Loving your IEC expertise in Canada and wish to keep longer? I get it – I ended up making use of for everlasting residency and finally Canadian citizenship!
Sadly, IEC work allow extensions are solely potential in very particular circumstances.
This put up will share all the pieces there’s to learn about IEC work allow extensions in addition to legitimate choices for IEC members to remain longer in Canada.
Revealed March 2024.
IEC Working Vacation program
Found this web page however don’t know what the IEC is?
Worldwide Expertise Canada (IEC) is Canada’s youth mobility scheme, run by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Individuals should be aged 18-30 or 18-35 (inclusive).
There are three packages throughout the IEC scheme:
- Working Vacation (WH)
- Younger Professionals (YP)
- Worldwide Co-Op
Taking part IEC international locations supply at the least one in all these packages, with some international locations offering a couple of.
Proper now, there are greater than 30 collaborating IEC international locations, starting from Eire, the UK and Australia to South Korea, Japan and France.
Every collaborating IEC nation has an annual quota of locations based mostly on reciprocal agreements with Canada.
The preferred IEC stream is the working vacation program because it supplies an open work allow that can be utilized to work wherever in Canada. The size of the included work allow varies from nation to nation.
For extra particulars, head to our detailed IEC working vacation software information.
IEC work allow extensions
There are just a few eventualities by which an IEC work allow might be prolonged:
- Incorrect expiry date attributable to border officer mistake
- Incorrect expiry date attributable to short-dated passport
- Prolonged job function (Younger Professionals and Worldwide Co-Op packages solely)
Until these particular circumstances apply to you, it isn’t potential to increase an IEC work allow. That is defined on the IRCC web site.
In all conditions, IEC work permits can solely be prolonged to succeed in the utmost size of keep authorised underneath the bilateral settlement with a rustic.
For instance – Australian residents are eligible for 1 x 24 month IEC work allow. In any work extension state of affairs, Australians will solely obtain an extension for as much as 24 months (now not).
IEC members can keep in Canada and proceed working underneath the identical circumstances if they’ve a legitimate cause for an extension (one of many above eventualities) and their present work allow expires.
Necessary be aware. In all three extension exceptions, the IEC participant should have had enough medical insurance upon arrival in Canada for the utmost size of keep allowed. In different phrases, in the event you’re eligible for a 24 month work allow, you will need to have arrived with 24 months of insurance coverage. Proof is required.
Incorrect expiry date attributable to border officer mistake
Canadian border officers typically make errors when issuing work permits.
Because of this, it’s extremely necessary to test the main points of your work allow earlier than leaving the border.
In case you have been issued an IEC work allow with an incorrect expiry date (that doesn’t match the size you might be eligible for), this can be a legitimate cause for an extension.
To use for the extension, full a paper work allow software. There isn’t a price.
Observe the directions on this IRCC web page (choose ‘the expiry date of my work allow is incorrect’).
Incorrect expiry date attributable to short-dated passport
Work permits are solely legitimate to the expiry date of the corresponding passport.
In case your passport is because of expire throughout your IEC, that is one other legitimate cause for an extension.
After receiving your new passport, you may apply for the IEC work allow extension.
To use, full a paper work allow software. There isn’t a price.
Observe the directions on this IRCC web page (choose ‘I obtained a brand new passport’).
Necessary be aware. Employers of members throughout the Younger Skilled and Worldwide Co-op packages should submit a new supply of employment and pay the employer compliance price earlier than the extension software is submitted.
Prolonged job function
The Younger Skilled and Worldwide Co-Op packages supply a ‘closed’ work allow, which signifies that it’s tied to a particular Canadian employer.
On the time of the preliminary software, employers should submit a proposal of employment and pay an employer compliance price.
Relying on the circumstances, the employer might solely supply employment for a brief period. The employer might, at a later time, resolve that they need to lengthen the employment period to the utmost time allowed.
It is a legitimate cause for an IEC work allow extension. The job duties, employer and job location should all be the identical as the unique supply.
To use for the extension, full a paper work allow software. There isn’t a price.
Observe the directions on this IRCC web page (choose ‘My job has been prolonged’).
keep in Canada post-IEC
For most individuals, the one strategy to keep longer in Canada after an IEC participation is to use for a customer document, one other work allow, everlasting residency or a second IEC work allow (if eligible).
Altering to customer standing
Making use of to remain as a customer is the best choice for IEC members who need to spend a little bit further time in Canada. Working just isn’t allowed whereas on customer standing.
The best strategy to transition to customer standing is to use on-line. This IRCC questionnaire will present the appliance and required documentation.
The price is $100. Proof of help funds is required. Be sure you apply earlier than your IEC work allow runs out.
The net software can take as much as 3 months to be granted however you’ll have ‘implied customer standing’ from the date your IEC work allow expires.
The opposite choice is to depart Canada and return on customer standing (or flagpole).
It is a riskier course of, nevertheless, for the reason that border officer has the discretion to refuse entry. The border officer might assume you’ll proceed working.
Work allow
The IEC program gives the flexibleness of an open work allow. There are, nevertheless, different (closed) work allow packages in Canada.
To obtain a piece allow sponsored by your employer, the job function should be first accredited by the federal government for a constructive Labour Market Impression Evaluation (LMIA).
The constructive LMIA proves there’s a want for a international employee to fill the place and that there isn’t a Canadian work out there to do the job.
This route includes important involvement out of your employer with a $1000 price (paid by the employer, not the applicant) and an indication of recruitment and commercial efforts. Common processing occasions differ between industries and packages.
In case your partner or common-law accomplice has a legitimate Canadian work allow (IEC or in any other case) and job, you might be eligible for an open work allow. In 2024, the accomplice’s job doesn’t must be expert (particular non permanent exemption).
Everlasting residency
Everlasting Residency (PR) is essentially the most safe and long-term choice to remain in Canada. This immigration standing gives the correct to stay and work in Canada indefinitely so long as you uphold residency obligations.
It’s, nevertheless, a (normally) costly and time-consuming course of. And never all IEC members might be eligible to use.
There are a couple of alternative ways to use for Everlasting Residency in Canada.
Married or dwelling as married for at the least a yr with a Canadian everlasting resident or citizen? Then you might be almost certainly eligible to use underneath the Household Class.
Work a talented job in Canada? Look into the Categorical Entry software for the Federal Expert Employee (FSW), Canadian Expertise Class (CEC) and Federal Expert Trades Program (FST).
An alternative choice is the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), which permits a Canadian province or territory to sponsor a person for everlasting residency.
Second IEC software
Relying in your citizenship, you could possibly apply for the IEC once more. For instance, the UK permits two participations (1 x 24 months, 1 x 12 months).
In case you are a twin citizen, you could possibly apply along with your different citizenship.
If these choices don’t apply to you, then it could nonetheless be potential to use for the IEC once more through a Recognised Organisation (RO).
These corporations assist individuals from collaborating IEC international locations and non-participating corporations to use for the IEC.
ROs typically have their very own software necessities, so you will want to contact them individually to see in the event that they may also help.
Securing a spot with an RO might be very aggressive and likewise costly.
Discovered this put up useful? Subscribe to our IEC publication!
Working vacation recommendation and updates delivered straight to your inbox, with a FREE printable IEC packing checklist
Take a look at these different posts about working holidays in Canada
One half of the Canadian/British couple behind Off Observe Journey, Gemma is happiest when mountaineering on the path or planning the subsequent large journey journey. JR and Gemma are at present based mostly within the lovely Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada