IEC 2026 season: everything we know (dates, invitations, quotas)

No, any profiles that are not selected by the end of the 2025 season will be automatically deleted from the pools. You will have to submit your profile to the pools again when they reopen for the 2026 season.

There is only one official website: Canada.ca. Beware of any scam websites.

Although you can’t apply on our website, Pvtistes.net does have a step-by-step tutorial that helps thousands of you submit your application without mistakes each year.

There are currently Recognised Organisations (ROs) that have been approved by the Government of Canada. Candidates will pay an RO to guarantee a secured IEC spot, so they don’t have to wait to be drawn from the pools at random.

However, you can no longer count on using an RO. They are victims of their own success; they have limited space on their waitlists and receive increasingly high demand. Waiting lists open as early as December and these lists fill within minutes of opening.

Furthermore, ROs have not yet guaranteed they will be operating for the 2026 season. Many organisations have said they are unsure if the program will be going ahead next year or in future years. This is potentially because of Canada’s ongoing crackdown on immigration.

Yes, it is free to submit your profile to the pools. You only pay the application fee if you are selected from the pools and you go ahead and complete the application.

If you want to use an RO (mentioned above), you will need to pay their fee if you get a spot.

Some nationalities are eligible to take part in IEC more than once (check your nationality here). However, the random lottery system still applies, regardless of how many times you’ve participated.

You will be in the same pool as people applying for the first time, and there is no greater or lesser chance of being selected if you have already participated in IEC before.

No, having a job offer in Canada doesn’t make a difference. You still have to wait and see if you are drawn at random from the pools.

To submit your profile to the pools, all you need is a valid passport. If you are drawn from the pools and invited to apply, you will need to provide other documents as part of the application process. Learn more about the supporting documents you will need here.

If this new season works like the previous ones, the draws will not happen on the same day, so we cannot say exactly. They often take place weekly, though there can be some weeks where no invitations go out. Essentially, it will be up to you to check your account on the Canadian authorities’ website regularly (several times per week!) to make sure you don’t miss any notifications from IRCC.

Remember, if you are selected and receive an invitation to apply, you only have 10 days to accept the invitation. If you wait more than 10 days, you will lose your invitation and your profile will be automatically removed from the pool.

Yes. It would be bad luck if, after multiple years of trying, your profile still didn’t get drawn from the pools, but it’s possible.

Your chances depend how popular IEC is among applicants of your nationality. If you are from the UK, Ireland, or New Zealand, your chances of being selected some time in the year are very high. Australians are guaranteed to receive an invitation, since their quota is unlimited.

This varies greatly by nationality. The best way to track how many people from your nationality are applying is by reviewing the weekly numbers. This will show how many candidates have joined the pool, how many invitations to apply have been sent so far in the season, and how many spots are left to fill.

It’s a classic question! Every year, some couples will be faced with the dilemma where only one partner receives an invitation to apply. When this happens, the other partner must find a plan B to move to Canada (see next FAQ for more options).

They may be able to benefit from their partner’s IEC permit by applying for a Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP). However, the eligibility criteria has been made stricter this year, making it harder to qualify for a SOWP. Learn more.

If you’re not in a rush to make the move, you can wait for the 2027 IEC season to open and try again by rejoining the pools.

If you want to try and secure a different type of permit, we cover the alternatives (study permits, closed work permits, etc.) in All permit and visa options for going to Canada.