International Experience Canada: Status of the Program in 2025

Although the current trend in Canada’s immigration system has been to reduce immigration levels, there are still great immigration programs available to those who want to come to Canada. Many immigration programs and agreements help foster positive relationships between Canada and other countries. Canada will likely abide by these international agreements in the interest of good relations and international comity. An example of one of these programs that is open and accepting applicants is the International Experience Canada Program.

Overview of the International Experience Canada Program

The International Experience Canada Program allows young people in partner countries to travel and work in other countries. Young Canadians can use the International Experience Canada Program to travel or work in over 30 different countries, and citizens of those countries can come to Canada to travel or work, provided that country has a Youth Mobility Agreement with Canada. Many of the countries that participate in the program with Canada are located in Europe, and there are some countries in Asia and South America as well. The program has seen relatively large historic use, as around 20,000 Canadians participated in the program to travel abroad, and around 50,000 foreign citizens participated in the program to visit Canada each year. The program helps to enrich Canada’s multicultural identity by exposing Canadians to people from all over the world.

Further, citizens of countries that do not have youth mobility agreements with Canada can still participate in the International Experience Canada Program by applying through a recognized organization. If a country that a Canadian citizen would like to visit is not currently part of the program, it is possible that country will join it, as Finland was added to the program in 2023.

International Experience Canada Program Applications 

Generally, young citizens of partner countries, including Canadians aged 18-30 (or 18-35 for some programs), are eligible to apply as part of the program. The International Experience Canada Program has different streams, including the Young Professionals Stream, International Co-op, and Working Holiday. Each stream has different characteristics, so applicants must apply under the stream that best suits their interests and needs.

International Experience Canada Streams

Working Holiday is the best option for those who do not have a job offer in Canada and want to maintain flexibility, as it allows the holder to work for more than one employer in Canada and more than one location. It provides an open work permit to the holder that allows for the maximum amount of flexibility.

The Young Professionals stream is for applicants with a job offer in Canada that counts toward their professional development. Applicants in this category will work for the same employer in the same location during their stay in Canada. It does not provide an open work permit but rather an employer-specific work permit. 

The International Co-op stream is for students who meet specific requirements. To meet these requirements, the applicant must be a student registered at a post-secondary institution, have a job offer for a work placement or internship in Canada, need to do this work placement or internship to complete their studies, and work for the same employer in the exact location during their stay in Canada. The stream provides an employer-specific work permit to the applicant.

Understanding International Experience Canada Application Fees and Timelines 

The processing fee for an International Experience Canada application starts at $179.75. The application takes one week to process, but this does not include the time needed for applicants to include their biometric information.

For Canadians applying to go abroad, the streams can vary by country, so if you want to go to a specific country, make sure to check the specific requirements for that country in order to create a plan for how to apply.

The number of applications that will be accepted from each country and each stream is available on the Canadian Government website for people applying to come to Canada. Significant disparities exist in the number of applicants set to be accepted from each country, as bigger countries are allocated more work permits than smaller countries. 

International Experience Canada Updates

Recently, there have been several updates to the International Experience Canada Program.

One update will negatively impact some participants in the International Experience Canada Program. Now, work as part of International Experience Canada under an employer-specific work permit will no longer contribute to the Comprehensive Ranking System score to an applicant’s Express Entry application if the work permit was issued later than December 18, 2024. Express Entry is a system through which an applicant can apply to become a Canadian permanent resident. The Comprehensive Ranking System score represents how applicants for Express Entry are sorted within the Express Entry pool, as draws for Express Entry often require a certain score, and having a job offer used to add to an applicant’s profile. With this change, a Canadian job offer will not impact a candidate’s score, even for Young Professionals as part of the International Experience Canada Program. This change aligns with the change to Express Entry, eliminating the requirement of a job offer as a consideration for the Comprehensive Ranking Score for all applicants.

Finally, for young Canadians interested in the International Experience Canada program, new opportunities are available to learn more about the program. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced in February that there will be new marketing campaigns to promote the program. These campaigns will include in-person exhibits in Toronto and Vancouver, so people interested can see what the program offers in person. For Canadians who are interested but cannot attend, interactive digital experiences will also be provided so that they can get a glimpse of what the program has to offer. 

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