How to activate the IEC work permit from inside Canada
Depending on your situation, there are two possible options to activate your IEC work permit if you are already in Canada.
Option 1 (new):
Activate your IEC work permit online
This option is available until December 1, 2025 for eligible participants.
Requirements for Option 1
You must meet all 3 requirements
- You were in Canada with a valid IEC work permit when you submitted your IEC work permit application for another participation.
- You have a valid IEC POE letter of introduction (LOI).
- You must request your work permit before your LOI expires.
- You have valid status in Canada when you request your IEC work permit be mailed to you.
If you don’t meet these conditions, you must leave Canada and re-enter from a country or territory other than the US or Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon to activate your work permit.
This new option also applies in the following situations
as long as the main requirement is met: From one IEC to another IEC.
- All IEC categories. For example, if you switch from a Working Holiday to a Young Professional work permit.
- If you apply for another IEC with another citizenship (another passport).
- All second IEC participants, including those applying through a Recognized Organization (RO).
How to request your IEC work permit by mail
Follow these steps to apply to activate your IEC work permit online.
>> Link to the instructions here under “IEC participants already in Canada” <<
- Use the web form (opens in a new tab) .
- For the question, “What did you apply for?”, select “Temporary residence”.
- For the question, “What application did you submit?”, select “International Experience Canada”.
- Include the mandatory text in the “Tell us about your request” box. You must include the mandatory text
- Attach the following documents:
- proof of health insurance that
- includes both the insurance certificate and a document that explains what the plan covers
- If you only provide the certificate without coverage details, your application will be refused.
- clearly shows that it covers medical care, hospitalization and repatriation
- is valid for your entire stay
- is in English or French (or translated by a certified translator)
- includes both the insurance certificate and a document that explains what the plan covers
- a copy of your IEC work permit that was valid when you submitted your IEC work permit application
- proof of health insurance that
⚠️ Very Important
- If you forget to include the required mandatory text, your request will be ignored.
- If you fail to upload a required document, your request will be refused.
Below is an example of the IEC activation refusal you will receive. In that case, you’ll need to submit a new request, which will further delay the activation process.
Common questions about the online process
I was on an IEC, but I applied for the second IEC while I was on visitor status, can I use this option?
No, this option is only available to participants who are, or were, in Canada under the International Experience Program (IEC) at the time they applied for the second IEC participation. In other words, it only applies for transitioning directly from one IEC to another IEC.
If you were on visitor status when you submitted your second IEC application, you are not eligible for Option 1 (online activation).
Instead, you must use Option 2, which requires leaving Canada and re-entering to activate your work permit.
Does this new option also apply if I am currently on another work permit switching to an IEC?
No, this option is only available to participants who go from IEC to IEC.
You must use option 2 below, which requires you to leave Canada and return in order to activate your work permit.
I am an American citizen using an RO for my Working Holiday; are there special rules?
According to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), U.S. citizens are not subject to the flagpoling restrictions.
In other words, if you are a U.S. citizen, and will activate the Working Holiday with a U.S. passport, you are allowed to flagpole or leave Canada and immediately re-enter through a U.S. land border to activate your IEC work permit.
How long will the processing take?
According to IRCC, the online activation process takes five business days, plus the additional time required for the work permit to be delivered by mail.
When will my new work permit start?
How will I know the work permit was processed?
After 5 business days, you will receive a notification into the GCKey Account called “Information letter“.
After the notification letter, it will usually take about 24-48 hours to get the info updated in the GCKey account.
➡️ Log into your GCKey account and in the Document Status you will find an entry:
Document: “work permit”
Status: “your document is valid”
Do not confuse it with the eTA entry!
➡️ The ‘Status Updated Date’ is the date
- the work permit was activated and printed,
- it officially became valid,
- you can start working.
❗️You can only start working as soon as you see the info in the GCKey account, that your work permit is valid. It is not after the information letter!
What if it takes too long for the work permit to be activated and printed?
According to the information letter, it can take up to 6 weeks to get the work permit. If you haven’t received any update in the GCKey account about the work permit after 6 weeks, contact IRCC via webform.
How long does it take to get my IEC work permit by mail?
Postal delivery usually takes about 3 to 10 days, but in more remote areas, it may take up to three weeks.
But you can start working as soon as you receive the update in the GCKey account, that your work permit is valid.
I sent the request very late; can I still work while waiting for my IEC work permit?
It is very important to note, that there is no maintained status between two IEC participations.
In other words, after your current IEC expires, you cannot keep working while waiting for the new IEC work permit activation.
You must apply for the visitor record if your current work permit expires soon. While the visitor record application is being processed, you are in maintained visitor status and can stay in the country legally as a visitor until a decision is made or until you activate the new work permit, whichever comes first. It means, you have to stop working on the day your work permit expires.
You can only start working as soon as you receive the update in the GCKey account, that your work permit is valid.
What if I didn't know and didn't apply for the visitor record? My work permit has expired.
If your work permit has expired and you didn’t apply for a visitor record, you are now out of status in Canada. This can lead to serious consequences.
This means you are currently in Canada without legal immigration status, which can negatively affect any future applications for temporary or permanent residency.
To prevent the situation from getting worse, apply to restore your status as a visitor as soon as possible. You can submit the application through your existing GCKey account, and the fee is $200.
You can only start working as soon as you receive the update in the GCKey account, that your work permit is valid.
Do I need IEC health insurance again for the activation?
Yes, you must have IEC health insurance that covers your entire stay in Canada.
For example, if you plan to stay for 12 months, you must buy 12 months of IEC health insurance. This is a mandatory requirement to activate your work permit.
Recent cases show that if you apply without valid IEC health insurance, your activation request will be refused. To avoid this, make sure you include proof of insurance when you apply.
Your insurance policy must also be in English or French. If it’s in another language, you need to provide a certified translation.
If your insurance is valid for less time than your planned stay, your work permit will only be issued until the end date of your insurance. You cannot extend your permit later, even if you buy more insurance afterward.
Please note: Provincial health care or employer benefits do not meet IEC requirements. These plans do not include repatriation coverage, which is required.
Important: If you are already in Canada, your IEC insurance must be an “already travelling” policy.
If you are from the UK or Europe, check out True Traveller.
For another option while in Canada check out Best Quote. They are quite popular for Aussies and Kiwis.
Can I still fly to Canada from my home country and get the work permit at the airport?
Yes, definitely. The regular method of activation still applies.
Does a 'visitor record' count as valid status at the time I request the work permit?
As long as you were on an IEC work permit when you submitted your IEC work permit application for another participation, yes.
I am in Canada as a visitor, waiting for the POE of my first time participation. Can I apply?
No, this option does not apply to you. One of the key requirements is that you must currently hold, or have previously held, an IEC work permit.
Therefore, you will need to use option 2, which means leaving Canada and returning via an international flight to activate your work permit at the airport.
Can I activate my IEC work permit by flagpoling at the U.S. border?
Due to recent changes on December 24, 2024 flagpoling at the U.S. land border is no longer allowed.
Additionally, making a short visit to the U.S. either by land or by air, is no longer an option, as the definition of “flagpoling” has been updated to include these types of entries.
The Government of Canada defines:
“Flagpoling occurs when foreign nationals who hold temporary resident status in Canada, leave Canada and, after a visit to the United States or St. Pierre and Miquelon, re-enter to access immigration services at a port of entry.”
Summary for the online activation
ONLY for IEC participants with a POE for a second IEC (can be any IEC category or an IEC via an RO). No other work permits.
First-time IEC participants are not eligible.
- Read the instruction carefully and follow them word by word.
- You must include the mandatory text
- You must include the required documents
- You must include the health insurance document showing the coverage (medical care; hospitalization; and repatriation.) The policy only showing your name and length is not sufficient.
- Provincial health care is not sufficient for the IEC.
- You need an ‘already travelling’ policy because you are in Canada.
- If you miss any requirement, your activation will be refused. You’ll need to submit a new request and wait again for the full processing time.
- There is no maintained status during this process.
- If your work permit will expire within the processing time and before you get the updated info in the GCKey account, you still must apply for a visitor record before your current work permit expires. Cost: $100. Apply online via GCKey.
Option 2:
Leave Canada and re-enter from a country other than the US
There is no other option to activate an IEC work permit from within Canada if this is your first IEC participation. To activate your first IEC work permit (e.g. Working Holiday) you must leave and return to Canada by air.
Traveling to any another country is still the fastest option for activation of your IEC work permit, allowing you to start working right away.
In fact, many IEC participants have shared positive experiences after flying to Mexico and returning to Canada to successfully activate their work permits.
What if I don't get time off work to fly to another country?
Many IEC participants report successful activations by going for just one day. Is a short weekend trip an option for you?
If you are unable to find the time to fly out and your work permit is expiring soon, you must apply to remain in Canada as a visitor before your work permit expires.
Once you submit your application to change your status to a visitor and your work permit has expired, you will have what is known as maintained visitor status. This status allows you to legally stay in Canada while you await a decision on your application. However, once your current work permit expires, you must stop working.
If you are already working or have a job lined up, it’s highly recommended to arrange a way to exit and re-enter Canada to activate your IEC work permit. Many IEC participants choose to combine this process with a short trip home to visit family, making it both practical and meaningful.
What documents do I need to activate my IEC work permit?
To activate an IEC work permit, you must present all of those documents:
- your passport
- your Port of Entry (POE) Letter
- proof of funds
- Proof must include your name and account balance and must not be older than 7 days
- Cash is also considered proof (Cash over $10,000 must be declared to customs)
- At least $2,500 if you have a return flight
- More money if you don’t have a return flight (Extra $1,000 should suffice as additional proof)
- proof of health insurance
- Insurance must be valid for the entire duration of the intended stay
- > Here < you can find more information about the requirements of the health insurance
- a ticket for your departure from Canada or sufficient funds to purchase such a ticket and
- copies of the documents you provided in your work permit application
- for example the family information form and police certificate
- You don’t need a current police certificate. The old one is fine.
You can find the list of required documents >here< on the official website.
IEC Health Insurance for Working Holiday participants from Europe and UK
