IRCC simplifies work permits for IEC participants already in Canada

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International Experience Canada (IEC) applicants already in the country can now have their work permits mailed directly to them if they meet specific criteria.

Prior to this change, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) would not mail work permits to Canadian addresses, meaning that IEC work permit holders already in Canada would need to exit then re-enter Canada to obtain their new IEC work permit.

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Who is eligible?

An IEC applicant can have their work permit mailed to a Canadian address, as long as they meet the following conditions:

The applicant was in Canada with a valid IEC work permit when they submitted their application for another participation.
They currently hold a valid IEC Port of Entry (POE) Letter of Introduction (LOI) (they must request their new work permit before their existing LOI expires).
They have status in Canada at the time of requesting the IEC work permit be mailed.

In order to be eligible, an applicant must maintain legal status in Canada at all times.

This new policy is in place until December 1, 2025.

If a foreign national does not meet these criteria, then to obtain a new IEC work permit they must leave Canada and re-enter from another country or territory, other than the US or Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon.

Note: Foreign nationals may be able to participate in IEC more than once, depending on the agreement between Canada and their country of citizenship. Some countries may have a waiting period for their citizens, after their first IEC work permit expires.

Why was this change implemented?

IEC participants may seek to extend their stay in Canada through another round of participation, if they are eligible. Prior to this change, the only way an IEC participant could receive another IEC work permit for their second round would be to leave Canada and then re-enter.

If a participant wished to visit their home country, or to go on a vacation overseas prior to the second term of their IEC, then leaving and re-entering Canada would pose no great hardship.

But for a participant wishing to remain in Canada, needing to re-enter Canada to obtain another work permit could be inconvenient. Up until late last year, foreign nationals could depart Canada and then immediately seek re-entry for the processing of their work permit—a practice known as flagpoling.

But starting on 24 Dec 2024, IRCC banned flagpoling for most foreign nationals. IEC candidates can no longer get quick work permit processing by leaving Canada and re-entering through the US or Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. They would have no choice but to leave Canada and re-enter from another country or territory.

By enabling work permits through mail, eligible IEC applicants no longer have to leave the country to receive their new permits.

As of the time of publishing, IEC work permits can take four to six weeks (or more) to process.

To reduce the risk of losing their work status, IEC holders intending to remain in Canada for a second participation should apply for their new IEC work permit well in advance of the expiry of their current permit.