Do I Need a Working Holiday Visa to Work in Canada?
Are you under 30? Want to work in Canada without applying for a working holiday visa? Here’s how!
If you have dreams of going to work and travel in Canada, but you're getting tied up wondering about the visa application process, we're here to help.
Without further ado, here is everything you need to know before you apply for a Canadian working holiday visa.
What Is a Working Holiday Visa?
You've probably heard the word "J-1" before. It's a non-immigrant visa issued by the United States that you'd need if you were participating in programs within the U.S.
Similar to the J-1 visa the most common starting point for young people wanting to work and travel in Canada is to apply for a working holiday visa- also known as the International Experience Canada visa, or 'IEC'.
The IEC visa enables visitors from the UK to work and travel in Canada for a 2-year period.
The IEC visa is a great option for work and travel in Canada, but there are two major drawbacks:
Availability: Unfortunately, the number of applications for Canadian working holiday visas each year exceeds the total number of visas available. This makes the selection process extremely competitive- in 2018, the UK was allocated just 5,000 working holiday visas from the Canadian government.
Duration: An individual can only be issued one IEC visa in their lifetime- and the clock is running for two years straight from the moment it's valid. If you're going to get an IEC visa, it's best to choose your moment wisely.
This may sound a bit discouraging, but keep on readin' on- we've got the solutions to all your problems!
The Opportunity of a Lifetime
The IEC visa may be a once in a lifetime opportunity, but you don't have to use it right away to work and travel in Canada. We offer a fantastic alternative to the IEC visa, and we include full support for the duration of your stay. The best part? We've already found you a great job that we're sure you'll love.
Our summer camp counselor program in Canada is exempt from the IEC, which means you don’t need a visa to work in Canada for the summer.
Whether you were unsuccessful in applying for an IEC, have already used yours, or are just trying to weigh your options before you decide, we'll tell you all about why you should join the Camp Canada program.
Camp Experience: Aly
Meet Team Canada member Aly, from Greystones, Ireland. She started at Camp Canada as a counselor, spent 4 consecutive summers working at a camp in Quebec, and now works on our Placement Team based in Toronto. She's here to fill you in on what keeps awesome people like her coming back to Camp Canada year after year!
Work and Travel, the Easy Way.
Camp Canada has been helping people work and travel hassle-free since 2005. We take care of just about everything for you, making it easy to focus on planning an incredible summer.
If you're hired at a summer camp in Canada, you won't have to wait to make sure your permit has been approved. There is no cap on the amount of work permits the Canadian government allots per year, and you can apply for a new one every summer until you turn 30. This is part of what sets Camp Canada apart from other programs in both Canada and the USA. Want to see if you're eligible? Find out here.
Your work permit from Camp Canada is valid from the moment your plane touches down in Canada, and runs consecutively until your work contract expiry date. If you want to travel afterward, there is even a possibility to extend your stay for up to 6 months.
The Benefits of Camp Canada
- Flexible: Keep coming back, year after year. There is no cost to return to your camp again the next year.
- Cost effective: No visa fees, and none of your valuable time wasted.
- Hassle free: No embassy appointments, and you'll have all the support you could ever need.
- No buyer's remorse: See what life in Canada is like before committing to a 2 year IEC visa.
- Open to everyone: You can spend another beautiful summer in Canada, even if you’ve already used your Canadian working holiday visa.
You don't need a working holiday visa to work in Canada- and you may have just found a better option anyway. Find out more about Camp Canada here.
