Canadian Working Holiday Visa Programme. Is it Too Late to Apply in 2017? No!
Some people may still wonder if they can go on Working holiday programme. It is a bit too late for the so popular US J1 visa programme but for the Canadian Working Holiday or IEC programme you still have some time. Do not waste your time for this one, you should hurry.
According to Edwina Shanahan you still have time and the process should take between 4- 6 weeks. This time is needed to fill the application, submit it, provide the necessary documents and authorities accept and process it, after that to issue the visa.
If you are student and plan to do that in your summer holiday you can still do it and spend some great time in Canada working and traveling there. In the lines below we can give you some guidelines about the timeframe and steps you need to take in order to apply and be approved for the IEC programme.
- The invitation to apply comes in 5-10 working days after submitting request.
- The applicant has 10 days to accept the invitation.
- Next the applicant has 20 days to submit the needed documents for a permit.
- About a month later the applicant is granted the permit and the visa.
The application process is a bit complicated and that is why it is recommended to use an expert for that. The IEC programme issues visas for 1-2 years. In most of the cases the Irish people receive 2 years visa. It is very suitable for students who are last year in the university. This way students have the opportunity to work in Canada right after their graduation.
Each year the Canadian government opens good number of slots for foreign workers. This year the slots for Irish people are 7500. The IEC visa programme is designed for people from many countries under 35 to live, travel and work in Canada for 1 or 2 years. Other requirements are to have a valid passport during your stay and sufficient funds (C$2500) to support your stay there. Clean criminal record and good health is also a must.
The process of applying for the IEC programme has 3 stages. As a start you create profile with the Canadian government. If successful you will be sent an invitation to apply. If you are still willing to go you provide the necessary data and apply for work permit. After that you apply for the visa itself.
Currently about 2700 places are still available in this programme.
Finding a job in Canada is not so difficult especially when knowing that the local economy is in need of more work force. The employers have good opinion for Irish people. If you plan to go for a short period of time it is recommended to research the market prior your trip. As a recommendation from experienced travelers the best way to find a job Is word of mouth. Good way to find a job thee is to check local job sites like indeed.com and others.
More information about Canadian Working Holiday Visa Programme
VisaFirst in the media click here.