Citizens from 28 countries can apply for Canadian work permits more than once through the International Experience Canada (IEC) program. This allows many young people to return to Canada for another work experience without following the regular work permit route.

Depending on their country of citizenship, eligible applicants between 18 and 35 years of age, or 18 and 30 years of age, can receive IEC work permits for up to two or three separate participations. In many cases, this allows them to work in Canada for a total of two or three years.

Compared with many other Canadian work permit programs, the IEC program is much easier to access. It usually requires fewer documents and has a simpler application process than many employer-based work permits.

The countries that allow repeat participation are located across Europe, South America, Oceania, and East Asia.

The table below shows the participating countries, the maximum age limit, the number of times citizens can participate, and whether special conditions apply.

Participating CountryUpper Age LimitMaximum Number Of Participations
Australia352*
Austria353*
Chile352
Costa Rica352*
Croatia352*
Czech Republic352*
Estonia352*
Finland353*
France352*
Germany352*
Greece352*
Iceland302
Ireland352*
Italy352
Japan302
Latvia352*
Lithuania352*
Netherlands302*
Norway352*
Poland352*
San Marino352
Slovakia352*
Slovenia352*
Republic of Korea352
Spain352*
Sweden302*
Switzerland352*
United Kingdom352

A work permit issued under one IEC participation is generally valid for 12 or 24 months, depending on the participant’s country.

Some countries require applicants to wait for a certain period, such as three months, before applying for another participation.

For many participating countries, the second participation must also be under a different IEC category than the first.

Types Of International Experience Canada Work Permits

The IEC program offers three different types of work permits:

  • Working Holiday
  • Young Professionals
  • International Co-op (Internship)

The Working Holiday permit is an open work permit. This means participants can work for most employers across Canada without being tied to one employer or one job. They can also change employers during the validity of their work permit.

The Young Professionals permit is employer-specific. Applicants must have a job offer from a Canadian employer before applying. The position should normally match the applicant’s education, training, or work experience and usually requires some level of post-secondary education or skills.

The International Co-op (Internship) permit is designed for students studying at post-secondary institutions outside Canada. Applicants must receive a job offer for a work placement that forms part of their study program.

Not every participating country offers access to all three work permit categories. The available options depend on the agreement Canada has with each country.

Eligibility Requirements For IEC

To qualify for an IEC work permit, applicants must first meet the age limit set for their country of citizenship.

They must also satisfy the requirements of the specific IEC category they choose.

In addition, applicants must purchase health insurance that covers their entire stay in Canada. They must also show they have enough money to support themselves when they arrive. At present, participants generally need at least CAD $2,500, along with enough money for travel expenses.

Applicants must also meet Canada’s general immigration & entry requirements. For example, they must not be inadmissible because of criminal convictions, serious medical conditions, or security concerns.

How The IEC Application System Works?

Although many applicants can easily meet the eligibility rules, receiving an IEC work permit is not automatic.

Each year, Canada sets a fixed number of IEC work permits for every participating country.

In many countries, the number of people who want to participate is higher than the number of available permits.

To make the selection process fair, Canada uses a lottery system.

Interested candidates must first create an online IEC profile and submit it to the correct candidate pool.

The chances of receiving an ITA depend on several factors, including the applicant’s country of citizenship, the type of IEC work permit selected, and the number of other candidates in the same pool.

The International Experience Canada (IEC) website provides updated information about the chances of receiving an ITA in future selection rounds. These estimates are based on the number of candidates in the pool compared with the remaining available places.

Once selected through the lottery, applicants have 10 days to accept their invitation.

After accepting the invitation, they have 20 days to submit a complete online work permit application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

All IEC work permit applications must be submitted online.

The IEC season normally opens every year in January or February. Invitation rounds continue throughout the year until each country’s quota for every work permit category is filled or until the season officially closes.

Recent Update For Repeat Participants

Canada introduced an important change for repeat IEC participants in May 2025.

Previously, participants already living in Canada had to leave the country and return before receiving a new IEC work permit.

Under the updated policy, eligible repeat participants can now have their new work permits mailed directly to a Canadian address. This removes the need to leave Canada to receive another permit.

While 28 countries allow repeat participation, eight participating countries still permit only one IEC participation per citizen. These countries are Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Portugal, and Taiwan.

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