What is...?

A mini dictionary for the IEC program

ArriveCAN

The ArriveCAN App is the electronic customs declaration that you can fill out in advance before travelling to Canada.

It is not mandatory, but the app can be very helpful at larger Canadian airports, especially if you have a connecting flight within Canada. And is even more important/helpful, if you have to activate a work permit.

At the airports, there’s a special ‘express lane’ for travellers who used the app. You just scan your passport at a kiosk and you’re done in 1-2 minutes. Usually there are fewer than 10–20 people in that line, compared to the regular line which can have 300–1,000 passengers depending on how busy it is, and how many flights arrive at the same time.

With the app you can bypass all passengers in the regular line and be the first one in the immigration office.

While the ArriveCAN App is not mandatory, the customs declaration is mandatory for everyone, even if you have nothing to declare.

You can fill it out ahead of time in the app or at the airport kiosks after you arrive, totally up to you.

You can only complete it within 72 hours before your scheduled arrival in Canada.

You can add up to 8 family members in one submission, as long as everyone lives at the same address. Different addresses = separate declarations.

BOWP - Bridging Open Work Permit

It’s a special type of work permit that lets you continue working in Canada while waiting for a decision on your application for permanent residence (PR).

Important point — repeated for clarity:

A BOWP is only for people who have applied for permanent residence (PR).

Key Steps to Apply for a BOWP (Bridging Open Work Permit)

Being in the permanent residence (PR) pool does not give you legal status or work rights.
You must meet the minimum score requirements in the ranking system to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

After receiving the ITA, you upload all required documents and pay the application fees.
IRCC issues an AOR letter confirming that your PR application is complete and under review.
You can submit your BOWP application after you have done all of those:
- Applied for PR
- Received an ITA
- Submitted your PR application and paid fees
- Received the AOR

If you submit your complete BOWP application together with the AOR letter before your current work permit expires, you automatically get Maintained Status.
Maintained Status allows you to keep working past the expiry of your current work permit while IRCC processes the BOWP.

Information for IEC participants:

There is no such thing as a “blank” open work permit that gives you maintained status.
Every work permit application must be tied to a specific program or pathway, such as an LMIA-based work permit, an LMIA-exempt category, or a permanent residency stream. If it were truly possible to apply for a work permit without meeting any criteria, many temporary workers would do so.

Those who attempt it are effectively submitting a false or incomplete application, which can have serious consequences, including being considered to have worked illegally in Canada.

BIL - Biometrics Instruction Letter

It’s an official document issued by IRCC that tells you when, where, and how to provide your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) for your application.

All IEC participants must provide biometrics. >> More about this here.

CBSA - Canada Border Services Agency

It’s the federal agency responsible for border enforcement, immigration checks, and customs control when entering or leaving Canada.

Officers at airports, seaports, and land borders inspect travellers and verify documents. They prevent illegal goods, people, and threats from entering Canada.

For IEC participants, CBSA officers are the ones who officially issue your Work Permit at the border.

eTA - Electronic Travel Authorization

It’s an entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals who want to fly to or transit through Canada. It’s part of Canada’s efforts to make travel screening faster and more secure.

You need an eTA if you are:

A citizen of a visa-exempt country (like the U.K., France, Japan, Australia, Germany, etc.)
Flying to or transiting through a Canadian airport

You don’t need an eTA if you:

Are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
Hold a valid Canadian visa
Are entering Canada by land or sea (e.g., from the U.S. by car, bus, train, or boat)

An eTA is valid for up to 5 years — or until your passport expires (whichever comes first).

You can travel to Canada multiple times during that period, for stays of up to 6 months per visit.

Apply online at Canada.ca/eTA

Cost: $7 CAD

You’ll need:

A valid passport
A credit/debit card
An email address

GCKey - Government of Canada Key

Purpose: To securely identify you online so you can access federal government services

Who uses it: Anyone applying for Canadian immigration programs, visas, or work permits (like IEC participants)

IEC - International Experience Canada

International Experience Canada (IEC) is a Canadian government program that lets young people work and travel—both Canadian citizens abroad, and international youth in Canada—under certain reciprocal agreements. It provides youth mobility through bilateral agreements between Canada and partner countries/territories.

There are three main categories under IEC:

Working Holiday:
- Open work permit (you can work for any employer, shift around, travel etc.).
Young Professionals:
- Work permit tied to a specific employer. For people with a job offer who want professional experience in their field.
International Co-op (Internship):
- For international students whose study program includes a work placement/internship. Also employer-specific.

IEC Pool

A group of candidates who have created a profile and are waiting to be invited to apply for a work permit. >> You can find more information on the IEC pool here.

IMM Forms - Immigration forms

Official application forms published by IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada). They are standardized forms used to apply for visas, work permits, study permits, visitor records, permanent residence, and other immigration services.

The most two common forms in the IEC program are

IMM5707 – Family Information Form
IMM 5257 SCH1 – Well known as the ‘Travel History Form’ in the IEC world. It is often requested if there’s a gap in your work history or incomplete information on your resume/CV. >> More info to this form here.

IRCC - Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

It’s the federal department of the Government of Canada responsible for managing the country’s immigration, citizenship, and refugee programs — including the International Experience Canada (IEC) program.

ITA - Invitation to Apply

It’s a formal invitation from the Government of Canada that allows a candidate in the IEC pool to submit a work permit application. You will receive the ITA in your GCKey Account.

Maintained Status

Formerly called Implied Status it is a special status that allows a foreign national to legally stay in Canada while waiting for a decision on their application to extend or change their status.

If your temporary status (visitor, student, or worker) is about to expire and you apply for an extension before it expires, you can legally remain in Canada under the conditions of your previous permit until IRCC makes a decision.

>> Important things that must be pointed out for IEC participants

NOC - National Occupational Classification

Each occupation in Canada has a four-digit NOC code (e.g., 2173 = Software Engineers and Designers)

NOC is updated regularly; the >> latest version is from 2021

POE - Port of Entry

It’s the official location where you enter Canada and where your immigration documents are checked and activated. A border crossing — airport, land border, or seaport — where a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer inspects travellers and verifies their documents.

PR - Permanent Resident

It refers to a person who has been granted the right to live, work, and study in Canada indefinitely, but is not a Canadian citizen.

IEC participants are temporary residents, so they hold a Work Permit (WP).
After living and working in Canada for a period, some may apply for permanent residence (PR) through programs like:
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

POE - Port of Entry Letter

The Port of Entry (POE) Letter is the approval of your application. It is officially called Port of Entry (POE) Letter of Introduction. It is a letter that you will be issued a work permit at the Canadian border if you provide all the required documents. >> More on what is the POE?

Repatriation

Within the IEC program, this refers to returning you to your home country in the event of serious illness, injury, or death.

This coverage is a mandatory requirement for IEC health insurance in addition to medical care and hospitalization. >> Find out more information on the IEC health insurance here.

RO - Recognized Organization

In the International Experience Canada (IEC) program, Recognized Organizations (ROs) are organizations that are authorized by the Government of Canada to help young people participate in international work and travel experiences.

Recognized Organizations can:

Help with work and travel logistics
Provide job placements or internships
Offer support services (insurance, housing, orientation, etc.)
Sometimes sponsor applicants from countries that don’t have a youth mobility agreement with Canada

With a Canadian-based Recognized Organization (RO) you can participate in the IEC Program two more times. >> You can find more information here.

SIN - Social Insurance Number

It’s a unique nine-digit number issued by the Government of Canada that allows you to legally work in Canada and access government programs and benefits.

You must obtain a SIN to start working legally in Canada.
You can apply for a SIN after entering Canada with your Work Permit.
You apply at a Service Canada location near you.
To apply, you need:
- Your Work Permit
- Your passport
The SIN is valid for the length of your work permit if you’re temporary or indefinitely if you’re a permanent resident or citizen.

TEER - Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities

Classifies occupations based on the type of training, education, work experience, and responsibilities required for the job.
Used by: Immigration programs, including IEC Young Professionals, Express Entry, and other work permit assessments.
There are 5 TEER Categories:

TEER Category	Description
TEER 0	Management occupations
TEER 1	Occupations usually requiring university education
TEER 2	Occupations usually requiring college or apprenticeship training
TEER 3	Occupations usually requiring secondary school plus/or job-specific training
TEER 4	Occupations usually requiring on-the-job training
TEER 5	Occupations requiring short-term work demonstration only

UCI - Unique Client Identifier

The Unique Client Identifier and is your “client number” for the Canadian immigration department.

A UCI is an 8- or 10-digit number assigned by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to each person who interacts with Canada’s immigration system.
It acts as a personal identification number for all your immigration records.
It stays the same for life, even if you apply for different programs or move between visas, permits, or citizenship applications.

UTC - Universal Time Coordinated

“Universal Time Coordinated” avoids confusion caused by different time zones.

It’s the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. Essentially, it’s the modern replacement for Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

The IEC program operates on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). This is because participants come from all over the world.

The UTC is different than your local time.

For example, you accept your IEC invitation at 11:25 a.m. UTC, you must submit your work permit application before 11:25 a.m. UTC 20 days later.

VAC - Visa Application Centre

It’s an official location outside of Canada where you can submit documents, provide biometrics, and receive support for Canadian visa and work permit applications.

For the IEC program, it is the location where you provide your biometrics.

Important: The VAC’s cannot help with your IEC application.

VR - Visitor record

It’s an official document issued by IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) that allows a foreign national to extend their stay in Canada as a visitor. Usually granted for up to 6 months at a time, but can vary depending on circumstances.

You can stay on a visitor status — but you cannot work. >> More info here

WP - Work permit

It’s an official document issued by the Government of Canada that allows a foreign national to work legally in Canada for a specific period of time.

Ode to Acronyms - A day in IEC-land

On this day, let’s have some fun,
And wander where the acronyms run.
IEC awaits, through IRCC’s gate,
GCKey ready, no time to wait.

WH or YP, pick your path with care,
TEER 0-3 jobs for YP, beware!
You get a UCI, no, not that one, doc!,
Just a number for bureaucracy, no lady’s shock!

Wait for ITA, don’t miss the UTC,
Late submissions send you back to the sea.

Police certificates since you were eighteen,
IMM forms that can’t be signed, oh, how mean!
Can’t download the IMM form, oh gee,
Computer settings just conspiring against me!

Pay the fee with a trusty CC,
BIL arrives, biometrics for thee.
Thirty days to finger-scan my soul at a VAC,
Then waiting in line, but still on track.

Drink your T while processing begins,

And dream of Canada, oh the wins!

Boots crunch snow, maple syrup in my head,
Emails from IRCC: “More info!” they said.
CV or work history not complete, oh dread!

Another upload, more IMM forms to be fed!

POE issued, the eTA already there,
Activate your WP at a POE – prepare!
CBSA smiles, WP in hand,
Now get a SIN to work in this maple land.

Want an IEC again? Another WH or YP,
Or a second WP via RO, you see.
Stay longer to visit? VR is your legal key,
PR via EE or PNP sets you free.

From AOR to BOWP, then COPR at last,
A bureaucratic journey, tied up in a cast.
Acronyms reign, we laugh, we sigh,
But we made it, EH! Oh Canada, hi!

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