Step 5: Application
If you receive an invitation, you have 10 days to accept the invitation with "Start Application".
Once you've accepted the invitation, you have another 20 days to upload all the documents and pay the fee.
The government’s system is very glitchy. Please do not wait until the last day of the deadline. Accept the invitation no later than day 8 of 10 and submit the request no later than day 18 of 20.
If you have trouble logging into your account, try those solutions:
- Keep trying, and trying,
- delete cookies,
- use several other browsers, including the Brave browser,
- use incognito mode/private window,
- use another device
- try another time because the site is overloaded.
- Below is a screenshot of the 2 page “Invitation letter” that contains a lot of links. Click those links and read them.
- If you followed the instructions in Step 4 of the application guide, the application is completed quickly.
- I will only mention a few important steps and screenshots of the application process below. I leave out all self-explanatory steps because they are very simple.
- Accept the invitation with “Start Application”. As soon as you have clicked this link, the 20 days deadline begins.
eService
- In the eService screen you first have to fill out all forms with the button on the right “Continue form”
- Fill in all required and missing data in the application one after the other and save them. If it is saved, you can always go back and change or add something.
- Only after all 4 sections are completed, you can move to the next step (the document list).
In the question (below in the screenshot) you have to list all trips abroad where you have been for more than 6 months at a time. It is the time of stay that counts and it does not matter whether you were there as a tourist, worker or student.
Work History
- You now enter all data from the created Work History list from Step 4 of the application guide.
- If you haven’t followed Step 4 of the application guide in this infoblog, use a piece of paper and write down everything chronologically first. Then transfer it to the application form.
- If you don’t do this and you forgot something, you cannot add additional lines in between the dates. You also can’t delete entries, the system will create an error.
- The Work History asks about your jobs in the last 10 years but you should list everything back to the age of 18.
- If your job is not listed, simply choose the job area that suits yours the closest.
Application Details
- Under “Type of work permit” make sure that the correct category is there.
- If you applied for the Working Holiday, it’s correct.
- If it says something other than the category you applied for, you now have to stop and withdraw the entire profile, create a proper profile in the pool and wait again for an invitation for the right category.
- A very important question in the above screenshot will determine if you need to undergo a medical exam.
- More information on medical exams can be found > here < in an extra info post.
- You will only get to the next step, the document list after you have completed all 4 categories in the eService and they are set to “Complete”. Now you will also see the important “Continue” button and can go to the next step.
Document checklist
- Now upload all documents that are required in your document overview. If you have followed the instructions in Step 4 of the application guide the upload will only take a few minutes.
- If you’re having trouble downloading the Family Information Form IMM5707, >here< are the instructions and one of the solutions will work.
- The IMM5707 form only has to be filled out, saved and uploaded again on the PC. It does not have to be signed, even if it says “Signature” at the bottom of the form. Don’t worry, during the application process, everything is automatically signed and transmitted electronically.
- The file that is uploaded must not exceed 4MB.
- The following file formats are accepted: PDF, JPG, TIFF or PNG (image), DOC or DOCX (Word document).
- Under the “Optional Documents” you can upload other documents that are not listed in the document list. e.g. if you have to write a short explanation to let the processing officer know more about a certain situation.
- One example: if you can’t get a police certificate in time, you can write a short explanation that you applied for the police certificate and need more time.
- Only after all documents have been uploaded, a “Next” button appears at the end of the list and you get to the next step in the application.
- Attention, if the documents are uploaded, the status is always “Uploaded – Not submitted to IRCC”. Everything is “submitted” automatically at the end of the application and after payment.
Summary of fees
- In this step, you now pay the fees. The following fees should be listed for the Working Holiday:
- IEC Participation Fee $172
- Open Work Permit Holder Fee $100
- Biometrics Fee $85
- The credit card for the fees does not have to be in your name. The cardholder’s name appears on the receipt, but does not have to match the application.
- So you can use the credit card of family or friend.
- You will be directed to an external site where you can make the secure payment.
- If you cancel this transaction and go back to your account, the “Transmit and pay” button may have disappeared for a short time. Don’t panic! This button will return within 24 hours and you can try the payment again.
- After you paid the fees, that’s it.
- During the course of the application process, either at the start or during processing, you will receive emails about your account. There are two kind of emails. One you can ignore and one which is a real message or request.
- Important! Due to many scammers and phishing attempts from third parties, never click on any links in an email. Log in through your computer or cell phone via the IRCC homepage.
"Your application status has changes."
You can ignore this message because something only happened in the background.
You will not find any messages in your GCKey account
"A message about your application is waiting for you."
This is real! You will find the message and request in your GCKey account
