For IEC Permit Holders: How to Receive Your Second IEC Permit by Mail

If you are already in Canada on an IEC permit (International Experience Canada) and are applying for or have been approved for another IEC permit, there is good news: you don’t have to leave Canada to activate the new IEC permit!

In April 2025, Canada introduced a measure that allows IEC permit holders who are already in Canada to receive their new IEC permit by mail to their Canadian address. It was extended indefinitely in February 2026. Previously, such individuals would have had to leave and re-enter Canada.

This greatly simplifies the process, but there are important conditions to be aware of. This article will explain how to benefit from this measure.

Conditions for receiving an IEC permit by mail

To be eligible to receive your second IEC permit by mail, you must:

1. Have been in Canada on a valid IEC permit when you submitted your application for another IEC participation.
2. Have a valid POE Letter of Introduction (for the second participation) and request your new permit by mail before the POE letter expires.
3. Maintain valid status in Canada when you request your permit by mail. This is very important; we explain more in the next section.

If you don’t meet these conditions, then you will need to leave and re-enter Canada. But don’t flagpole by going to the US.

Maintaining valid status between IEC permits

At the time of requesting your new IEC permit be delivered to you by mail, you must have valid status in Canada.

If your previous IEC permit expires and you simply overstay that expiration date without taking any preemptive measures, you would NOT have valid status! Remember that IEC participants do not have maintained status.

It is okay for there to be a gap between your first and second IEC permit. But during this gap, you must nonetheless maintain valid status.

One way to maintain valid status during this gap is to apply for a visitor record at least 30 days before the expiry date of your IEC permit. That way, you can continue to stay in Canada legally as a visitor until you receive your new IEC permit.

How to request that your IEC permit be mailed

After your IEC application is approved and you’ve received a POE Letter of Introduction, go to the IRCC Web Form.

1. For the question “Which did you apply for?”, select Temporary residence.
2. For the question “What application did you submit?”, select International Experience Canada.
3. Upload:
   – Proof of adequate insurance covering the entire duration of your stay.
   – A copy of your previous IEC permit (which must still have been valid when you submitted your new IEC application). This is the A4 document that was issued to you when you entered Canada.
4. In the section titled “Tell us about your request”, you must include the text shown in the following section. Use the one that is applicable to your IEC category.

Text to include: Working Holiday

A112025: I am requesting an A11 examination and the issuance of my work permit from within Canada. My application number is [W#########]. I submitted my IEC application on [DATE]. I received my POE letter of introduction and it is valid until [DATE].
My current contact information in Canada is as follows:
Telephone:
Mailing address:
Residential address:
Open work permit: I attest that my circumstances remain the same and I still meet the requirements of the open work permit program I was approved for.

Text to include: International Co-op and Young Professionals

A112025: I am requesting an A11 examination and the issuance of my work permit from within Canada. My application number is [W#########]. I submitted my IEC application on [DATE]. I received my POE letter of introduction and it is valid until [DATE].
My current contact information in Canada is as follows:
Telephone:
Mailing address:
Residential address:
Employer-specific work permit: My employer, [name], located at [address], may be contacted at [contact telephone or email] to confirm my continued employment offer. I intend to begin work for this employer as soon as my work permit is received.

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