IEC 2025 Season Closing: Final Invitations to Be Issued the Week of October 20

This means that if you’re still hoping for a chance to live, work, and travel in Canada through the Working Holiday, Young Professionals, or International Co-op (Internship) categories, time is almost up. 

Key Deadlines and Details 

• Final round of invitations: Week of October 20, 2025

• Deadline to submit profiles: 9 a.m. Eastern Time, October 20, 2025

• Applies to: Working Holiday, Young Professionals, and International Co-op pools

• If invited before the closing: You can still finish your work permit application after the season officially ends 

When Will The 2025 IEC Season Close? 

To be considered for the final draw, you must submit your IEC profile before 9 a.m. Eastern Time on October 20, 2025. After this deadline, no new profiles will be accepted for the 2025 season. 

This marks the official end of the 2025 IEC season. Once the final invitations are issued, no further invitations will be sent out for the year across any of the IEC categories. 

Those who are still in the pool will either receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) during the final week or will need to wait until the 2026 season opens to try again. 

If you’ve already received an invitation or have started your work permit application, don’t worry – you can still complete and submit your work permit even after the rounds of invitations have concluded. 

What If You Don’t Get an Invitation? 

If you don’t receive an invitation in the final round, it’s not the end of the road. The 2026 IEC season is expected to open in late December 2025, with the first invitations typically issued in January.  

Once the 2025 IEC season officially closes, all remaining profiles in the pool will be removed. If you haven’t received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) by that time, your profile will be removed from the pool, and you’ll need to submit a new one when the 2026 IEC season opens. 

This gives you a few months to prepare: 

• Review your eligibility

• Gather or renew your supporting documents (like your passport and police certificates)

• Keep an eye on updates from IRCC and Moving2Canada

When the new pools open, you’ll be ready to submit your profile right away. 

Looking Ahead to the 2026 IEC Season

While IRCC hasn’t yet shared any specific updates for next year, temporary resident levels planning – which includes IEC participants could influence the overall number of available spots. 

However, these figures are determined through country-to-country agreements, and there is no information currently available for country quotas for the 2026 season. We’ll share more once the 2026 program details are confirmed. 

The closing of the IEC 2025 season ends another exciting year for young travellers and professionals coming to Canada. 

If you’ve already received your invitation, congratulations! If not, make sure your profile is submitted before the deadline to give yourself one last shot this year. 

And for those already looking ahead to next year, the Moving2Canada team will continue to bring you the latest IEC news, updates, and expert guidance to help you prepare for the 2026 season. 

Sign up for a free Moving2Canada account to receive IEC updates, personalized immigration resources, and early alerts when the 2026 season opens.