The Work & Travel Dream Visa

Almost every young adult’s dream is to make money on the road. It is an opportunity mostly reserved for those in high ranked positions in specific companies or those who can provide services online. The International Experience Canada (IEC) Working Holiday Visa is the perfect work & travel dream visa for anyone who wants to explore new places without drilling a hole through their pockets.

Are you looking for an adventurous way to work and travel overseas? If so, then you luckily have stumbled across the right page. We will go on to explain just how The International Experience Canada (IEC) program provides young individuals with the opportunity to do all this and more.

A Working Holiday Visa may be exactly what you’re looking for without even realizing it. If you can answer a loud “hell yes!” to any of the 5 questions below – excellent. We will provide you with all the information you need:

Are you deserving of a gap year?

Venturing into the vast beauty of Canada can be the greatest reward to yourself after years of studies. Working Holiday Visas are all the rage with new graduates because they offer the means to fund your travels debt-free and immerse yourself in a balanced lifestyle of work and travel.

Are you intrigued about a new career path?

Canada has numerous cities that are business hubs with many job opportunities. These are cities such as Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal that offer dynamic, diverse working opportunities for young professionals. A Working Holiday Visa provides you with the carte blanche to immerse yourself in a new role and gain valuable experience to build an interesting career path.

Do you want to acquire some life experience living overseas?

Living away from home and beating all the potential predicaments you may encounter in doing so, inevitably makes you a cut above the rest and a broad-minded person, which is both exhilarating and enlightening and you’ll be able to tackle complex situations with more expertise in the future.

Are you yearning to break out of your comfort zone?

Applying for a Canadian Working Holiday Visa offers you a chance to break out of your comfort zone, giving you the freedom to explore and experience a new country – and there is so much to explore – remember Canada is the 2nd largest country in the world, after Russia.

Do you want the freedom to do any of the above without being anxious about money?

The contrast between this program and others is that your mind-blowing trip will permit you to make money so that you can fund your travels during your stay. This is a great way to pay off any expenses you may have while experiencing life in Canada.

Can you imagine yourself working in amazing, buzzing cities like Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal, and spending your weekends traveling through the breathtaking vastness of this country, giving rise to the perfect work-life balance?

Or maybe you see yourself as a ski instructor teaching kids to ski on the snowy Rockies, or working in an eccentric lake-side B&B, or improving your French by working in a resort restaurant in Mont-Tremblant.

Is 2020 finally the year you are going to choose the International Experience Canada (IEC) Working Holiday Permit? If so, read on…

What is the Working Holiday Visa Exactly?

The IEC Working Holiday Visa is one of Canada’s most popular work visas. This visa is available to over 30 countries and allows you to travel to Canada for 12 -24 months (depending on your country of citizenship and whether it has a consensual youth mobility agreement with Canada) and work on the go without obtaining a job offer before your arrival. You will be authorized to work for most Canadian employers and businesses, explore academic opportunities, make social connections, and work connections that may open doors to future careers in Canada.

The official process to apply for the Working Holiday Visa is that the candidates must first create a personal profile to inform the Canadian authorities of their wish to obtain a working holiday visa in Canada. Successful candidates will continue to accept invitations to formally complete their work permit applications, but their success depends on eligibility and availability.

Each country that participates in the IEC has an annual quota based on the agreement with Canada and also dependent on demand (France, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are some examples of countries/regions where Canadian Working Holiday Visas are popular).

The work permits allow participants to work anywhere in Canada for almost any Canadian employer.

If you have the right education, experience, or certifications, you can even use this permit and work in fields such as science, law, health, education, commerce, and communications.

Or maybe you prefer something more casual, such as seasonal work and you may consider something like being a summer camp instructor, working in a ranch with horses, or in an orchard picking fruit.

Regardless of what kind of employment you’re looking for, all you need is to take a quick peak online to find a large variety of jobs across Canada and to see the qualifications that employers are looking for (if you’re more spontaneous, this visa also makes it possible for you to get off the plane with nothing but a bag and find a job once you get there).

Working Holiday Visa Benefit to Consider

A Working Holiday Visa is a flexible option for moving abroad, it is a great way to begin exploring Canada and if you like your stay it can also improve your chances of obtaining permanent residency. In fact, the Working Holiday Visa can be used as an excellent way to start your pathway to permanent residency.

A large percentage of people take advantage of their Working Holiday Visa as a stepping stone to qualify for the Express Entry Program, which operates through a points system. The longer you work in Canada, the better chances you have of earning more points in the Express Entry Program.  In other words, a Working Holiday Visa can essentially increase your prospects of becoming a permanent resident of Canada. The latest government initiatives have opened the doors for more skilled immigrants than ever before, and now is the time to take advantage of it.

Canada’s Express Entry immigration system is one of the most sought-after in the world, and it’s clear as a bell as to why:  it permits skilled workers to become permanent residents in a very short period of time. A Working Holiday Visa provides an avenue to Express Entry, as the Canadian work experience can enhance your points score for admissibility.

Why Choose Canada for Work?

Canada is currently ranked as the second-best country in the world, just after Switzerland, and according to a study published by the U.S. News, this is down to all the factors Canada has to offer;

If you’re an outdoor lover there are beautiful landscapes and fascinating wildlife in Canada waiting to be explored, you also wouldn’t believe Canada’s range of outdoor activities – such as kayaking with Whales in British Columbia.

Or if you’re more of a city slicker; you’ll enjoy the perks of the vibrant, metropolitan cities that Canada has to offer, reserving nature for the weekends!

One of the perks of choosing city life is that working in any of Canada’s huge cities that are of importance to the global economy means you will gain valuable professional working experience and your career horizons will, therefore, broaden (It’s great to put on your CV).

It’s worth noting also, that in many studies, Canadians report higher levels of workplace satisfaction and engagement than global averages. A recent survey found that 83 percent of Canadians are satisfied with their jobs, 90 percent are engaged in their work and 81 percent are motivated by their work. Compared with the mere 65 percent in most other countries.

In fact, according to the same study by Aon, approximately one-quarter of Canadians love their job so much they would work for free!

Workplace satisfaction obviously contributes greatly to overall happiness. So this, along with all the previously mentioned factors conclude to why Canada was ranked 9th overall in the last World Happiness Report, which explains why the Canadian people are so friendly- wouldn’t you be too if you were so happy?

Are You Eligible For a Working Holiday Visa?

Unlike more complicated work visas, the eligibility criteria are relatively simple and to the point:

1. You must be a citizen of one of the countries participating in this program

2. You must be 18 to 30 years old (or 35 for some nationalities)

3. You must have a valid passport for your entire stay in Canada

4. You must meet health requirements

5. You can’t have any dependents

(Your dependents are not eligible to accompany you to Canada under the IEC program. However, they may apply to visit, study, or work in Canada. Contact us to find out more about how your dependents can come to Canada.)

Click Here for a list of eligible countries for Canada’s Working Holiday Visa.

It’s important to note that each country also has its own requirements; some countries may allow you to participate in this program only once, while other countries may allow you to join this program twice – but in different pools. Since every country is different, it’s important to check your eligibility to apply for the Working Holiday Visa.

If you can’t find your country on the list – you have an alternative! There is another option to apply for Canada’s Working Holiday Visa; contact a Canada Recognized Organization (RO) under International Experience Canada. The RO can give you information about Canadian culture, languages, laws and taxes, job finding, and transportation. They will also provide you with guidance and professional advice.

How Do You Get the Working Holiday Visa?

So are you interested in taking your work on the road for a year or two? Not sure how to get started?

We’ve got you! Leave everything to us. We will take care of everything from developing your CV and tailoring it specifically for the Canadian Job Market, preparing you to ace interviews, to helping you find the right employment and perfect housing.

More crucially we will handle the procedure for you, you can be reassured and have faith that your visa process is in expert hands and you don’t have to worry about the finicky requirements within paperwork details and time-sensitive documentation requirements.

As if you need any more reasons to choose our services can be found in our previous post explaining just ‘5 Reasons to Choose Great North Visa Immigration Services’.

We are also here to assist if now, or when you are enjoying your Working Holiday Visa in Canada, you decide you would like to make your trip permanent and go down the route of permanent residency, as previously discussed- that is an opportunity for you too!

All you need to worry about is what kind of job you would like, where you’d like to live, and saving a bit of money before your trip- to ensure that you’re not stuck before your first paycheck!

Contact our immigration team today at the Great North Visa, where we specialize in every type of Canada visa application. We will be happy to assist you with your application for Canada’s Working Holiday Visa, as well as answer any questions you may have.