IEC Canada Eligibility by Country: Age Limits, Quotas and How Long You Can Stay

"Can I even apply?" sounds like a simple question, until you discover that International Experience Canada (IEC) does not have one set of rules — it has a different set for every partner country. Two friends from two different countries can be the same age, want the same job in Vancouver, and face a different age limit, a different maximum stay and a different number of times they are allowed to participate.

This guide organises IRCC's official country-by-country eligibility information into a form you can actually use on a phone. Find your age group, note your maximum stay and categories, then check the requirements that are the same for everyone. Quotas for the 2027 season had not been announced by IRCC as of 9 November 2026, so this guide explains how quotas work rather than inventing numbers for a season that has not opened.

Key points

  • IEC has three categories: Working Holiday (open work permit, no job offer needed), Young Professionals (employer-specific, job offer required) and International Co-op (employer-specific, for students with a required placement).
  • Age limits are 18 to 35 for most partner countries, and 18 to 30 for Andorra, Austria (Working Holiday), Belgium, Hong Kong SAR, Iceland, Japan, the Netherlands and Sweden, among others (IRCC).
  • Maximum stays are commonly 12 or 24 months depending on country and category; British citizens can participate twice, for a first participation of 24 months and a second of 12 months (IRCC).
  • Every applicant, regardless of country, must show at least CAN$2,500, hold health insurance for the full stay, and have a round-trip ticket or the funds to buy a departure ticket.
  • The 2027 season quotas had not been announced as of 9 November 2026. In 2026 the pools closed in October, and uninvited profiles were removed.



Your passport, not your destination, decides your IEC age limit and how long you can stay.

First, which category are you applying under?

Your country decides which of these categories are open to you. Some countries offer all three; some offer Working Holiday only.

Working Holiday

  • Permit type: open work permit — you can work for most employers, in most locations in Canada.
  • Job offer: not required before you apply. This is the category most working holiday makers use.
  • Who it is for: people who mainly want to travel in Canada and take temporary paid work to help fund the trip.

Young Professionals

  • Permit type: employer-specific work permit — you work for the employer named on the permit.
  • Job offer: a signed letter of offer or employment contract is required before you submit your profile to this pool, and the job must be in your field of expertise and contribute to your professional development.
  • Who it is for: people, often post-secondary graduates, building career experience related to their training.

International Co-op (Internship)

  • Permit type: employer-specific work permit for a work placement or internship.
  • Job offer: a signed offer or contract for a placement that fulfils part of your academic curriculum is required before you enter the pool.
  • Who it is for: students enrolled at a post-secondary institution outside Canada, who must remain registered students for the duration of the internship.

If your country does not offer a category, you cannot choose it anyway — the pool simply will not exist for your citizenship. Switzerland, for example, offers Young Professionals and International Co-op but no Working Holiday, while Japan offers Working Holiday only.

Age limits and categories by country (IRCC)

Below is IRCC's official summary of age limits and which categories each country or territory can use. Read it as a starting map; your full requirements — including repeat participation rules and any residency requirement — are on your country section of the IRCC eligibility page.

Age 18 to 35 — all three categories available

  • Australia — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Chile — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Costa Rica — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Croatia — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Czech Republic — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Estonia — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Finland — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • France — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Germany — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Greece — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Ireland — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Italy — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Korea, Republic of (South Korea) — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Latvia — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Lithuania — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Luxembourg — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Norway — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Poland — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Portugal — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Slovakia — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Slovenia — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Spain — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Taiwan — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • United Kingdom — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op

Age 18 to 35 — Working Holiday only, or a limited set

  • Denmark — Working Holiday only
  • New Zealand — Working Holiday only
  • San Marino — Working Holiday only
  • Switzerland — Young Professionals and International Co-op only (no Working Holiday)

Age 18 to 30

  • Andorra — Working Holiday only, age 18 to 30
  • Austria — all three categories listed by IRCC at age 18 to 30 in the summary table; note that some Austrian categories have their own specific age wording, so check the Austria section in full
  • Belgium — Working Holiday only, age 18 to 30, and you must prove you are a resident of Belgium when you apply
  • Hong Kong SAR — Working Holiday only, age 18 to 30
  • Iceland — Working Holiday only, age 18 to 30
  • Japan — Working Holiday only, age 18 to 30
  • Netherlands — Working Holiday and Young Professionals, age 18 to 30 (no International Co-op)
  • Sweden — Working Holiday, Young Professionals and International Co-op, age 18 to 30



Same program, different rules — check your own country's line before you plan dates or book anything.

How long can you stay?

Stay length is also set by country and category, and it is also capped by your passport and your insurance. Two examples show how different the answers can be.

  • Australia — Working Holiday: up to 24 months. Australians can participate once in either Working Holiday or Young Professionals; a second participation is possible through International Co-op if eligible (IRCC).
  • United Kingdom — any category: British citizens may participate twice — a first participation of 24 months under any category, and a second participation of 12 months under any category, for a possible total of 36 months. Anyone who has already participated twice is no longer eligible (IRCC).

For many other countries the Working Holiday maximum is 12 months. Never assume 24 months: confirm the duration in your own country section before you sign a lease, accept a job with a fixed term, or buy insurance. And remember the two silent caps — if your passport expires earlier, or your health insurance ends earlier, your work permit can be issued only to the earlier date.

How quotas work — and what is known about 2027

Each season has a quota per country and pool: the number of work permits available under that agreement for that season. IRCC publishes the running picture on its "Rounds of invitations" page — quota, invitations issued, spots still available and candidates in the pool — and updates it during the season. A large number of candidates in a pool does not automatically mean you will not be invited, because candidates leave pools, decline invitations and become ineligible; equally, entering a pool never guarantees an invitation.

For the 2027 season, IRCC had not announced quotas or an opening date as of 9 November 2026. IRCC confirms only that the 2026 pools are closed, that uninvited 2026 profiles will be removed, and that new profiles can be created when the 2027 pools reopen. When the 2027 quotas are published, compare your country's quota with the number of candidates in its pool in the first rounds — that ratio, in the early weeks, is the most honest picture of competition for your pool. Our season guide, "IEC Canada 2027: When Do the Pools Open, and What Should You Prepare Now?," explains what to prepare while you wait.

The requirements that are the same for everyone

Whatever your country, IRCC's eligibility lists repeat the same core conditions. You must:

  • Be a citizen of a partner country or territory and hold a valid passport for the duration of your stay — your permit cannot outlast your passport.
  • Be within your country's age range (inclusive).
  • Have a minimum of CAN$2,500 to help cover your expenses in Canada.
  • Have health insurance for the duration of your stay, covering medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation, and be ready to show evidence of it when you enter Canada.
  • Not be inadmissible to Canada.
  • Before departure, have a round-trip ticket or demonstrate that you will have the financial resources to purchase a departure ticket at the end of your authorised stay.
  • Not be accompanied by dependants under IEC.
  • Pay the fees for your category. For the 2026 season these were a CAN$184.75 IEC participation fee, plus CAN$100 open work permit holder fee for Working Holiday, and CAN$85 biometrics where required — confirm the list for your season.

Some countries add a residency requirement (Belgium is one example), and Young Professionals and International Co-op add the signed job offer or placement contract described above. If you plan to work in Canada after you arrive, two of our Canada guides will matter in your first months: Opening Your First TFSA in Canada explains why newcomer TFSA room is smaller than most people expect, and How Can I Save on Fees and Exchange Rates When Sending Money Home from Canada? shows how to compare the real cost of sending pay home.

Frequently asked questions

Q. My country is not on the IEC list at all. Is there any way in through IEC?
A. Not under your own country's agreement, because there is none. IRCC notes that youth from non-partner countries may be able to work and travel in Canada through a recognised organisation (RO), which can nominate a limited number of participants. Check IRCC's recognised organisations page for the current list and each organisation's own eligibility rules, or consider other Canadian work permit routes outside IEC.

Q. Can I apply under two categories at once to improve my chances?
A. You can only be in the pools your country offers and that you are eligible for, and some countries restrict repeat or combined participations. Read your country section's participation note carefully — for example, Australians can participate once in either Working Holiday or Young Professionals, with a possible second participation only through International Co-op. Do not create duplicate accounts or profiles to game the pools; your IRCC account stays valid between seasons and duplicates create problems, not chances.



Eligibility is only step one — funds, insurance and a valid passport decide how long your permit really lasts.

A question for you

Which surprised you more — your country's age limit, or its maximum stay? Tell us your country in the comments, and if you are British, continue with our dedicated guide, "UK to Canada Working Holiday: A Complete Guide for British Applicants."

Sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), "Eligibility by country and category" including the "All options" country table (canada.ca, checked 9 November 2026); IRCC, "Work and Travel in Canada with International Experience Canada" (page dated 21 October 2026 — 2026 pools closed, 2027 profiles to be created when pools reopen); IRCC, "Rounds of invitations." Quotas and opening dates for the 2027 season had not been announced by IRCC as of 9 November 2026.

This post is general information only, not immigration advice for your individual case. Confirm your country's current rules on the official IRCC eligibility page before you apply, because agreements and quotas change.

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