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

In 2010, 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 on this page.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

• Be between the ages of 18 and 35 inclusive on the date the application is received;
• Be a French citizen and habitually reside in France (France, the French overseas departments and  St. Pierre and Miquelon only);
• Hold a valid French passport ^*;
• Have not previously participated in the Canada-France Working Holiday category;
• Possess sufficient funds to cover expenses in Canada for the first 3 months of the stay  (700€ / $1 000 CAD per month);
• Have comprehensive insurance coverage (health care/hospitalization/repatriation) valid for the duration of the stay. Proof of this insurance coverage must be presented to Immigration officials upon arrival in Canada.

^*From the time that your application is received, your passport must be valid for a minimum of 24 months plus the total processing time posted on our website .

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Please read the following instructions carefully
Incomplete application = Refused application

FIVE STEPS TO FOLLOW AFTER DOWNLOADING YOUR KIT:

1. a) Download and print the Download Certificate. Attach it as the cover page of your application.
   b) Fill in the 3-page IEC Application Form on your computer, print two copies, sign and date them.
   c) Complete the Declaration Form on your computer, print, sign and date it.
   



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2. Assemble the required documents below in the following order :


a) First copy of the 3-page IEC Application Form duly completed, signed and dated with


• 2 identity photos as per the requirements set out by Citizenship and Immigration Canada: www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/photospecs-e.pdf


• Photocopy of the identification pages of your passport (family name, given name(s), date and place of birth, issuance and expiry dates). From the time that your application is sent in, your passport must be valid for a minimum of 24 months plus the total processing time posted on our website. If you have to renew your passport in order to meet this requirement, please do so before submitting your application. Do not send your original passport.


• Proof of funds for the first three months in Canada in the amount of 700 Euros or $1 000 CAD per month. The proof can be the “Proof of Funds-Candidate” Form filled out by your bank, or a bank document signed, dated and stamped, incorporating the required information.
  
  If a third party will be providing the funds (i.e. a family member, legal guardian, etc.), include:
  • A “Proof of Funds-Third Party” Form or a bank document signed, dated and stamped by the bank stating that this third party has sufficient funds to cover your living expenses for the first three months of your stay in Canada
  • A letter, signed by this person, stating that he/she agrees to be financially responsible for you during this time;
  • A photocopy of either this person’s valid national identity card or the identification pages of his/her valid passport (family name, given name(s), date and place of birth, issuance and expiry dates)
    
    
  The proof of funds document and letter must have been issued within the last 3 months. Legible photocopies are accepted. Keep a copy of these documents to present them upon your arrival to Canada.
  


• Complete and up-to-date curriculum vitae. Specify the dates and locations of all your previous study and work experiences (city, country).



b) Second copy of the 3-page IEC Application Form (without photos) duly completed, signed and dated with:


• Declaration Form duly completed, signed and dated;


• Photocopy of receipt of payment, by bank transfer, of the participation fee (ex: bank transfer slip, internet print out); See step 3.


• Bank Identity Slip or international bank account details so that we may reimburse the participation fee, if necessary;


• Letter of motivation.



Note :

• It is your responsibility to ensure that the information provided in the IEC Application and Declaration forms is accurate and correct.
• The IEC Application Form is the only document that must be submitted in duplicate. Each application form must include your original signature.
• The signature on each form (IEC Application, Declaration) must correspond to the one appearing in your passport. No one can sign these forms on your behalf.
• All photocopies must be legible. They do not need to be certified or legalized.
• We keep all documents submitted. Please keep a copy for your files.
• The Embassy of Canada reserves the right to ask for additional information and/or carry out additional checks to verify information in your file before making its decision (i.e. ask for original documents, contact your potential employer, etc.).




If a medical examination will be required (i.e. for work with children, in elementary or secondary education, or in health services), the Visas and Immigration Service of the Embassy of Canada in France will send separate instructions to you after having reviewed your application. The results of this examination will be required in order to complete your application.

For more details: www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/medical/medexams-temp.asp




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3. Pay the participation fee by electronic bank transfer.



The banking information necessary to proceed with the bank transfer is included in the personalized application kit that is available to download on this page.




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4. Complete the checklist and insert it after the Download Certificate.



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5. Mail the complete application to:

International Experience Canada (FR-WHP 2010)
Embassy of Canada in France
35, avenue Montaigne
75008 Paris
FRANCE

 

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

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PROCESSING YOUR APPLICATION:

You will be kept up to date by email of the status of your application, from the time it is received at the Embassy to the completion of its evaluation.
Your application will be evaluated at the Embassy in two phases: first, by the Youth Mobility Unit and then by the Visas and Immigration Service.

PHASE 1: Youth Mobility Unit (YMU)

You will receive an email acknowledging receipt of your application.

The Youth Mobility Unit will then examine your application as per the instructions provided earlier and the provisions of the Canada-France Agreement Concerning Youth Exchanges.

a)  If your application is accepted by the Youth Mobility Unit:

You will be informed of this first acceptance by email.

• Your file will be transferred to the Visas and Immigration Service for the second phase of evaluation.

b)  If your application is refused by the Youth Mobility Unit:

You will be informed of the refusal by email.

• The participation fee that you will have paid will be reimbursed by electronic bank transfer to the account for which you will have provided information.

You will receive a final email to inform you that the reimbursement has been completed.

REMINDER: All applications that are incomplete or non-compliant will be refused without having been examined. In order to re-submit an application, you will have to download a new kit from our website. Your old application kit will no longer be valid.

PHASE 2: Visas and Immigration Service (VIS)

If your application is accepted by the YMU, it will be examined by the Visas and Immigration Service as per Canadian immigration law and regulations.

a)  If your application is accepted by the Visas and Immigration Service :

A letter of introduction will be sent to you by email to the address that you will have provided on the application form. (No paper copy will be sent.) Don’t forget to check your junk mail!

Reminder: You must present proof of comprehensive insurance coverage (health care/hospitalization/repatriation) to Immigration officials upon your arrival to Canada. Your insurance policy must be valid for the duration of your stay in Canada.

b)  If your application is refused by the Visas and Immigration Service :

You will receive a letter by mail explaining the reasons for the refusal.

• The Youth Mobility Unit will refund the participation fee that you will have paid. This will be done by electronic bank transfer to the account for which you will have provided information.

You will be notified by email when the YMU has initiated the reimbursement process, and will receive a final message notifying you of its completion.

Note :

• Your letter of introduction will be valid for 12 months from its date of issue. It will indicate the deadline before which you must present yourself at a Canadian port of entry in order to obtain your work permit. (Note: If you receive your letter of introduction before the 1st of January 2010, it will be valid from January 1st  2010 to December 31st  2010. You will therefore have to present this letter at a Canadian port of entry between these dates.)
• Your temporary work permit will be issued at the point of entry to Canada upon presentation of your letter of introduction, passport and proof of insurance coverage. It will be valid for a maximum of 12 months from your date of entry.
• You may enter and exit Canada as you wish during the validity 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.
• The Working Holiday work permit cannot be extended or renewed.
• The Embassy of Canada does not have lists of job offers or accommodation, and cannot provide information regarding insurance policies.

IMPORTANT :
You are advised not to make any definitive arrangements until you receive the letter of introduction (i.e. purchase your plane ticket, etc.).

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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.

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CANADA-FRANCE YOUTH MOBILITY AGREEMENT

You may read the text of the Youth Mobility Agreement online | PDF  ^*  (927 KB)

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QUESTIONS?

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

* 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 .