Working Holiday 2025 season in Canada has opened!

This December 2024, the Working Holiday season to work and travel to Canada opened for the International Experience Canada (IEC) program, which was designed by the government so that eligible individuals can work and gain international work experience, improve their English and/or French skills and explore this beautiful country, a unique opportunity worth taking advantage of.

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This is today's topic in our blog. This article is focused on foreigners from Chile, Costa Rica and some European countries. Read carefully the eligibility requirements and how to make proper use of the open work permit conferred by this wonderful program. Let's get started.

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What is the Working Holiday?

The Working Holiday is a very particular visa that in Canada has an open work permit to live legally in the country for 12 months while gaining work experience and touring its beautiful geography. It is a much awaited program every year between the months of November and December by young people from 18 to 35 years old, since it allows them to work for any employer in any province of the country, in addition to learning the official languages of Canada (English and French) during their stay. However, the Working Holiday has restrictions and it is necessary to know them.

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Who can apply for the Working Holiday in Canada?

Foreigners between 18 and 35 years of age from Chile, Costa Rica and some European countries may apply for this program. It is important to verify if your country has an agreement with Canada for this program and, if so, how many categories are available for eligibility.

If you are from Chile and Costa Rica, you may be eligible for three categories, which are:

1. Working vacations
2. Young professionals
3. International cooperative (internship)

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Some countries in Europe are eligible for the Working Holiday program, but not for all of the above categories. See if you are eligible, then read on!

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How to make proper use of the open work permit during the stay?

The first thing a beneficiary of this program must understand is that, although the open work permit authorizes you to work with any company, in any province, and gain work experience with that employment, if you later wish to apply for permanent residency in this country, the quickest and most likely way to succeed is the one that takes into account qualified work experience, that is, in a professional area and not in a trade. What does this mean? 

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To better explain this point, it is necessary to know that in Canada there are two types of work experience: skilled and unskilled.

Qualified vs. non-qualified experience

Experience is qualified (professional) in Canada when the job is occupied in NOC/TEER categories 0, 1, 2 or 3. The NOC refers to the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system, which Canada uses to identify and categorize jobs (occupations) based on the training, education, experience and responsibilities (TEER) they require. For example, a TEER 0 encompasses a managerial type of occupation, in areas such as finance, marketing, among others. TEER 0 to 3 require a university degree and are positions in systems engineering, medical laboratory technology, among others. 

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The Canadian government opens up many immigration possibilities to high profile candidates and if they are able to accumulate skilled work experience, then they can compete more successfully in the Express Entry system through the Canadian Experience Class once they have completed twelve months of work (this option does not require endorsement from their employer). Express Entry retains the best talent for the country's economic growth while offering them permanent residence (PR). They can also count on a provincial nomination if their employer gives them the required endorsement, but they must be sure that their work connects to the PR nomination plan.

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In contrast, unskilled (non-professional) work experience is that which encompasses entry-level positions or trades that require only training but no prior college education. These positions are classified in the NOC/TEER 4 and 5 category and require only a high school diploma or a short work demonstration, not formal education. For example, salespersons, drivers, gardeners, among others.

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Now, what happens if during the Working Holiday one works in an entry level or trade position? In these cases, the beneficiary will have obtained unskilled work experience, which will not give him/her access to apply for permanent residence through the Canadian Experience Class, a very favorable immigration route when all requirements are met, nor will it make his/her profile a highly competitive one within the Express Entry system, however, as mentioned above, he/she could opt for permanent residence through a provincial nomination if his/her employer supports him/her and the points accumulated for his/her unskilled work experience are competitive enough to be selected among the multiple candidates who possibly do have skilled work experience. This way is much more difficult, as the level of competition in Canada to obtain PR by fast-track lottery or provincial nomination is very high.

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Some provinces that may offer permanent residency with unskilled work experience are Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and some Atlantic provinces; sometimes Ontario and British Columbia: Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and some Atlantic provinces; occasionally Ontario and British Columbia, although very restricted. Quebec does not offer permanent residency if the work experience is unskilled!

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Three tips to benefit from the Working Holiday with an open work permit

1. Search for a job offer or contact your employer before arriving in Canada. Some people receive approval for their Working Holiday visa and travel to Canada without having a job offer and start their job search in the middle of their stay, which wastes precious time, as they do not always find a job quickly and can even wait for months. 

Immiland Law recommends that, as soon as you receive the confirmation and know that the work permit will be approved, you start an intensive job search. To do so, contact as many employers as possible and have your Canadian-style resume up to date. In this link, I share with you our consulting service for a work CV up to Canadian standards. 

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2. If you do not speak English or French, think about the real possibilities of finding a good job, since in Canada the language requirement is indispensable to work. It is advisable to level your language, whether it is English or French. Raising it to an intermediate level can help you improve your chances of success when looking for a job. Remember that the key to permanent residency in Canada is language. Consider taking accelerated English or French courses. Our school, Planeta Immiland, can help. Visit the Planeta Immiland website here.

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3. Accumulate qualified work experience during your stay with the Working Holiday, since you will be able to apply for permanent residency much faster and in an expeditious manner. To do so, look for job offers related to your professional profile. Try to avoid entry-level jobs, such as waiter, maintenance personnel, etc., with these types of jobs, you may be able to get to know the country and live a different experience, but you will not be able to apply for permanent residency through the most immediate channels.

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The Working Holiday is a valuable opportunity to gain skilled work experience and qualify for permanent residency in Canada upon completion of twelve months of work. Following the tips and recommendations detailed in this blog can help you succeed with this type of visa. If you still have questions or would like Immiland Law to handle your Working Holiday application, contact us or schedule an appointment near you here.

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I hope this information is useful and, if you know people interested in this topic, please share this blog with each one so they can benefit from this season in 2025. Thanks for reading, see you in the next blog!

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With love,

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Immiland Law