Introduction to the Canada Working Holiday permit

Quota system, selection process and application period

Every year, the Government of Canada set a quota for each partner country for each IEC category (Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op Internship). The number of permits released varies greatly from one country to another.

How are Working Holiday permit applicants selected?

As we mentioned earlier in this guide, applicants aren’t selected based on their work experience, professional background, education or plans for their work permit. If you want to apply for a Working Holiday, you have to create a free online IEC profile and submit it to the pool. There is one pool of eligible candidates per country and per permit category. The Government of Canada regularly draws profiles at random and issues Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates in the IEC pools during the IEC season. If your profile is drawn, you receive an ITA. There are several rounds of invitations during each season and your profile will stay in the pool until the end of the season.

Keep in mind that Canada is a popular destination for Working Holiday applicants. Therefore:

• You could have to wait for several months before receiving an ITA.
• You may not receive an ITA at all, since there are usually more applicants than spots available. You can submit a profile to future IEC seasons if you do not receive an ITA during the current IEC season.

When should I submit a profile? When does the IEC season start?

You can submit a profile to the pool anytime throughout the year, so long as you submit before the last round of invitation. The program runs in year-long “seasons,” usually from mid-autumn to mid-autumn. There are no specific dates, so keep an eye on announcements and updates from the Government of Canada.

The 2024 pools are currently open to applicants.

Profiles are removed from the pools at the end of the season. Therefore, if you didn’t receive an ITA and you’re still interested in applying for a Working Holiday, you will have to submit your profile when the next season starts and the pools open again.

Should I wait to submit my profile to the pool?

Logically, the earlier you submit the profile to the pool, the higher your chances are to receive an ITA, since you will go through several rounds of invitation. That said, it’s still just luck! Sometimes, candidates enter at the last minute and are drawn right away.

In a few cases, you shouldn’t apply too early. For instance:

• If you’re planning to travel to Canada in more than a year from the date of the beginning of the IEC season. Your Port of Entry (POE) Letter of Introduction (i.e. the letter informing you your application for a permit was approved) is only valid for 12 months. You must come to Canada before the date written in the “Permit validity” box, otherwise your POE Letter of Introduction will expire. If you receive an ITA too early, it’s best to decline it. To avoid this issue, you probably shouldn’t submit your profile to the pool too early.
• If you don’t have a valid passport.
• If you haven’t turned 18 yet.

Only submit your profile if you’re sure you can go to Canada in the 12 months to come!

How much does a Working Holiday permit application cost?

In total, application fees are CA$357:

• You have to pay the IEC participation fee (CA$172)
• You also have to pay the open work permit holder fee (CA$100)
• Biometrics fee (CA$85)

Note that there are no fees to submit a profile to an IEC pool—fees are due when you submit the completed IEC application form, if you receive and accept an ITA. The fees can be refunded if your work permit application is refused (unless you submitted false information) or if you withdraw your work permit application before the POE letter of introduction is issued.