Working Holiday - Frequently Asked Questions
I have received an invitation. What's next?
Congratulations! Now you have 10 days to accept the invitation by clicking the “Continue Application” link. From then on you have additional 20 days to upload all required documents.
The System is very faulty. Do not wait until the last day to accept the invitation or submit the application.
Also, the system time is in coordinated universal time (UTC). This is different than your local time.
For example, you accept your invitation at 11:25 a.m. UTC, you must submit your work permit application before 11:25 a.m. UTC 20 days later.
To be on the safe side, accept your invitation latest on day 8 of 10 and submit the application latest on day 18 of 20.
What happens if I don't accept the invitation?
If you do not respond to the invitation within 10 days, the invitation will expire and the profile will be removed from the pool. If you want to apply again, you will need to create a new IEC profile.
If you decline the invitation within 10 days, the profile will become active again and will be put back into the pool for future invitation rounds.
I want to apply for the Working Holiday, but I keep getting invitations for the Young Professional
When you created the profile you answered ‘yes’ to the job offer question. That means the system also suggested to enter the Young Professional pool. You are in two pools. Because the Young Professional has priority in the invitations, the system will issue those first.
As soon as you receive an invitation from one pool, your profile is locked from receiving another invitation. This means as long as there are spots left in the Young Professional category; you will never receive a Working Holiday invitation.
Unfortunately, you must delete the current profile and create a new one where you only enter the Working Holiday pool.
Do I need a police certificate?
Yes. You need a police certificate:
- from your home country (or the country where you are currently living)
- from each country in which you have spent six months in a row since the age of 18. It does not matter whether you were registered there or not. Or if you were there only as a tourist. The total stay counts.
If the police certificate is issued in a language other than English or French, it must be translated by a certified translator. The original and the translation must be uploaded.
A lot more information on police certificates > here <
There are instructions for every country how to get the police certificate
To find out how to request the police certificate from the country
Do I need a police certificate from Canada?
Even if you spent more than 6 months in a row in Canada, you do not need a police certificate. IRCC does the checks themselves.
They might request a police certificate, then you need to provide it.
What if I do not receive the police certificate in time before the deadline?
Do not wait until the last day to submit the application just because a document is missing.
If you have applied for the police certificate but have not yet received it, you must upload a receipt instead of the police certificate that proves that you have requested it. (An e-mail or proof of payment from the place where it was requested).
In the optional documents, please upload a letter (informal two sentences) explaining that you have requested the police certificate and need more time. Because there is only one spot, you must merge everything into one PDF. There are online PDF Merge Apps, like ‘Merge PDF‘.
Then upload all other required documents and submit the application. After you gave your biometrics, and a processing officer looks at your application, the they will open up a new spot where you have 30 days to submit the police certificate.
I have received the police certificate; where do I upload it?
There are two options:
Option 1 GCKey account
IRCC will send you a letter with the request for the police certificate. They will open up an upload spot where you can upload it. In the system, an expiration date and document number are required.
- If the police certificate does not have an expiration date, select a day that is at least 1 year after the date of issue.
- If the police certificate does not have a document number, enter N/A in the field. Or try all as zero. 000000
After uploading, you must also submit the document.
To do this, you have to continue with NEXT and click through all the steps until the status of the document is set to "replacement provided". Only then the document is completely submitted.
Option 2 Webform
Use this webform link >> here << to submit the police certificate. Select ‘International Experience’ from the drop down.
Be aware that IRCC might still be requesting the police certificate via option 1, GCKey account..
Upload it there and submit it again.
Do I have to print and sign the IMM 5707 form?
No, the IMM 5707 family form only has to be filled out on the PC, saved and uploaded again. Even if it says “Signature” at the bottom of the form. Don’t worry, when you submit the online application, everything is signed electronically.
Many applicants have issues downloading the IMM 5707 form
To find out how to download a PDF from the government homepage
I don't have my own credit card; can I use my parents' one?
Yes, absolutely. Your parents’ credit card, or even that of a relative or a friend’s, is ok. You don’t necessarily have to have your own credit card to pay the fees.
However, you should apply for a credit card as soon as possible, as you absolutely need it for your time in Canada.
I received an invitation and submitted my application, but the pool closed. Will I lose the spot?
No worries, your spot is safe. As soon as you submit the application it will be processed even after the season closure.
I can't get documents on time; can I extend the deadline?
- If you are missing a police certificate, then upload an explanation letter in that spot and proof that you applied for them.
- If you need a medical exam, upload proof of appointment in the medical exam spot.
I missed the 20-day deadline and received a refusal, what now?
If you missed the deadline, you have to start from scratch.
- Create a new profile in the same GCKey Account
- Enter the pool again
- Wait for a new invitation
While the pools are open, you can always check the left-over spots
How long does processing of my application take?
The processing time will start once you submitted all the required documents. If you apply for the first time, then it starts after you provided the biometrics. After submitting all documents it can take anywhere from a few days to 8 weeks to get the approval. The official wording from the Canadian government in > this video <:
“It takes 56 days to process your application from the date you submit it. Processing will only start after you have submitted biometrics and will stop if we ask for any additional documents.”
You can check the processing times >> here <<. You have to select “Visiting, studying, working temporarily”, then “International Experience Canada”.
The Canadian government also gives a heads up: Wait until your application is approved before you
- buy a plane ticket for any travel to Canada
- buy health insurance for your stay in Canada
- make commitments to your prospective employer in Canada
- commit to any accommodation in Canada
- cancel your accommodation or leave your job or studies in your home country
Do I get a refund of the fees if my application is refused?
Yes. You don’t have to do anything. Fees will be refunded automatically within 8 weeks if:
- the application has been refused or
- you withdraw the application before you receive the POE (approval).
The refund will be made to the credit card you used for the payment. If this card is no longer valid, a check will be issued to the address indicated in the application.