Prepare for the IEC application
While you wait for an invitation from the IEC pool, you can start preparing
A little preparation can go a long way. To save you time when the application process begins, you can start getting things in order. You must be able to scan your documents with a scanner or camera.
What if I don't have access to a laptop/computer to scan?
If you don’t have a scanner, you can easily use one of the many Scanner Apps available. For example, if you have an iPhone, you can use the built-in “Notes” App.
To scan a document with the Notes App, simply press and hold the app icon, and the “Scan Document” option will appear. From there, you can scan your passport pages or any other documents you need.
There are also many other scanning apps available for Android, such as Adobe Scan or CamScanner, that offer easy-to-use scanning features.
Passport
This will be a document upload into a spot
From your current, valid passport, scan the photo page and any page with stamps, visas, or handwritten marks into a single PDF file. The scan must be clear, in color, and fully readable. If you’re taking photos with your smartphone, make sure there’s no glare or flash.
If the file is too large, you can shrink it with Compress PDF before uploading.
I have multiple citizenships and passports; do I have to upload all?
If you have more than one citizenship or passport, you only need to upload the passport you are using for your IEC application. You do not need to upload your other passports; however, you must still declare any additional citizenships and provide the passport numbers for all of your current, valid passports in the application.
My passport is expiring soon, what do I do?
It is important to note that your IEC work permit will not be issued for longer than the validity of your passport. For example, if your passport expires in eight months, your work permit will be limited to eight months, even if your IEC allows a longer stay.
If your passport is due to expire soon, it is strongly recommended that you renew it before submitting your application, if possible. Here you can also find some additional information and recommendation.
Police Certificates
This will be a document upload into a spot
For a detailed guide on police certificates—and answers to the most common questions—check out the post > here <.
Apply for a police certificate:
- From your home country or the country where you currently live.
- From any country where you’ve stayed for more than 6 consecutive months after turning 18 years old.
It doesn’t matter whether you were a tourist, student, or working—the only thing that counts is the total length of your stay.
For specific instructions on how to apply for the police certificate for each country, you can visit the official website >here<.
You’ll only have one upload slot for all your police certificates.
- If you have more than one, combine them into a single file before uploading—for example, using a tool like Merge PDF.
- If you have several police certificates and the file is too large, you can shrink it with Compress PDF before uploading.
I can't get the police certificate before the application deadline
Instead of the certificate, you can upload:
- A copy of the receipt showing you’ve applied for it, or
- A screenshot of the confirmation page or email you received when ordering it online.
If you need to upload multiple police certificates, here’s a tip: write a short note explaining that you need more time to get the certificate [mention that specific country]. Combine this note with your proof of application into a single file and upload it in the ‘client information’ section of your Document Checklist.
Later, an officer will send a request in your account asking for the police certificate.
Work History
This will be a manual entry in the application system
Tip
To ensure everything is accurate and to save time, create a list of your jobs on paper first. This way, you can double-check the details before transferring the information into the system once you receive your invitation.
In the Work History section, the system will ask for your jobs from the past 10 years. For each entry, you only need to provide the month/year, city, and country—no exact dates, full addresses, or extra details are required in the IEC program.
There are three important rules you must follow when completing your work history:
- You must list all activities starting from the day you turned 18, even if this goes back more than 10 years.
- Anything before age 18 can be left out.
- Do not leave any gaps in your work history. Your timeline must be continuous.
- Include all dates, such as employment, unemployment, studies, travel, or any other periods where you were not working.
If there are any gaps in your work history or CV/résumé, the processing agent will ask you to fill out a more detailed travel history form. This form is time-consuming and frustrating to complete, and it can delay your application significantly.
Start by listing your most recent entry first, then work backward, going all the way to your 18th birthday.
List everything without any gaps.
- In school → select “Student”
- Not working or looking for work → select “Unemployed”
- Traveling after finishing school or between jobs → also select “Unemployed”
- There will not be a “Travelling” option in the drop-down list.
An example of the work history.
You start with the latest (most recent) entry and go back to your 18th birthday:
09/2025 – ongoing Unemployed
02/2021 – 09/2025 Customer Service
06/2020 – 01/2021 Unemployed
09/2016 – 06/2020 Student
What if I was a student and had part-time jobs while studying?
If your main occupation during a period was as a student, leave out any work experience from that time.
For example, if you were a student for 4 years in your home country and worked during that time, just list “student” for those 4 years. Instead of listing each short-term job separately, you cover the entire period with one entry.
This is especially helpful if you had multiple jobs during your studies, which is quite common.
How do I list jobs or studies that I did remotely?
When filling out your application, it’s important to enter the actual location where you physically worked or studied, not the location of the company or institution itself.
For example:
- If you’re a remote worker, enter the location where you completed the work, which would typically be your home or the place where you were working from, not the company’s location.
- If you were studying online, enter the location where you took the classes (e.g., your home or any place where you were attending the online courses), not the location of the institution.
Do I also have to list all my travels?
For the IEC application, you don’t need to provide a detailed travel history. The main focus is on your work history, which includes all jobs, periods of unemployment, and any studies you’ve completed.
Be honest and accurate when completing your application, as IRCC may request travel records from border agencies if additional verification is needed.
- If you were employed and took short holidays or vacations for a few days, you can safely leave these out of your work history. They do not need to be reported unless they meet the six-month rule mentioned earlier.
- If you were not working and spent time travelling after your school or in between jobs, IRCC expects you to clearly indicate where you were and what you were doing during that period.
- This time should be entered as “unemployed”, along with the country or countries you were travelling in.
As noted earlier, leaving gaps in your work history will often trigger the most common request: the IMM 5257 Schedule 1 – Travel History form. This form requires you to list all your international travel during the requested period, and with exact dates! The form is time-consuming and a pain, and you should avoid it at all costs by providing a complete and accurate work history.
> You can find more information on the IMM 5257 Schedule 1 form here. <
I travelled visiting multiple countries and cities. How should this be entered in my work history?
- If you travelled within a single country and visited multiple cities, list the period as “unemployed” and enter the city where you first arrived.
- If you also travelled to other countries, create a separate entry for each additional country.
I travelled to three countries within the same month, but the system only allows full months.
This is a more complex entry because the IRCC system only records the month and year of each activity. If you travelled to multiple countries within the same month, create a single entry in the online IRCC system. Then, in your CV (prepared in Word format), add a separate section titled “International Travels” and list all countries visited along with the corresponding dates.
This means that because these are three different countries, they would normally require three separate entries. Each time you entered another country, your passport got scanned at the border.
However, the IRCC system does not allow multiple entries with the same month and year. In this case, you should make one single entry in the online IRCC system covering the full period. For example:
Online IRCC system entry:
07/2025 – 08/2025
Unemployed, Bangkok, Thailand
Then, in your CV, provide a detailed breakdown of your travel under a separate section (International Travels):
CV entry:
10/07/2025 – 20/07/2025: Bangkok, Thailand
20/07/2025 – 28/07/2025: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
28/07/2025 – 15/08/2025: Jakarta, Indonesia
Education History
This will be a manual entry in the application system
You only need to list periods after high school where you received a post-secondary diploma or certificate.
This includes:
- Vocational training
- University degrees
- Certification programs
- Any other form of higher education you have attended or are currently attending
If you only have a high school diploma and did not pursue further education, simply answer “No” and you can skip this section.
If you started post-secondary studies but didn’t complete them, or didn’t receive a degree or diploma, you do not need to include it in your education history. However, make sure to list these years as ‘student’ periods in your work history to account for any gaps in your timeline.
CV/résumé
This will be a document upload into a spot
This CV/résumé isn’t meant to highlight your skills or help you get a job. It’s solely for immigration processing, giving IRCC a clear picture of everything you’ve done since you turned 18—whether that was work, studies, travel, unemployment, or anything else.
You must upload this CV/résumé as part of your application, and it can be in PDF or Word format.
When creating it, list your work history starting from your most recent job and continue backward in time (reverse chronological order). Make sure the information matches what you entered in the Work History section.
If you were unemployed at any point, include that too.
There’s no specific required format, so feel free to use any simple layout. There are many free templates online that you can download and fill in.
Photo
This will be a document upload into a spot
Below, you’ll find a screenshot of the official photo requirements for your IEC application. You can check the full photo specifications here for more detailed information.
To ensure the correct dimensions, you can have a professional photographer take your photo. However, you don’t need a professional photo. A simple passport photo app on your phone works just as well.
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- First, select the settings for Canada within the app.
- Next, stand in front of a white background (a blank wall works perfectly).
- Then, have someone else take the photo for you (it’s much easier than trying to take a selfie!).
- Once the photo is taken, crop the photo to the required dimensions. Most apps let you adjust the size automatically.
Just make sure your photo meets all the specifications before uploading it!
Family Information Form (IMM 5707)
This will be a document upload into a spot
The Family Information Form (IMM 5707) is one of the required documents for your IEC application—but don’t fill it out ahead of time!
You must wait until you receive your invitation because IRCC may update the form. The version available when you enter the pool might not be the same version required when you’re invited.
Once you receive your invitation, you’ll get a download link to the most up-to-date version, which will appear in your document checklist.
If you’d like to see what the form currently looks like, you can download the latest version here.
Many applicants have trouble downloading or opening the form (or any PDF). You can find helpful troubleshooting tips here.
Do I need proof of funds when I apply?
No, you don’t need to provide or upload proof of funds when you apply for the IEC.
However, you must show proof of funds when you arrive in Canada to activate your work permit. The minimum required amount is CAD $2,500 for all participants.
Do I need proof of IEC health insurance when I apply?
You don’t need IEC health insurance when you apply for the IEC.
However, you must have IEC health insurance when you travel to Canada and activate your work permit.
In other words, it’s best to wait until you’ve received your Port of Entry (POE) approval letter and booked your flight before purchasing your IEC health insurance. This way, you buy the right coverage for the exact dates you’ll need.
For more details about IEC health insurance requirements, you can find all the information here.
>> Click here for more details about IEC health insurance requirements
>> Click here for a list of all other required documents for the IEC activation
Tip!
Print and keep a copy of all the documents you plan to upload in your application. You’ll need them again when you travel to Canada to activate your work permit. Having them on hand will make the process smoother and save you time later on!
A few more words that will hopefully put your mind at ease
First of all, don’t be intimidated by the list of required documents and questions. While the process may seem overwhelming, it’s really just a record of your work, travel, and life history since you turned 18.
The government isn’t concerned with what you were doing—just where you’ve been. If a processing officer finds something unclear or missing, they’ll simply request more documents. This is normal and nothing to worry about.
Canadian immigration officers do not judge your personal life. Whether you’ve worked consistently, studied, been unemployed, or even spent years playing video games at home, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you provide an accurate record of your activities and where you’ve lived since turning 18.
Your level of education or work experience also doesn’t affect your eligibility. Whether you’ve just finished high school, have years of experience, or hold a PhD, everyone is treated equally.
In short, every applicant in the International Experience Canada (IEC) program is evaluated fairly, regardless of background.