Live & Work in Canada - 10,700 visas now available for Irish Citizens

Are you thinking of moving across the pond to start a new adventure in 2019? The International Experience Canada programme has just opened applications for Irish citizens to apply for work permits in Canada. The programme is open for 18-35-year-olds, with 10,700 visas now available to apply for. 

Types of Visas available

The breakdown of visas that are available are as follows:

Working Holiday Visa – 10,500 available

Fund your vacation with temporary work in Canada.

The type of work permit you get for Working Holiday is an open work permit.

This category is for you if:

• You don’t have a job offer yet
• You want to work for more than one employer in Canada
• You want to work in more than one location
• You’d like to earn some money so that you can travel

Young Professionals Visa – 150 available

Gain Canadian professional work experience to better compete in a global economy.

The type of work permit you get in the Young Professionals category is an employer-specific work permit.

This category is for you if:

• You have a job offer in Canada that contributes to your professional development
• You’ll work for the same employer in the same location during your stay in Canada

Under this category, work must be:

• paid
• not self-employed

Your employer must meet all labour laws in the province or territory you plan to work including meeting minimum wage requirements.

The job you are offered in Canada must be classified as a National Occupational Classification (NOC) Code Skill Type Level 0, A or B to be considered as contributing to your “professional development.” A NOC C job might be accepted if you can submit a post-secondary diploma, certificate or degree, with your work permit application. Your diploma, certificate or degree must be translated into English or French.

International Co-op Internship Visa – 50 Available

Get valuable overseas work experience related to your field of study.

The type of work permit you get in the International Co-op (Internship) category is an employer-specific work permit. The internship you are offered in Canada must be directly linked to your field of studies.

This category is for you if:

• you’re a student registered at a post-secondary institution
• you have a job offer for a work placement or internship in Canada
• you need to do this work placement or internship to complete your studies
• you’ll work for the same employer in the same location during your stay in Canada

How to apply

To apply you will need to create an online profile on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website. Once you have completed setting up your profile and you meet the requirements, your application will be submitted into a draw which selects successful candidates at random. If you are selected an invitation will be sent to you to apply for a work permit. 

On arrival in Canada, you must have health insurance, a return flight and proof of C$2,500 in your bank account

When completing your application on the International Experience Canada website you will need a scanned copy of your passport and up to date CV using the template provided on the CIC's website. A fee of $100 (€100) will be required to pay to apply. If you are applying for the working holiday permit, you will also need to pay $100 when submitting your online application for a work permit.

If you are applying for the International Co-op – Internship visa you will not have to pay any fees however your Canadian employer must pay the employer compliance fee of $230 along with submitting an offer of employment to Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

A requirement on arrival to Canada is that all applicants must have health insurance, a return flight (or enough money to buy a return flight) and proof of $2,500 in your personal bank account. 

A biometric test which includes fingerprints and photographs will also have to be completed during the application process. This can be completed at the Canadian Embassy in Dublin who offers this service two days per month. 

There is a great Frequently Asked Questions section on Moving2Canada.com if you require any further information when completing your work permit application. They also have a dedicated Facebook forum where you can ask questions and gather information from people who are also applying for the International Experience Canada (IEC) work permit program.

To start your online application visit the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website today.

Best of luck with your application!