This category is designed for French youth wishing to go to Canada for tourism and cultural discovery purposes, while being authorised to work to supplement their financial resources (12 months).

---

In 2012, the Embassy of Canada in France is continuing its pilot project that allows electronic tracking of applications.

To submit an application to the International Experience Canada (IEC) initiative, you must download an application kit by following the instructions outlined on this page.

---

The 2012 Working Holiday category is now closed.

Please note that we will not accept any applications mailed after Monday November 28th, 2011 (as attested by the postal mark). Please ensure that the mailing date is clearly and lisibly indicated.

No waiting list will be established. The information regarding the opening of the 2013 Working Holiday category will be posted on this page in Fall 2012.

We thank you for your interest in Canada.

Eligibility Criteria

Back to top of page

---

---

Required Documents

1. Download Certificate
   Download, print and attach this as the cover page of your application. You will obtain this certificate by clicking on the link provided in the email giving you access to your personalised application kit.
2. 
   
3. 1 Copy of the 2-page IEC Application Form
   Save this 2-page IEC application form on your computer. Then complete it on the screen and print one copy. Finally do not forget to sign and date this form.
   The 2-page IEC application form must include your original signature. The signature on your IEC application form must correspond to the one in your passport. No one else can sign this form on your behalf.
4. 
   
5. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Forms:
   • Application for Work Permit Made Outside of Canada (IMM 1295), 5-page form when completed
   • Family Information (IMM 5645), 2-page form
   • Any other CIC form(s), if applicable

   You will have access to these CIC forms by downloading the IEC application kit.

6. Declaration Form
   Complete, sign and date this declaration form. This document must include your original signature.
   The signature on your declaration form must correspond to the one in your passport. No one else can sign this form on your behalf.
7. 
   
8. Medical Declaration Form
   Read carefully and check the appropriate box at the bottom of the form.
9. 
   
10. 2 Identity Photos
    Staple (do not glue) the 2 photos to the CIC “Application for Work Permit Made Outside of Canada” (IMM 1295) form, in the bottom left-hand corner of the first page (in the section marked FOR OFFICE USE ONLY – DO NOT WRITE IN THIS SPACE).
    The photos must conform to the specifications set out by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. (www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/photospecs-e.pdf)
11. 
    
12. Photocopy of the Identification Pages of your Passport
    This photocopy must clearly show your first and last names, date and place of birth, passport issuance and expiry dates as well as your signature. At the time your application is received at the Youth Mobility Unit, your passport must be valid for a minimum of12 months plus the processing time posted on our website. If you need to renew your passport in order to meet this requirement, you must do so before submitting your application. Do not send your original passport.
    
    

    Please note that the work permit issued at the point of entry cannot extend past your passport validity. Consequently, if you wish to obtain a work permit for the maximum length of 12 months, at the time of entering Canada you must ensure that your passport is valid for at least one day beyond the date of your stay in Canada.

13. Proof of Funds
    You must prove that you have sufficient financial resources to cover your expenses for the first 3 months of your stay in Canada (700€/$1 000 CAD per month). All funds must be readily available (i.e. not savings accounts in which funds are locked, shares/stocks, bonds, etc.).
    

14. a) If you possess the funds, you must provide the following:
    

    (1) “Proof of Funds – Candidate” form included in the application kit, or a bank document incorporating the information on the "Proof of Funds - Candidate" form, signed, dated and stamped by your bank.

    Or

    b) If a third party is providing the funds (i.e. a family member, legal guardian, etc.), you must include the following three (3) documents:
    

    (1)  the “Proof of Funds – Third Party” form found in the application kit, or a bank document incorporating the information on the "Proof of Funds - Third Party" form, signed, dated and stamped by the third party's bank;

    (2)  the letter of financial support found in the application kit duly completed, or a letter signed by the third party, stating that he/she commits to being financially responsible for you during your internship/on-the-job training placement in; and

    (3)  a photocopy of the third party's piece of identity (ID), such as a valid national identity card or the identification pages of a valid passport. This piece of ID must show his/her signature.

    The proof of funds document and letter must have been issued within the last 3 months. Legible photocopies are accepted. Keep an extra copy of these documents, as you may be asked to present them upon your arrival to Canada.

15. Complete and Up-To-Date Curriculum Vitae (CV)
    You must list your entire work history as well as all of your study experiences, including the degree or diploma you are currently completing, if necessary. For each of your professional and study experiences, please specify:
    • dates (mm-yyyy)
    • locations (city, country)
16. 
    
17. Cover Letter
18. 
    
19. Checklist
    Verify that all the required documents are assembled in the proper order. Include the checklist with your application.

Back to top of page

---

Participation Fee

Since 2011, an important change has been made with regards to the payment of the participation fee. The fee payment will only apply to candidates who submit applications that meet all of the IEC eligibility criteria. Consequently, it will be requested only after the Youth Mobility Unit (YMU) has examined your application.

If your application meets the IEC eligibility criteria, you will receive a conditional acceptance email. In this message, you will be asked to pay the participation fee by wire transfer. The fee amount as well as the bank coordinates of the account to which the payment must be made will be sent in your conditional acceptance email. Only the Euro amount indicated in that message will be accepted as it will correspond to the Canadian dollar exchange rate on the day of the conditional acceptance. You must not make this payment before receiving a conditional acceptance email from the Youth Mobility Unit. If you make the payment before you have received the conditional acceptance email, your application will be rejected on grounds of non-compliance.

Additional information concerning the fee payment process will be provided in the conditional acceptance email.

Back to top of page

---

Sending In Your Application

Mail the complete application to:

Applications will only be accepted by post. Applications that are sent by fax, email or delivered in person will be refused and returned without being examined.

Back to top of page

---

Evaluation Process

You will be kept up to date on the status of your application by email, from the time it is received at the Youth Mobility Unit (YMU) to the completion of its evaluation. Your application will be examined in two phases: first, by the Youth Mobility Unit and then by the Visa and Immigration Section (VIS). If your application is accepted at the end of this process, you will receive a Letter of Introduction authorising your stay in Canada.

1. Youth Mobility Unit (YMU)

Upon reception of your application by post at the YMU,you will receive an email acknowledging receipt of your file. Please be aware that this message is generated by an automated system. If you use an anti-spam filter, please make sure that your system is configured to authorise the following sender (i.e. by adding it to your contact list): eic-iec.e-tracking-noreply@ambassadeducanadaeic.net.

The YMU will examine your application in accordance with the instructions outlined above and the provisions of the Canada-France Agreement Concerning Youth Exchanges.

• If your application is accepted by the YMU:

You will receive a conditional acceptance email from us asking you to pay the participation fee by wire transfer.

The fee amount as well as the bank coordinates of the account to which the payment must be made will be sent to you in this conditional acceptance email. You will have ten (10) days to make the wire transfer and upload your proof of payment via our secure online form; otherwise, your application will automatically be rejected on grounds of non-payment. Additional information regarding the payment process will be provided in the conditional acceptance email.

After receipt of your proof of payment, you will receive an email from us confirming to you that your proof of payment has been received. We will then undertake a final verification of your file.

If everything is in order, you will receive an email informing you that the first evaluation phase has been completed. Your application will then be forwarded to the Visa and Immigration Section for the second evaluation phase.

• If your application is rejected by the YMU:

You will receive an email informing you of this refusal.

If you wish to reapply to IEC, you must download a new application kit since your old one will no longer be valid.

Reminder: All incomplete or non-compliant applications will be rejected.

2. Visa and Immigration Section (VIS)

The Visa and Immigration Section will examine your application in accordance with Canadian immigration law and regulations.

• If your application is accepted by the VIS:

You will receive a Letter of Introduction at the email address that you provided on your IEC application form. (No paper copy will be sent.)
If you use an anti-spam filter, please configure it to accept messages from the following addresses (i.e. by adding them to your contact list): eic-iec.e-tracking-noreply@ambassadeducanadaeic.net, paris-im.visiteur@international.gc.ca and Client-update-mise-a-jour@cic.gc.ca. Please also check your spam or junk folders to ensure that messages haven’t been filtered out.

• If your application is rejected by the VIS:

You will receive a letter by post explaining the reason(s) for the refusal and a reimbursement process will automatically be triggered within the YMU.

You will receive an email informing you that the YMU has initiated this reimbursement process.

You will receive a final email notifying you of its completion.


Back to top of page

---

Processing Time

The processing time that applies to your file is the one indicated in the email acknowledging receipt of your application at the Youth Mobility Unit. More information on the processing time is available here. (www.amb-canada.fr/iec/processing)

Due to the high number of applications received, we will not respond to any questions regarding your file during the processing period.

In the event that you have not received an email or letter informing you of the Embassy’s decision after the total processing time indicated in the Acknowledgement of Receipt email has passed, you may inform us of this situation by completing the form available here. (www.amb-canada.fr/iec/processing)

This form is to be used ONLY in this situation.

Back to top of page

---

Insurance

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) requires that all participants in the International Experience Canada (IEC) initiative have comprehensive health care and repatriation insurance upon their arrival to Canada. This insurance must be valid for the entire duration of the permit.

In Canada, the health care and social security systems vary by province and territory. Know your rights. (www.amb-canada.fr/iec/practicalinfo)

The insurance policy that you buy must:

covers health care/hospitalisation/repatriation,

be valid for all of Canada (North America, Canada/USA or worldwide coverage), and

be valid for the duration of your work permit in Canada.

You are strongly advised against buying an insurance policy until you receive your Letter of Introduction.

You must present your proof of comprehensive insurance coverage (health care/hospitalisation/repatriation) to officials upon your arrival to Canada.

Please note that the Embassy of Canada does not have information regarding insurance policies or providers.

Back to top of page

---

Formalities at the Point Of Entry (Customs)

Your work permit will be issued at the point of entry to Canada upon presentation of the following documents:

Upon presentation of the above documents, you will be given an “open” work permit valid for 12 months. This means that when in Canada, you will be authorised to change jobs or employers freely within that 12-month period. (Note: If you receive your letter of introduction before the 1st of January 2012, it will be valid from January 1st 2012 to December 31st 2012. You will therefore have to present this letter at a Canadian port of entry between these dates.)

We remind you that the work permit issued at the point of entry cannot extend past your passport validity. Consequently, if you wish to obtain a work permit for the maximum length of 12 months, at the time of entering Canada you must ensure that your passport is valid for this period plus one day.

Before leaving the point of entry, verify that all the information on your work permit is correct (i.e. permit expiry date, etc.).

You may enter and exit Canada during the validity period of your work permit.

If you plan to travel to another country, you must ensure that you meet the entrance requirements of the country you plan to visit.

Back to top of page

---

Download an Application Kit

The 2012 Working Holiday category is now closed.

Please note that we will not accept any applications mailed after Monday November 28th, 2011 (as attested by the postal mark). Please ensure that the mailing date is clearly and lisibly indicated.

No waiting list will be established. The information regarding the opening of the 2013 Working Holiday category will be posted on this page in Fall 2012.

We thank you for your interest in Canada.

Back to top of page

---

Reimbursement Policy

The International Experience Canada (IEC) participation fee will only be reimbursed if:

An application package is not accepted due to being incorrectly or incompletely filled out;

You do not meet the criteria of the IEC initiative and thus cannot be a participant;

You cannot be issued a work permit by Citizenship and Immigration Canada by reason of a pre-existing medical condition or criminal record, or because you have not been able to establish that you will come back to your home country;

The established participation quota for the IEC initiative in your country has been filled and no more applications can be accepted, or the quota for the category for which you are applying has been filled and no more applications can be accepted; or,

You voluntarily withdraw before the Letter of Introduction is issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

The participation fee will NOT be reimbursed if:

A Letter of Introduction has been issued to you by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, thereby confirming that a work permit will be issued to you at the Port of Entry. From the moment that your Letter of Introduction is issued, you are deemed to be a participant, whether you end up participating or not; or,

You include inaccurate information on the application or declaration form to circumvent the official requirements of the IEC initiative, and, as such, falsely represent yourself.

Please take note that the participation fee is not transferable under any circumstances, neither from person to person nor from year to year.

Back to top of page

---

Canada-France Youth Mobility Agreement

You can download the Youth Mobility Agreement here | PDF ^* (927 KB)

Back to top of page

---

Questions?

If you have any questions about the International Experience Canada (IEC) initiative, please consult the FAQ section.

Go for the experience!

---

* If you require a plug-in or a third-party software to view this file, please visit the alternative formats section of our help page .