After almost a year of COVID-19 related travel restrictions that have prevented the majority of foreigners from entering Canada, the Canadian government has announced that its border will be opening to International Experience Canada (IEC) participants.
International Experience Canada (IEC) offers young professionals between the ages of 18-35 the opportunity to travel and work in Canada. Eligible candidates from participating countries are selected from the IEC pools to apply for a work permit.
This season’s pool is scheduled to open on March 1, 2021 at 9:00 am EST. This year, for the first time, candidates for the Working Holiday Program (WHP) will be required to submit a valid job offer in order to have a chance to be drawn.
The participating countries scheduled to open on March 1, 2021 are as follows: Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
Additionally, IEC participants must make sure that they comply with the current travel and quarantine requirements, and must be able to start their job immediately at the end of their quarantine.