IEC pools for certain countries opening for 2021

Shelby Thevenot, Michael Schwartz
Published: February 26, 2021

Canada will be opening up the International Experience Canada (IEC) pool for certain countries on March 1.

Those who are selected will be eligible to work in Canada. IEC is open to young adults who are citizens of foreign countries which have reciprocal agreements with Canada. The eligible age range depends on the country, but usually falls between 18 and 35 in some cases. Moreover, work permits under the IEC do not require a Labour Market Impact Assessment.

There are three different categories under the IEC: Working Holiday, Young Professionals, and International Co-op.

Normally, Working Holiday visa holders do not need a job offer to land in Canada, but that has changed due to travel restrictions. For now, everyone coming to Canada under the IEC needs a valid job offer, and a Letter of Introduction. They must also comply with the COVID-19 testing requirements, and mandatory quarantine.

Get help with Canadian work permits

The following pools are scheduled to be open March 1. The quotas indicate how many profiles will be selected from the IEC pool for each country:

CountryWorking Holiday QuotaYoung Professional QuotaInternational Co-op Quota
AustraliaUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
Belgium750xx
Chile725205
Costa Rica80155
Czech Republic1,0001455
Denmark350xx
France7,1002,2004,250
Greece1801010
Hong Kong200xx
Ireland10,50015050
Italy1,000xx
Japan6,500xx
Luxembourg8010TBA
Norway130155
Portugal1,75020050
San Marino25xx
Slovakia315305
South Korea4,000xx
Spain80015050
Sweden58010020
Switzerlandx20050
Taiwan9405010
United Kingdom5,000xx

Here is a brief overview of each IEC category.

Working Holiday

The Working Holiday pathway normally allows participants to come to Canada without a job offer, and to work at any job they find here. Since the onset of COVID-19, however, participants must line up a job before coming to Canada.

Since participants under this program get an open work permit, they can work for any employer in Canada. It allows for a more customizable experience, as it is possible to change employers, or move locations with this permit.

Young Professionals

The Young Professionals Pathway is designed to hone professional skills. Accordingly, participants must have a professional job offer in Canada that falls under National Occupation Classification (NOC) Skill Levels 0, A, or B.

The jobs must be payed and they cannot be self-employed. The work permit under this category is employer-specific, meaning the holder must stay with the employer named on the permit.

International Co-op

The International Co-op category is for students who need to do an internship or work placement in Canada to complete their studies.

Participants will have to stay with the same employer at the same location for the duration of their time in Canada.

Get help with Canadian work permits

© CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.

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