FAQs about the third year in Canada for Brits applying to IEC

Applying for International Experience Canada (IEC) can be confusing. For the 2024 IEC season, an update to the rules was made. British citizens are now allowed to apply for multiple IEC participations (which means a third year in Canada!). The update also increased eligibility for the different streams available, and increased the age from 30 to 35.

We see a lot of questions about what the new rules mean, so this article will answer all your FAQs about the exciting prospect of a third year in Canada.

1. Can I renew or extend my IEC permit?

Technically, there is no such thing as a renewal or extension of an IEC permit. Confusion arises from the number of times a certain citizenship is allowed to participate in IEC.

For British citizens, you are eligible for an initial IEC permit that lasts for two years (source), followed by a second participation lasting one year. In total, these two participations add up to three years in Canada.

The participation you apply for after your first IEC permit ultimately means more time in Canada. However, it is a completely separate application process for a new participation, not a “renewal” or an “extension” of your existing permit.

2. Am I guaranteed a third year in Canada?

You are eligible for a second participation, but are not guaranteed it. This is because you still have to join the pools and hope to be selected from the random lottery. You apply the exact same way you applied for your first IEC permit. You will be in the pool with everyone else wanting an IEC permit (regardless of if each profile is for a first or second time participating).

3. Will I receive a permit that is valid for three years upfront?

British citizens are eligible for two participations that add up to a total of three years spent in Canada. The first IEC permit allows you to stay in Canada for two years. The second participation will grant you one year in Canada. Although this adds up to three years, it is not possible to receive three years upfront.

4. Can I apply to a different IEC stream (Young Professionals or International Co-op) if I’ve had three years in Canada on a Working Holiday?

No. British citizens are eligible for a total of two participations in IEC. You can choose which streams you use those two participations in. Once you have participated twice, you have used up the participations you are eligible for.

For example, you can choose to have two IEC Working Holiday permits, or one Working Holiday permit + one Young Professionals permit, etc. Note that you must have a job offer to be eligible for the Young Professionals or International Co-op streams; if you don’t have employment lined up, you can only apply to the Working Holiday pool.

You cannot have two Working Holiday permits and then apply to the Young Professionals or International Co-op stream as well. The exception to this rule is using a Recognised Organisation (RO), which we cover in more depth later in the article.

5. Can I apply for my third year if I’m over the age of 35?

Regardless of whether you are applying for your first or second IEC participation, you must be between 18-35 years old, inclusive (i.e. up until the day before your 36th birthday). You must have been selected from the pools and received an Invite to Apply (ITA) before you turn 36.

If you have previously used your first participation and would now like to apply for a second participation, you won’t be eligible if you are 36 or older.

6. What are my options for IEC after I’ve used my third year?

If you have already used both your participations but want to stay even longer, you can turn to a Recognised Organisation (RO). It will cost a lot of money but ROs are a legitimate way to get another IEC permit outside of the normal route.

For example, you can use both your participations as normal to get a total of three years in Canada. You then use an RO to get you two more participations, leading to six years in total in Canada. Many people use ROs to give them extra time in Canada to achieve a PR application.

Be warned that waitlists for ROs fill up fast. You will need to apply to as many ROs as possible. You should also be prepared to leave the country at the end of your three years in Canada, if you aren’t selected by an RO.

7. Do I need to get travel insurance for my third year?

Yes, it is always a requirement of IEC that you have travel medical insurance covering medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation for the duration of your stay in Canada. See Duration of your IEC insurance = duration of your stay in Canada for more info.

This means you need to purchase a 12-month insurance policy to be granted your new 12-month IEC permit. Remember to look for already travelling policies if you are not moving home in between your IEC permits.

We’ve been recommending Globe WHV since 2005. They meet the IEC requirements and offer coverage for British citizens. You will need to contact them directly before purchasing to inform them if you are already travelling.

8. Once I’ve been approved for my third year, will it automatically start after my first IEC permit ends?

As this is a brand new permit (again, not a renewal or extension of the existing permit), you must activate it with a border officer, the same way you activated your first permit. If you do not want to fly internationally, you can use our guide to flagpoling and activate your permit at a land border with the US.

9. Can I stay in Canada while I wait for approval on my application for a third year?

You can stay in Canada if you apply for a visitor record before the expiry date of your current permit. See Can I stay longer as a tourist after my Working Holiday Visa? for more info.

The official guidance is to apply for a visitor record at least 30 days before the expiry date of your permit. However, some people choose to wait a little longer to avoid losing any time off the work permit (as the visitor record will overwrite the work permit once granted).

Don’t leave applying for the visitor record until the last day in case the IRCC website is down! You will be overstaying illegally if you have not applied for a visitor record before your initial permit expires. We recommend you apply at least seven days before the expiry date of your IEC permit to be safe.

10. Can I reuse my UK police certificate from my original IEC application?

The only time you can reuse a police certificate from your home country is if you weren’t in the country on the day it was issued. The IRCC website states:

“For any country or territory where you’ve stayed for 6 or more months in a row, the certificate must have been issued after you left.”

Most people are still living in their home country at the time of applying for the police certificate. If you were still living in the UK when your original police certificate was issued, you will need to apply for a new police certificate.

You will also need to apply for a new certificate if you have been back to the UK at any time since the original certificate was issued (even if only for a day!).

11. If I’m a dual citizen, how many times can I participate in IEC?

You are allowed to participate under both citizenships. That means you can use your two participations you are eligible for as a British citizen, plus any participations your other citizenship is eligible for. You can check your eligibility here.

For example, if you hold dual citizenship for England and New Zealand, you can use one 23-month participation that New Zealanders are eligible for, plus the two participations totalling three years that Brits are eligible for, and have a final total of five years in Canada.

This excludes any further participations you choose to apply for under the RO route (explained earlier).