with some surprises! From Australia’s IEC programs receiving a quota for 2026 to almost 10,000 people entering the pool in the week of January 9, here’s what you need to know about the most recent IEC update:
The programs with the highest number of candidates in the pool, as of January 9, 2026 are:
IRCC plans to issue the first invitations for 2026 in the week of January 19. This means this week is the first (of many) where invitations will be issued on a lottery basis.
But, not all programs are slated to receive invitations starting January 19, based on the January 9 data.
Here’s who might see invitations starting in the week of January 19:
All other countries and programs will need to wait and see when the first round of invitations might arrive. This is usually tied to quota announcements, so we should know more as more details about quotas roll out in the coming weeks.
Remember: IEC is not a first-come, first-served program, entering the pool early allows you to participate in more invitation rounds, increasing your chances of receiving an invitation. So, don’t let the number of people in the pool already put you off submitting your profile. If anything, it’s more important than ever to get into the IEC pool early.
So far, IRCC has only published quotas for a handful of countries and programs. Here are the IEC 2026 quotas that have been confirmed as of January 9, 2026:
Working Holiday: 24 (down from 25 in 2025)
One major surprise in this year’s update: Australia IEC programs have a quota this year. In prior years, Australia didn’t have a quota, so this is a big change.
International Co-op: 17
Working Holiday: 5,670
Young Professionals: 50
For context, Australia’s working holiday program received 9,479 invitations last year. So this quota may have a big impact on competition for Australia’s working holiday program in 2026. In other words – Aussies hoping to participate this season should enter the pool as early as possible!
Working Holiday: 725 (down from 750 in 2025)
International Co-op: 2 (same as last year)
Working Holiday: 80 (same as last year)
Young Professionals: 15 (down from 18 in 2025)
International Co-op: 5 (up from 3)
Working Holiday: 130 (down from 135)
Young Professionals: 58 (down from 62)
Working Holiday: 193 (down from 200 in 2025)
International Co-op: 5 (same as last year)
Working Holiday: 82 (down slightly from 85)
Young Professionals: 10 (same as last year)
Luxembourg saw some large changes in quota for 2026, but the practical impact might be minimal. This is because Luxembourg’s IEC programs were generally undersubscribed and may not have even met the quotas last year.
International Co-op: 3 (down from 10)
Working Holiday: 42 (down from 80)
Young Professionals: 3 (down from 10)
Working Holiday: 907 (down from 940)
Young Professionals: 55 (same as last year)
Quota not yet announced for your country or program?
Read our earlier coverage for information about last year’s IEC quotas. We don’t know how they will compare to all quotas this year (2025 did see a decrease in many quotas compared to 2024). But it may help you make sense of your possible odds for receiving an invitation for 2026.
Here’s what we don’t know, based on this update:
In other words, we’re still waiting on more key announcements over the next few weeks as IRCC releases more quota details and begins issuing invitations from the week of January 19.
Updates for 2026 IEC season
Here’s the data from the most recent IRCC update:
First round of invitations: January 13, 2025
Overall quota: 63,555
Total invitations in 2025: 102,289 invitations
Final round of invitations: October 27, 2025
Candidates in the pool on October 27, 2025: 40,080
Programs with low or very low odds of receiving an invitation in the final round for 2025:
All other programs concluded the 2025 season with excellent odds of receiving an invitation.
We’re sharing this information to let potential candidates from these countries know that entering the pool early is really important for the 2026. The IEC system is a lottery system, but you improve your odds by exposing yourself to as many rounds of invitations as possible.
Get the latest IEC news straight to your inbox! Sign up for the Moving2Canada newsletter for alerts and updates on the 2026 IEC Working Holiday season.
36,816 candidates are already in the pools ahead of the first invitation round on January 19, 2026. While most quotas are still “to be announced,” a few have now been published – including a notable change for Australia, which has a Working Holiday cap of 5,670 spots this year.
IEC Pools opened for 2026. Candidates can now enter the pool and wait for the first round of invitations in 2026.
For the 2026 season, applicants are required to pay an IEC fee of CAN $184.75.
In 2025, the fee was $179.75
2025 IEC Season Closed
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, you’ll be able to create a new profile once the 2026 pools reopen and submit it to the pool for your country and program. Submitting your profile early ensures you’re considered in all rounds of invitations.
You can also begin preparing yourself for the work permit application you’ll have to submit if you receive an invitation.
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 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 2026 International Experience Canada (IEC) season opened on December 16, 2025.
Eligible candidates are able to complete these steps:
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 2026 IEC participants.
Check out the Moving2Canada Jobs Board and join our IEC Talent Pool.
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
Join 170,000+ adventurers and get insider tips, visa updates, and job resources to make the most of your International Experience Canada (IEC) adventure.
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