Working Holiday - Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for participating in the Working Holiday Program?
To participate in the Working Holiday Program, you must:
- be a citizen of the country you are applying for (all participating IEC countries here)
- have a valid passport for the duration of your stay in Canada
- be between 18 and 30 or 35 years (inclusive)
- have at least $2,500 in funds
- have health insurance for the duration of the intended stay
- have a return ticket or instead prove that you have the financial means to buy a return ticket at the end of your stay in Canada
- have a credit card for the fees
How much does it cost to participate in the Working Holiday Program?
- All IEC participants must pay the IEC participation fee of CAD$179.75
- Then there is the Open work permit fee: CAD$100
- And an additional fee for the biometrics: CAD$85
My country allows 2 years but my passport expires in a year, can I still apply?
Definitely, yes. Here is what you can do:
- Apply into the pool with the old passport.
- After you received the approval from the Working Holiday Canada application, you can apply for a new passport.
- Then when you travel to Canada to activate the work permit, show the immigration officer the new passport and a copy of the old passport.
- Don’t forget to apply for a new eTA > here < for the new passport.
The other option is to apply for a new passport first, and then apply into the pools with the new passport. But it depends on the season and available spots for your country if you can afford to wait any longer to apply for the Working Holiday.
When is the best time to apply for a Working Holiday in Canada?
If you intend to travel to Canada within the next 12 months, you can apply any time while the pools are open.
Can I apply for the Working Holiday if I am still under 18 years old?
No. At the time of creation and transmission of the profile, you must be at least 18 years old.
What is a "pool"?
The pool is a draw pot where all applicants create their profile. Once the season starts, a computerized system will randomly and irregularly (usually weekly) pull a certain number of candidates out of the pool throughout the season. It’s like a lottery where everyone puts their name in and hopes to be drawn.
Each IEC country has its own pools, its own assigned available spots and its own invitation rounds.
When does the "pool" open?
The International Experience Program and its pools usually opens in late fall (around November/December) and stays open all year until early fall. Then they close all pools for a few weeks to prepare for the next season.
What do I need to register in the pool?
To register in the pool you only need a valid passport from your country, that takes part in the IEC program.
Can I create a profile before the pool opens?
No, you will not be able to create a pool profile before the season opens. You will receive an error message.
Do I have to apply for the Working Holiday online, or can I also do it by mail?
The Working Holiday application process is an exclusively online process via the pools. It is not possible to apply by post, not in an embassy, not at a border and not at one of the Visa Application Centres. No exceptions are made.
I have two citizenships; can I apply into both pools at the same time?
If you have two different citizenships (for example UK and Ireland) and you have valid passports for those citizenships, you can apply into both pools. You have to create a new profile for each citizenship pool. For this you can use the same GCKey account.
If the same GCKey account creates an error message, while you try to create two profiles, you can create a new GCKey for the second citizenship.
I am already in Canada on a Working Holiday; do I have to wait until it is expired to apply for a new IEC work permit?
In general, and for most countries you can apply while your current Working Holiday is still active. Keep in mind, that you will have 12 months from the new POE (approval) to activate the new work permit. Therefore, the best option to use the time wisely, is, to apply about 12 months before the expiry of the current work permit.
There are however, a few countries that have a ‘discontinuance requirement‘.
In other words, it means there must be a break between the expiry date of the first IEC work permit and the submission date of the second IEC work permit application. You can only apply for a second participation after a certain time since the old work permit has expired. Here are the breaks:
- Croatia: 3 months
- Latvia: 1 year
- Lithuania: 3 months
- Poland: 6 months
- Slovakia: 3 months
- Spain: 3 months
The break starts after your first IEC work permit expires. If you apply earlier than that, the application will be refused. You can find the requirements of your country > here <.
When can I apply for the Working Holiday?
You can apply anytime throughout the IEC season. You can always submit your profile to the pool while the pools are open.
Do I have to be in my home country to apply for the Working Holiday?
No, you can apply from anywhere in the world, where you have access to WIFI.
Some countries have a residency requirement, which means they must provide a mailing address from their home country:
Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden
**NEW for Italy**: If you’re an Italian citizen, you’ll also need to provide a residence certificate (certificato di residenza) to prove you live in Italy. The certificate must be translated into English or French by a certified translator (it cannot be translated by you). You must then merge the original + translation into one file and upload this file into the “Optional documents” spot at the bottom of the Document Checklist page in your GCKey account.
How long does it take to receive an invitation?
The Working Holiday Pool is a lottery. A computerized system randomly and irregularly (usually weekly) pulls a certain number of candidates out of the pool throughout the season.
An invitation can come after 1 week, after 1 month, after several months. You have the best chances at the beginning of the season, because then there are not so many applicants in the pools.
It is also possible that you do not receive an invitation before the end of the season. Everything is luck of the draw.
During the season the pool numbers update each Friday to let applicants know how many invitations were sent out and how many spots are left. (You can only check the numbers while the pools are open.)
Those numbers change constantly because:
- applicants decline their invitations,
- applicants let their invitations expire,
- applicants miss their deadlines and receive a refusal
- applicants’ work permit applications are refused due to other reasons
When the pools are open you can check the rounds of invitations
To find out the pool numbers of your country of citizenship
How do I know when the invitation rounds take place?
Only the first round of invitation and final round of invitation is announced. Once you are in the pool, invitations will usually be sent out weekly. Each Friday the pool numbers will be updated. You can check them > here <.
If I don't receive an invitation, will I be notified?
As long as you meet the age requirement, your profile stays in the pool until the end of the season, which is usually around October and takes part in every invitation round. There will not be any notification if you didn’t get picked in an invitation round.
- welcome to the pool letter (after you created the profile)
- invitation to apply letter (if you are invited)
- letter that your profile was removed from the pools (when the pool closes, and you were not invited)
What do I do if I don't receive an invitation before the season closes?
You can try your luck again in the next season. At the end of the season, all profiles are removed from the pool. Every new applicant starts from scratch. In the new season, all spots will be opened up again and chances are better.
I didn't receive an invitation before the season closed, can I use the same account to re-apply?
Yes, you can use the same GCKey account to re-apply into the pool.
Do I need a job offer for the Working Holiday?
The Working Holiday work permit is an open work permit that gives you the freedom to work for any employer anywhere in Canada. So the answer is: No, you don’t need a job offer to apply for the Working Holiday Canada.
Can I work in any job in Canada with a Working Holiday?
As mentioned, with the Working Holiday work permit you can work for any employer anywhere in Canada and for the entire duration of the work permit. So the answer is: Yes, you can. However, there are two restrictions that you must be aware of.
There will be a restriction, that applies to all participants and will be printed on the bottom of the work permit:
“Not valid for employment in businesses related to the sex trade such as strip clubs, massage parlours or escort services”
In other words, it means you can’t work for employers, who offer striptease, erotic dance, erotic massages, or escort services. This restriction is a strict rule and cannot be removed from the work permit.
Another restriction that will be printed on the work permit is
“Not authorized to work in 1) child care, 2) primary or secondary school teaching, 3) health services field occupations.”
It means you can’t work in health care, child care or elderly care jobs. This restriction can be removed if you get a medical exam. More on this topic here > on this page <.
Do I have a better chance in the pool if I have a job lined up?
No, a job is not required for the Working Holiday and has no influence on the chances of invitation. In the Working Holiday pools, all participants are treated equally. For example, an applicant with a university degree will have the same chances of receiving an invitation as a young traveller who is just applying after high school graduation. Your education or work experience does not matter in the Working Holiday category. It only matters and is a requirement for the Young Professional category.
Can we apply for a Working Holiday together as a partner?
No, everyone has to apply for their own WHV. Note that not both will receive an invitation at the same time and one will have to wait for the other. It can even happen that only one of the partners is invited. Then you can still both go to Canada, take a look > here < for info on the partner work permit.
Can I take my children to Canada with the Working Holiday?
Yes. But they cannot accompany you under your Working Holiday. They will be granted entry as tourists usually for the duration of your work permit. If they are only admitted as visitors for the max. of 6 months, you can extend the visitor status by applying online for the visitor record. More info about the visitor record > here <.
Can I study in Canada on a Working Holiday?
Yes. If the course is max. 6 months. The course also cannot be part of a program lasting longer than six months, for example as a two-year program or four-year degree. If the course or program is longer than 6 months, you need a study permit.
