17,000 Candidates Already In The IEC Pool For 2025

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) just released data showing the number of candidates who have joined the IEC pool for 2025 – and it shows extremely high demand for the program. Just in case you don’t read any further, we want to reiterate that entering the IEC pool early might be key to getting an invitation this year. 

Key Takeaways

• Entering the IEC pool early may be key for success in 2025. 
• If you’re in a high-demand program, you may want to consider alternatives – such as a different International Experience Canada (IEC) program (like Young Professionals or International Co-op).  
• The number of candidates in the pool for the France Working Holiday program is already extremely high. Demand for this program will very likely outstrip supply in 2025. 

Top Ten Highest Candidate Pool Entries After One Week in IEC 2025

These are the International Experience Canada (IEC) programs with the most candidates in the pool on December 20, 2024. Bear in mind that these are the candidates who joined the pool in the first week since the program opened last Friday:

1. France Working Holiday program – 6,529 candidates in the pool.
2. Chile Working Holiday program – 2,675 candidates in the pool.
3. Korea Working Holiday program – 2,477 candidates in the pool.
4. United Kingdom Working Holiday program – 1,693 candidates in the pool.
5. Australia Working Holiday program – 383 candidates in the pool.
6. France International Co-op program – 382 candidates in the pool.
7. Japan Working Holiday program – 302 candidates in the pool.
8. Costa Rica Working Holiday program – 250 candidates in the pool.
9. Taiwan Working Holiday program – 246 candidates in the pool.
10. Germany Working Holiday program – 242 candidates in the pool.

As you can see, there is already very strong demand for the France, Chile, Korea, and United Kingdom working holiday programs.

France’s working holiday program quota is 6,615, so the number of candidates in the pool is only 86 fewer than the current quota for the year. For reference, Korea’s working holiday program quota is 10,000, meanwhile the UK and Chile’s working holiday program quotas still need to be announced. So the number of candidates in the pool for the French working holiday program is exceptionally high, given the spots available.

• Get more information about the quotas and number of candidates in the pool on our working holiday news hub page.

When Should You Enter The IEC Pool?

Regardless of the demand in your program, it’s always better to enter the pool as early as you can. So, if you’re considering entering the pool, we suggest doing it now. After all, you have one year to enter Canada after your working holiday permit is approved.