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International Experience Canada (IEC) working holiday 2026: pools, invitations and fees

International Experience Canada lets young people from countries with a youth mobility agreement work in Canada for up to two years. IRCC says the 2026 pools are open. You create a profile, may be invited, then have 10 days to accept and 20 days to apply. The IEC fee is $184.75, plus $100 for the open work permit under Working Holiday, plus biometrics.

International Experience Canada, usually shortened to IEC, is a youth mobility program. People often call it the "working holiday visa", but IRCC describes it as three separate categories with different rules. Because places are limited, it works through pools and invitations rather than a simple application, and that process is the source of most questions: what is a pool, how often are invitations sent, and how fast must someone respond.

This guide explains how the program works on IRCC's pages, with the fees and deadlines it states. It does not predict invitations. IRCC itself says that being in a pool does not guarantee an invitation, and nobody outside IRCC can say when a round will happen or who will be selected. Nothing here tells a reader whether they are eligible or which category to choose.

The facts were read on 10 October 2026 on IRCC's IEC pages (dated between 2 March and 7 August 2026, and 22 July 2026 for the main page), its rounds page (modified 9 October 2026) and the IRCC fee list (modified 21 September 2026). Seasons, countries, fees and quotas change, so check the live pages.

What IEC is and the three categories

IRCC's page invites people aged 18 to 35 (18 to 30 in some countries) to "come work and travel in Canada through International Experience Canada (IEC)". The country pages show stays of up to 24 months in some categories.

There are three categories, and which ones are open depends on the person's country of citizenship: - Working Holiday. No job offer is needed before arriving. Participants get an open work permit, which lets them work for most employers in Canada and in more than one location. - Young Professionals. The participant needs a paid, non-self-employed job offer that counts toward professional development. The permit is an employer-specific work permit, tied to the same employer and location. - International Co-op (Internship). For students enrolled at a post-secondary institution outside Canada. The work placement or internship must be needed to complete their studies, be directly linked to the field of study and be with the same employer and location. This also leads to an employer-specific work permit.

The category matters for the permit, for the fee (an extra fee applies to Working Holiday) and for the paperwork. A Young Professionals job offer, for example, falls in the LMIA-exempt group covered in the guide on the International Mobility Program.

IRCC's main IEC page, dated 22 July 2026, says: "The pools for the 2026 season are open." It also says the season is open and tells readers to check whether their country or territory has an arrangement with Canada. It lists 35 countries and territories at the time of reading.

Who can take part

Eligibility depends on citizenship and on the arrangement between Canada and each country.

  • Citizenship. IRCC's eligibility page, dated 7 August 2026, says your country or territory of citizenship must have a youth mobility agreement with Canada.
  • Age. The main page says "18 to 35 (18 to 30 in some countries)". The exact range for each country and category is set out on IRCC's "eligibility by country" page. As an example of how that page reads, it shows Australia with an age range of 18 to 35 inclusive for Working Holiday and Young Professionals, with permits of up to 24 months, and up to 12 months for International Co-op. Other countries differ, so use your own country's entry.
  • Refugee travel documents. IRCC's eligibility page says people who hold a refugee travel document from any country are not eligible to take part.
  • Number of times. The page says some countries allow you to take part only once and others allow two participations, in different categories. There is no single number that applies to everyone.

The country-by-country page also states the minimum funds and the maximum permit length for each category, which differ between countries. Treat any age, funds or permit-length figure from a blog as unreliable until it matches the IRCC page for your country.

Pools, profiles and invitations

IEC does not accept ordinary applications. IRCC's profile page, dated 2 March 2026, sets out five steps: check eligibility through the IRCC secure account, complete a profile, submit it, wait for an Invitation to Apply (ITA), and respond to it.

Two statements describe the structure: - "There is one pool of eligible candidates per country and per category." - "We regularly invite eligible applicants from IEC pools to apply for a work permit."

An invitation is not guaranteed. IRCC says that if you submit your profile before the final round of invitations for your country, you could get an ITA. It does not say you will.

The invitations go out in what IRCC calls rounds. Its rounds page says "We regularly send out Invitations to Apply (ITA) to apply for a work permit" and "The number of candidates invited to apply during each round varies." It adds: "Rounds take place until there are no more spots available or until the IEC season closes." The rounds page has a country selector that shows key dates and available spots, and says the numbers are normally updated on Fridays.

Because the number of spots and the timing differ by country and season, this guide does not suggest how long a person might wait or what the odds are. IRCC's rounds page is the place to see the figures for a country.

The 10-day and 20-day clocks

Two deadlines apply once an invitation arrives, and both are strict.

  • Accepting. IRCC's profile page says: "You have 10 days to accept the invitation before it expires."
  • Applying. After accepting, the work permit application has to be submitted within a set time. IRCC's application page, dated 28 May 2026, says "exactly 20 days from the time you accept your ITA". The deadline is in UTC, which may fall at a different local time from where you live.

IRCC's IEC page also says that if you do not accept or submit within those windows, your name is removed from the pool.

The practical point is that the documents should be ready before an invitation arrives. IRCC's own page suggests one example: police certificates and medical exams can take time, and the page says an application may take longer than the advertised processing standard if you submit proof of a police certificate request or a medical exam request instead of the completed document. See the guide on medical exams and police certificates for how those work. The 20-day clock does not stop while a police authority prepares a certificate.

Fees

On the IRCC fee list (modified 21 September 2026), the IEC entries are: - International Experience Canada fee: $184.75. - Open work permit holder fee: $100.00. IRCC's application page says this applies to Working Holiday. - Biometrics: $85.00 per individual.

IRCC's IEC main page and application page both show an "Error loading fee" message where the amount should appear, and point readers to the fee list, so the fee list is the reliable place to read them. The application page confirms the structure: the IEC fee, the biometrics fee, and for Working Holiday the open work permit holder fee of CAN$100.

The fees are set by IRCC and may change. Other costs, such as medical exams, police certificates, health insurance and travel, are not included in these amounts and are paid to the relevant provider. Those third-party prices are not on IRCC's fee list.

Documents IRCC lists: funds, insurance, police and medical

The application page lists documents beyond the form itself: - Proof of funds. "Your bank statement must show you have at least CAN$2,500 or the equivalent in foreign currency." IRCC says the statement must be issued no more than one week before you leave for Canada. Your own country's page may state a different funds figure for a category, so read that too. - Health insurance. The insurance must cover the whole time you are in Canada and include medical care, hospitalization and repatriation. IRCC says you do not need it when you apply, but you must have it before arriving. - Police certificates. In most cases, you need police certificates for places where you lived six or more months in a row since age 18. IRCC's police certificate page lists International Experience Canada among the programs where a certificate must be provided. - Medical exam. IRCC says you should get one before you submit if you recently lived in or travelled to certain countries for six months or more, or plan to work in health, education, child care or elderly care.

The list is a summary of the page as dated 28 May 2026. The checklist your own account generates is the document to follow.

What to be careful about

  • Nobody can sell you a place in a pool or an invitation. IRCC invites candidates from the pools, and the profile is created through your own IRCC account. Be wary of anyone who says they can guarantee an invitation.
  • Do not rely on a draw tracker or a forum for round dates. Use IRCC's rounds page.
  • The two clocks are short. Missing either one means starting again with a new profile, if a spot remains.
  • Details differ by country. Ages, number of participations, permit length and funds are set per country and per category.
  • A permit from IEC is temporary. IRCC does not describe it as a route to permanent residence, and other programs have their own rules. The Express Entry guides on this site cover the permanent options.

If a profile or application raises a legal question, such as a past refusal or a criminal record, that is a matter for a regulated adviser.

Finding a regulated adviser

If you want a licensed immigration consultant or a lawyer to look at an International Experience Canada profile or application, use the Migratio directory to find a regulated adviser, and check their licence on the official register before you sign anything. Migratio is a directory and booking platform. It does not give immigration advice, does not choose a program for anyone and has no connection to IRCC or any province.

Questions people ask

Are the 2026 IEC pools open?

IRCC's page, dated 22 July 2026, says: "The pools for the 2026 season are open." Check the page and your country's round dates, since seasons close when no spots remain.

How much does IEC cost?

As at 21 September 2026 the IRCC fee list shows the International Experience Canada fee at $184.75, the open work permit holder fee at $100, which applies to Working Holiday, and biometrics at $85 per individual.

How long do I have to accept an IEC invitation?

IRCC says you have 10 days to accept the invitation before it expires. After accepting, you have exactly 20 days to submit the work permit application.

How much money do I need for IEC?

IRCC's application page says the bank statement must show at least CAN$2,500 or the equivalent in foreign currency, issued no more than one week before you leave for Canada. Your country's page may add requirements.

Does being in the pool guarantee an invitation?

No. IRCC says that submitting a profile before the final round for your country means you could get an invitation, and that rounds continue only until no spots remain or the season closes.

Which countries are eligible for IEC?

IRCC lists 35 countries and territories that have an arrangement with Canada and a country-by-country page showing categories, age ranges and permit lengths. Citizenship must be of a country with a youth mobility agreement.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-10.

Related guides

  • LMIA-exempt work permits: how the International Mobility Program works — The International Mobility Program lets employers hire temporary foreign workers without a Labour Market Impact Assessment. The legal basis is sections 204 and 205 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. For most employer-specific permits the employer pays a $230 compliance fee, submits an offer of employment through the Employer Portal and gives the worker a 7-digit number.
  • Medical exam and police certificates for Canada: who needs them, when, and how long they last — IRCC requires an immigration medical exam from a panel physician for permanent residence applicants, and for some temporary residents. Results are valid for 12 months. Police certificates are required for permanent residence, citizenship and International Experience Canada. Express Entry candidates must get the medical exam after the invitation but before applying, and have 60 days to submit police certificates.
  • IMM 1295, Application for a Work Permit Made Outside of Canada: what it asks and common mistakes — IMM 1295 is the form for a work permit applied for outside Canada, completed by each person who needs one. The IRCC fee list shows $155 per person, plus $100 for an open work permit holder and $85 for biometrics where required. A form completed on a computer must be validated to generate a barcode page, and the Background Information section must be fully answered or the application is returned.
  • Canadian Immigration Fees 2026: The IRCC List, Explained — The IRCC fee list (date modified 21 September 2026) sets the government fees for most applications: for example $100 for a visitor visa, $150 for a study permit, $155 for a work permit, $1,590 for an economic permanent residence application including the $600 right of permanent residence fee, and $653 for an adult citizenship application. Medical exams, language tests, police certificates and representative fees are not on it.
  • Express Entry explained: how the system and its three programs work — Express Entry is an online system IRCC uses to manage applications for permanent residence under three programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. You create a profile, candidates with the highest scores are invited in rounds, invited candidates apply, and an officer decides. This page explains the mechanics. It cannot tell you whether you are eligible.
  • IMM 5710, Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker: what it asks — IMM 5710 is the form for a worker already in Canada who wants to extend a work permit, change its conditions or apply for an initial work permit from inside the country. IRCC says to apply at least 30 calendar days before your current permit expires. The IRCC fee list shows $155 for a work permit including extensions, plus $100 for an open work permit holder.