7 Ways to Prepare for Your IEC Working Holiday Application to Canada

If you’re planning to apply for an IEC Working Holiday permit to Canada, you may already know that there are several conditions to meet and numerous steps to go through.

Some steps cannot be completed in advance, such as providing your biometrics.

However, there are several other aspects of the application process that you can start preparing ahead of time.

1. Ensure you have a valid passport

If you don’t have a passport, you should apply for one, as it will be required for the IEC application.

If you already have a passport, check that it is valid for at least the duration of the IEC Working Holiday permit that you want to apply for.

If your passport is due to expire soon, we recommend renewing it. While it is possible to renew a passport in the middle of the application process, doing so involves additional steps and may cause unnecessary stress for you.

In any case, when you arrive in Canada with your POE Letter of Introduction, your IEC permit will not be issued beyond the expiry date of your passport. It is therefore essential to check that your passport will remain valid for the full duration of your intended stay.

2. Save money

Canada requires IEC Working Holiday participants to show savings equivalent to at least CA$2500 when entering the country. This proof of funds is not needed when submitting your application but must be presented upon arrival in Canada.

Remember that this is only the minimum that Canadian authorities will ask you to show. In reality, you should save more than this to account for expenses relating to:

Your eventual flight to Canada
The IEC application (approx. $400)
Private medical insurance (mandatory)
Living expenses for your initial period in Canada without a job
Travel and leisure in Canada
The medical exam and police certificate (for certain applicants only)

To learn more about how much money you should save, read Budgeting for a working holiday.

IEC Working Holiday participants must have medical insurance covering medical expenses, hospitalisation, and repatriation for the duration of their permit. We’ve been recommending Globe WHV by ACS since 2005.

3. Update your CV

As a part of your application, you will need to submit a CV.

You can consider preparing it ahead of time, since it may take some time. Unlike a traditional CV used for job applications, it should allow Canadian authorities to account for all of your activities over the past 10 years.

You should therefore include periods of:

Employment
Unemployment
Studies
Extended travel
Other significant activities

Rest assured that periods of unemployment or travel will not negatively affect your application.

4. Learn about the police certificate

Certain IEC applicants may be required to provide one or more police certificates. A police certificate is typically required:

For countries where you’ve spent 6 or more months in a row since the age of 18
If you answer “yes” to any of IEC’s questions regarding past criminal offences or arrests

IMPORTANT: Applicants from some countries (including Australia, France and Japan) have exemptions or special instructions. Check if these apply to you.

The process of obtaining a police certificate varies considerably from country to country and can be lengthy or expensive. It may therefore be worthwhile researching the steps in advance, especially if you’ve lived in several countries.

Learn more about the police certificate.

5. Learn about the medical exam

Not all IEC applicants need to get a medical exam.

You may be asked by Canadian authorities to undergo a medical exam by an IRCC-approved physician if you:

Intend to work in healthcare
Intend to work with children or the elderly
Have recently spent more than 6 months in one of these countries
Declare a chronic medical condition

Your medical exam results are valid for 12 months. To make sure they don’t expire, it is recommended that you wait until you’re invited to apply before getting a medical exam.
Learn more about the medical exam.

6. Learn more about Canada

Canada is a big country! You might already know you want to go on a working holiday, but

Where do you want to live?
Do you plan to be sedentary or nomadic?
What kind of jobs do you want to apply for?
What is the cost of living in various cities?

If your plans are still taking shape, now is a good time to think about these things.

Former IEC Working Holiday participants have shared their own stories. Reading about their experiences can help inspire your own plans.

Also make sure to read our city deep dives on:

Are you ready to apply for the IEC Working Holiday permit? Read the IEC Canada application guide (for all nationalities and categories).

7. Consider other ways of moving abroad

We hope that you get selected from the IEC pool. However, competition for the Working Holiday category can be intense, as there are usually more candidates than available spots.

If you are not selected during the season, you can always try again the following year (if you are still under the age limit). In the meantime, you may wish to explore other ways of moving to Canada.

And don’t forget that many other countries also offer the Working Holiday Visa.