Step 7: POE
Once your application is approved, the IRCC will send a “Correspondence Letter” to your GCKey account.
Congratulations!
This letter, also known as the Port of Entry (POE) Letter of Introduction, marks the approval of your Working Holiday application.
While it’s officially called the Port of Entry (POE) Letter of Introduction, you might also hear it referred to as:
- Correspondence Letter
- Introduction Letter
- Introductory Letter
Please note that the Letter of Introduction is not your actual work permit. It’s simply confirmation that your application has been approved. Once you arrive at the Canadian border and present all required documents, you’ll receive your work permit.
Very important:
Make sure to print this letter or save it in multiple places—at least three on your computer/laptop or in your cloud storage. This will ensure you can easily access it later.
The reason for this is that the POE letter may disappear automatically from your GCKey account after a certain period due to a common glitch.
Remember, the POE letter is the most important document in the entire Working Holiday Canada application process. Without it, you won’t be able to receive your work permit at the border when you arrive in Canada.
How long is the POE valid? Until when do I have to activate the work permit?
In general, you have 12 months to activate the work permit, however there is a 'but'
The Port of Entry (POE) Letter is valid for 12 months. This means you have 12 months to travel to Canada and activate the work permit. The date until which you can activate the work permit is printed on the POE letter.
Important: The date on the POE cannot be extended. If you miss this date, you will need to re-apply for the Working Holiday.
For official details, check out the full information > here <.
Now the ‘but’!
If you’ve already completed a medical exam, your POE will be valid for 12 months from the date of the medical exam. This date will be clearly printed on your POE.
For example, as shown below, the POE will indicate its validity period along with the medical exam date. Since the medical exam date is earlier, you must activate your work permit by April 22, 2025 (in this case) to avoid a work permit with restrictions.
If you activate after April 22, then the medical exam will no longer be valid. As a result, you’ll receive a work permit with restrictions, which means you won’t be able to work in jobs that require a medical exam. More info on the medical exam here.
You can find a lot more questions answered > here < in this FAQ section.
Once you’ve secured your POE letter, it’s time to start planning your amazing Canadian adventure! Get ready to explore new cities, meet new people, and make unforgettable memories while working and travelling in Canada. The journey of a lifetime is just around the corner!
