Recognized organizations for foreign youth – IEC [R205(b) - C21] – Reciprocity – International Mobility Program

The International Experience Canada (IEC) Program designates a number of organizations that provide support, and facilitate travel and work-abroad services between Canada and other countries. The organizations may provide these services for a fee to both Canadians going abroad and foreign nationals coming to Canada.

These recognized organizations are either Canadian organizations that may have partners overseas, or international organizations with a Canada-based office.

On this page

• What recognized organizations do
• IEC recognized organizations
• Student status
• Repeat participations
• Recognized organization acceptance letter

What recognized organizations do

Recognized organizations

• provide support services to Canadian and foreign youth for IEC work and travel experiences, including the following:
  • assisting with finding employment and/or job preparation
  • assistance in the case of an emergency or problem with the work and travel experience
  • travel or accommodation arrangements to destination country or upon arrival
  • information or assistance with international health insurance, immunization or vaccinations, emergencies or other related support
  • language and intercultural training
• promote IEC to Canadian youth
• support greater Canadian youth participation abroad
• feed information back to IEC on the experience, barriers and benefits of youth participating in the program

In exchange, the recognized organizations receive a small number of IEC annual inbound quota spaces to nominate their clients for participation in the program, subject to admissibility requirements.

Recognized organizations primarily support inbound and outbound IEC youth participation between Canada and IEC’s youth mobility arrangement (YMA) countries and territories. Quotas granted to recognized organizations to nominate a youth from a YMA country or territory are not counted against YMA quotas. Only in special circumstances can a recognized organization nominate youth to come to Canada from countries outside the IEC YMA structure as a pilot initiative.

Youth participating in the IEC Program who are from, or travelling to YMA countries or territories are not required to use a recognized organization to plan their participation. However, foreign nationals who are from a country or territory that does not have an arrangement with Canada, and who wish to take advantage of the IEC Program, must consider both of the following conditions:

• They must use one of the recognized organizations listed below.
• The recognized organization they use must be authorized to nominate youth from that country or territory.

Other eligibility requirements may apply to the use of a recognized organization, including whether or not the organization currently offers youth mobility programming to Canada from a specific YMA country or territory, or from Canada to a specific YMA country. Applicants should consult the recognized organizations’ websites for details.

Recognized organizations have negotiated access to inbound nomination quotas in 1 or more of IEC’s participation categories:

• Working Holiday
• International Co-op (Internship)
• Young Professionals

Application processing follows the same procedures as those for applicants under YMA arrangements, with an additional requirement that applicants provide a letter of confirmation from the recognized organization. Recognized organizations’ applicants from YMA countries or territories are processed under the same service standards as regular YMA applicants not using the services of a recognized organization. Applicants from non-YMA countries or territories are reviewed according to the work permit processing times of the applicable overseas mission.

All IEC Program fees apply to participants nominated through a recognized organization.

IEC recognized organizations

The 8 recognized organizations that offer their services to participants under specific IEC categories are listed below. All recognized organizations may offer services to and from YMA countries and territories. Conditions listed below are for inbound participation.

In some cases, recognized organizations have been granted nomination quotas for work permit categories that are not part of the negotiated arrangements of all YMA countries and territories. In these cases, the maximum validity period for a participation is 24 months. Otherwise, the validity period is subject to the specific arrangements with YMA countries and territories.

Conditions for outbound participation are subject to the specific arrangements with YMA countries and territories, or to the immigration opportunities afforded to Canadians in non-YMA countries (if applicable).

• AIESEC Canada
• GO International
• International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE)
• International Internship Network (IIN)
• International Rural Exchange (IRE)/ A-Way to Work
• Languages Canada
• Stepwest
• SWAP Working Holidays

AIESEC Canada

AIESEC Canada is a non-profit organization that develops leadership in youth through professional work and travel experiences.

GO International

GO International helps international youth work and travel in Canada. They run a working holiday program in Canada that makes coming to Canada easy and safe. Professional staff provide personal support for participants for the full program duration, including pre-arrival coaching, job placement services, activities, accommodation options, travel advice and so much more.

International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE)

IAESTE offers student and professional opportunities in technical career–related fields for foreign national students from IEC or IAESTE member countries.

International Internship Network (IIN)

IIN primarily offers personalized academic internship/co-op, and working holiday programs for post-secondary students and youth from the IEC – YMA partner countries of Australia, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and the UK.

International Rural Exchange / A-Way to work

A-Way to Work, a unit of the non-profit International Rural Exchange Canada, offers paid opportunities to young people in agriculture, hospitality, culinary arts, tourism, horticulture, landscaping and other sectors.

Languages Canada

The Languages Canada consortium offers youth the opportunity to improve their English or French skills at an accredited language school and work with a Canadian employer. Participation options are available in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria.

Stepwest

Stepwest and Stepabroad, a program for Canadian youth, facilitate work experiences in Canada and abroad. Their multi-award nominated program portfolio ranges from paid ski resort jobs to industry-specific student internships.

SWAP Working Holidays

SWAP Working Holidays facilitates working holidays, and young professional work and travel opportunities for Canadians and foreign nationals.

Student status

Student status is a requirement only for the International Co-op (Internship) category. Candidates must have been enrolled in full-time post-secondary studies, inside or (if permitted in the YMA) outside their home country or territory, at some point in the previous 12 months. Students in their final year who are not returning to their studies are also eligible.

Repeat participations and discontinuance requirements

Foreign national youth are eligible to apply through an IEC recognized organization twice in their lifetime. These recognized organization participations are over and above the participations that the YMA allows. Repeat category participations through a recognized organization are allowed. The 2 participations are cumulative among all present, past or future recognized organizations. There is no discontinuity requirement for these individuals.

Participations that occurred before the 2016 season do not count toward the 2 participations.

A previous participation in an IEC country or territory that has a YMA with Canada does not count as a participation with a recognized organization. Therefore, if a foreign national youth has exhausted their allowable participations under the YMA with a specific country or territory, they may apply through a recognized organization up to the maximum number of lifetime recognized organization participations.

As of January 9, 2023, the IEC program changed how it defines a participation. Participation is now counted only when the foreign national youth has their work permit issued at a port of entry (POE). If a foreign national youth can’t come to Canada before their POE letter of introduction expires, it does not count as a participation. This policy is retroactive, and foreign nationals youth with expired POE letter of introduction can reapply for an IEC work permit if they still meet the program eligibility criteria. Previously, IEC participations were counted when the POE letter of introduction was issued.

Recognized organization acceptance letter

Applicants who choose to use the services of an IEC recognized organization and receive an invitation to apply must provide a copy of the confirmation letter from their recognized organization when submitting their work permit application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. This letter acts as proof that a recognized organization is helping the applicant plan their trip or find work in Canada.

Applicants who are also using the services of a recognized organization are required to check if a police certificate and medical exam are required as part of their work permit application. See the following web pages for more information:

• police certificates
• medical exams
• applying for a work permit under IEC

Application process for citizens and permanent residents of the United States

Canada and the United States (US) currently have no formal bilateral arrangement concerning youth mobility. American citizens and US permanent residents may apply to IEC through eligible recognized organizations. They may apply for their work permit through their IRCC personal account (the recommended option) or at a POE [paragraph R198(2)(c)], as long as they hold a valid invitation to apply letter and a copy of a confirmation letter from a recognized organization.

Upfront police certificates are not required for US citizens and permanent residents applying under a recognized organization if they have only lived in the US. Applicants who have lived in other countries or territories for 6 consecutive months or more since their 18th birthday must provide a police certificate for each of those countries or territories. Note that officers may request a police certificate at any time if they have concerns.

For guidance about police certificate requirements, refer to the participation eligibility requirements.