How To Apply For A Working Holiday Visa For Canada

Do you want to apply for a working holiday visa for Canada and you don’t know how to go about it?

Don’t fret, I will walk you through all of that in this article.

However, the first thing you have to know is that you can apply for a working holiday visa through a program known as International Experience Canada (IEC). 

It is this program that allows you to travel and legally work during your stay in Canada for 12 – 24 months. 

Going forward, expect to see not just how to apply for a working holiday visa for Canada but also, I will tell you the documents you are expected to submit, as well as the eligibility criteria.

Let’s delve into the business of the day. 

An Overview Of How To Apply For A Working Holiday Visa For Canada.

The first you have to make towards applying for a working holiday visa for Canada is to create a profile on the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.

Furthermore, draws take place from time to time where candidates are randomly selected to be invited to apply for a work permit until they have reached their limit for the year. 

From what I have said, you can deduce that you can create a profile and decide to become a candidate whenever you are ready starting from when the entry for your country is opened.

That being said, the ideal thing to do is to become a candidate as early as possible to have better opportunities of participating in these draws.

Additionally, the IRCC would usually give a minimum of five days’ notice before the final rounds of invitations for each country and category, after which the pool will be closed for the season.

Moreover, you must be eligible for Working Holiday Visa in Canada before you can be invited to apply for this visa in Canada.

For you to be eligible; 

-You must have a valid passport for the period you will stay in Canada, and the work permit issued to you cannot be longer than how long your passport is valid.

-You must have the equivalent of the minimum of CAD$2,500 on arrival to assist you to take care of immediate expenses.

-You must be a citizen of one of the 35 International Experience Canada participating countries. 

-You must pay the necessary fees, as stated in the ‘Apply for a work permit’ section which I will discuss later.

-You must be able to take out health insurance for the full duration of your Working Holiday Visa and you may be required to submit the evidence of this insurance before entering the country.

-You must be admissible to Canada.

-You must have either the financial resources or a round-trip ticket that will enable you to depart the country after your authorized stay in Canada.

-You must be between the ages of 18 and 30 or 35 at the time of application. 

-You must not be accompanied by dependants.

For you to become a candidate:

Step 1

You must fill out the Come to Canada questionnaire which is used as the first evaluation of your eligibility for an IEC work permit. You will be issued a personal reference code if you can meet the criteria

Step 2

Enter this code to create your account.

Step 3

Build your IEC profile.

Step 4

Submit your profile and select the IEC pool(s) you want to be in. 

Please, note that while some candidates will be qualified for just one pool, some may be qualified for more than one.

Now, all you just have to do is to wait to be selected because you can’t continue the process if you don’t receive an invitation to apply (ITA).

Once you receive an ITA, you will have 10 days to either proceed with your application or line the invitation.

Please note that the numbers in the pool surpass the number of permits available greatly, which will decrease your chances of receiving an ITA. 

That being said, the next step you have to take is to apply for a work permit.

-Press the ‘Start Application’ button to officially accept the ITA, and from that day, you have just 20 days to submit your work permit application and pay all the necessary fees.

-If you are applying under the IEC Young Professional and International Co-op categories, then before the 20 days expire, your employer is required to pay the CAD$230 employer compliance fee via the employer portal.  

-After which your employer will need to forward the Offer of Employment number that they received to enable you to enter it in your application.

-Gather all the required documents requested by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada, and upload them. In case you don’t have them at the time of application, upload evidence that you’ve applied for them.

-Pay all the necessary fees and for you to get a Working Holiday Visa in Canada, you have to pay CAD$150 as a participation fee, and CAD$100 as an open work permit holder fee.

-The IRCC will evaluate your application and if need be, they may request some extra documents.

-Lastly, if your application is successful,  you will be sent a letter of introduction (LOI) to your account. 

Endeavour to bring it along with you on your journey to Canada because you will be required to present this to an immigration officer at the airport or border crossing. 

Documents Required For Your Application For A Working Holiday Visa For Canada.

Below is a list of the documents you are expected to include in your IEC working holiday visa application, and they are:

1. Police certificate(s) 

You are required to provide a police certificate as proof that you are without a criminal record thereby making you a security risk-free candidate for Canada. 

Furthermore, this police certificate should be obtained from any country you have lived in for six months, and above. 

 2. Biometrics 

Secondly, you are required to add your biometrics and fingerprints to your International Electronic Commission (IEC) application. 

For you to do this, you are required to go to the Visa Application Center closest to you in your country of nationality, however, there’s no need for this until your visa application is approved. 

3. You will find in the application, a ‘Letter of Explanation’ section in case you have to provide any additional information concerning your application.

For instance, if you don’t have all the required documents available (maybe your police check) at the point of your application, then this section will enable you to give your reason. 

4. CV / Resume 

5. Family Information Form IMM5707 

6. Passport  

7. Digital Photo 

8. $150 as a Participation fee and 

 $100 for an Open Work Permit Holder fee.

After submitting your application, expect to receive your Port of Entry letter (POE) within the next 56 days (8 weeks)

Conclusion 

I have exhausted all that you need to know concerning the application for a working holiday visa for Canada.

Endeavour to follow all the instructions and provide all the necessary documents.

I wish you the best of luck!