To be eligible for the Australia International Experience Canada (IEC) visa to Canada you must satisfy in full the criteria listed below:

• Hold an Australian passport valid for at least two years at time of application (contact IEP for advice if your passport is not valid for the next two years)
• Be aged between 18 to 35 years inclusive. (Your application must be received by Citizenship Immigration Canada prior to or on your 36th birthday)
• Have no criminal convictions, including serious traffic convictions. Minor offences may be admissible. If you have any convictions please contact the IEP office prior to application.
• Be travelling on a return/onward passage ticket, or have additional proof of funds to show you can purchase such a ticket
• Provide documentary evidence on arrival in Canada of access to approximately CA$2,500 (i.e. traveller’s cheques, cash, current bank statements or term deposit certificates) to cover your initial support costs
• Have an insurance policy for the duration of your stay

If you have a question about your eligibility for the visa please give us a call on 1300 797 702 or  email us at [email protected]

Application time: You should allow at least 8-12 weeks for the complete process from submitting your initial application to having your visa issued; however it can take longer depending on if you have to attend an interview, have criminality, medical or background issues or if the processing time increases.

Citizenship Immigration Canada require a criminal record form to be included with every visa application. This means all participants on the Work Canada City Jobs Program will have to submit this form with their visa application. The Australia Federal Police (AFP) check can take 15 days from the date it has been received and effectively adds 4- 6 weeks onto the application process. Please take this into consideration when selecting your desired departure date.

When you apply for the program we provide you with all the information you need to start the visa process and also assist you with submitting your visa. So as soon as you apply it is the right time to get the ball rolling! There is no disadvantage in sorting it out early as you have 12 months from the date of visa approval to activate your visa for a full 24 months in Canada.

Please note that before you can apply for your visa you will need to obtain an Australian Federal Police Check. The official processing time is 15-20 working days. We advise that you at least apply for your police check as soon as you apply to our program, even if you are not ready to submit your visa application.

Once you have submitted your visa normal processing time is 8 weeks until approval. If you have any criminal, medical or background issues the processing time can be considerably longer – contact us with details of your situation for advice.!

As long as you are eligible for a working holiday visa to Canada and are either in the process of getting your visa or plan to apply right after your interview then that is fine. The employers do like to know you already have the visa sorted though and because of the time involved in applying for the visa we recommend you apply well before the interview.

As soon as you are able! We assign interviews based on when people sign up to our program, which means first applicants get first choice over who they interview with. So the earlier you apply the more likely that you’ll get your preferred employer interviews and times!

No, travel insurance purchased through IEP is not a program requirement. However, you will need to purchase insurance to go on a working holiday to Canada – per the visa requirements. IEP have two very comprehensive policies that cover a working holiday in Canada and can be tailored to fit any traveller. You will find information and a quote for option one here and the Product Disclosure Statement for option two here. If you would like to obtain a quote for insurance please email [email protected]

You can register your interest on our website and one of the team will be in touch or you can give us a call on 1300 797 702 or email [email protected]

Once you are ready to apply just jump onto the online application. We will give you a call once your application is complete to have a quick 10 minute interview with you to get an idea of your plans and answer your initial questions. From there we will send you your first information email and the planning begins!

As part of the program you get one free night at a central Vancouver hostel conveniently located close to your SWAP support office. Your first stop the next morning will be to SWAP for your orientation! In your orientation you’ll learn all that you need to know to have a successful working holiday and get help applying for your Canadian SIN (tax) number and bank account. After orientation the next step is up to you! You’ll probably find yourself sightseeing in Vancouver, then making your way to your employer or sitting in the SWAP office asking lots of questions and using their internet to update Facebook and make all your friends jealous?

Yes you will be required to provide an up to date CV, contact details of at least 2 references and 2 written references. The CV will need to be organised before the interview so that the employers can review your application.

Once you accept your job you’ll be informed of any special uniform requirements by your employer. In general it is a good idea to make sure you can bring black shoes, pants and a white shirt for indoor positions as a base for the uniform.

Each employer is a little bit different but they all expect tidy and wholesome grooming. You may need to cut off dreads or dye your hair a normal colour if you have a more alternative style. Piercings may or may not be suitable for their policies depending on how visible they are. At the interview they will let you know if there are any special requirements that you need to know.

This depends on your resort and accommodation situation. Common ways of getting to work are catching public transport or walking/catching a staff shuttle from staff accommodation. You should not need to buy a car while you are over there as many of the resort staff will be temporarily living in the area like you and there is infrastructure in place for staff without personal transport.

Our City Jobs employers don’t provide staff housing but we can either more nights in a hostel while you look or you can work with our Canadian partner SWAP to find housing once you arrive in Canada!