The admissions for the International Experience Class (IEC) has seen a slow pace during 2021 with less than 900 invitations issued in the week of May 14. This is likely due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the recent change in criteria for the Working Holiday Program. Applicants to this program now require a valid offer of employment to be eligible to enter Canada.
The Working Holiday Program is the most popular among the programs offered by the IEC. The IEC also offers the Young Professionals Program and the International Co-op Internships Program. It is very easy to apply for these programs. You must meet the eligibility criteria for the program you are interested in and submit your application for the same. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducts regular draws to invite applicants from different pools to apply for a temporary work permit that will allow them to work in Canada for a while.
Why Were the Recent Changes Made to the Working Holiday Program?
Canada is making all the efforts to control the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Due to the travel and border restrictions imposed given the pandemic, there were many changes made to the various immigration programs offered by IRCC to better adapt the immigration system to the new challenges.
The new requirement for the Working Holiday applicants to have a valid job offer was implemented this year only. This was done to control the stream of foreigners traveling to Canada by only allowing applicants who already have a job prospect from a Canadian employer.
