Last chance for young professionals from select countries to be considered for LMIA-exempt work permits under International Experience Canada in 2025

If you wish to be considered for an International Experience Canada (IEC) work permit in 2025, your window to submit a candidate profile is closing.

Eligible foreign youth (aged 18–35 or 18–30) from participating countries must submit a profile before 9 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on October 20, 2025.

Schedule a Free IEC Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will be conducting the final round of invitations for the 2025 season during the week of October 20.

Because demand for IEC work permits typically exceeds available spots, the IEC operates on a lottery system.

Eligible foreign youth first submit an online Expression of Interest (EOI) profile, and if selected, can then submit their application for a work permit.

Eligible youth who miss the 20 Oct deadline for this year will need to wait until the 2026 IEC pools open in January.

Eligible nationalities

The table below shows which nationalities can get a work permit through the IEC, as well as the maximum eligible age for each country.

As of October 10, all participating countries have open IEC pools, except the Netherlands.

Country	Upper age limit
Andorra	30
Australia	35
Austria	35
Belgium	30
Chile	35
Costa Rica	35
Croatia	35
Czech Republic	35
Denmark	35
Estonia	35
Finland	35
France	35
Germany	35
Greece	35
Hong Kong	30
Iceland	30
Ireland	35
Italy	35
Japan	30
Korea, Rep.	35
Latvia	35
Lithuania	35
Luxembourg	35
Netherlands	30
New Zealand	35
Norway	35
Poland	35
Portugal	35
San Marino	35
Slovakia	35
Slovenia	35
Spain	35
Sweden	30
Switzerland	35
Taiwan	35
United Kingdom	35

You can use check your chances of receiving an ITA in the upcoming invitation round under a specific IEC category using this Government of Canada resource.

Simply input your country or territory of citizenship and select the category of interest.

You will be informed whether your chances of getting an ITA are

Excellent (80% to 90%);
Very good (60% to 79%);
Fair (40% to 59%);
Low (20% to 39%); or
Very low (1% to 19%).

Schedule a Free IEC Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm

About the International Experience Canada Program

The IEC program enables eligible young foreign nationals from specific countries to obtain Canadian work permits through one of three distinct categories:

These permits are issued under reciprocal international agreements promoting youth mobility, allowing participants to temporarily live and work in Canada, while granting Canadian youth access to similar experiences abroad.

You may be eligible to apply through one or more IEC categories. To qualify for the IEC program, you must

Be a citizen or legal resident of a country or territory with a youth mobility agreement with Canada;
Be between 18 and 30 or 35 years old (depending on your country of citizenship);
Hold private health insurance and a passport that is valid for the entire duration of your stay in Canada;
Demonstrate access to at least $2,500 in funds to support yourself while in Canada; and
Have a round-trip plane ticket or demonstrate sufficient funds to leave Canada at the end of your stay.

There are also category-specific requirements you must meet. A job offer is required for all categories except Working Holiday.

IEC work permits are exempt from the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process.

How to apply for the IEC

To get an IEC work permit, you need to complete and submit a candidate profile to IRCC.

Candidate profiles are then entered into one or more IEC candidate pools. Based on your profile, IRCC will inform you of which pool(s) you qualify for.

Once in the pool, you can then be issued an ITA for a work permit in the next invitation round. To see when these rounds occur, visit IRCC’s official webpage and select your country and the applicable category.

Should you be issued an ITA, you must accept it within 10 days and apply for an IEC work permit within 20 days.

To apply for the IEC work permit, take the following steps:

Complete the online form in your IRCC Secure Account.
Upload the necessary documentation (IRCC will generate a personalized document checklist for you).
Pay the required fees.
- All participants must pay $179.75.
- Participants of the Working Holiday category pay an additional $100 OWP holder fee.
- Young Professionals and International Co-op (Internship) participants must ensure their employers pay the $230 employer compliance fee.
- A biometrics fee may be required ($85).
Submit your application to IRCC.

Schedule a Free IEC Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm