Cats out of the bag, I AM MOVING TO VANCOUVER CANADA and maybe I am just the tiniest bit excited about it! Having gone through the process of applying for the IEC (International Experience Canada) visa and being successful I thought I would share some top tips to those of you looking to secure the IEC visa for Canada yourself. So read on…

You ready to fly?

Tip 1- Find out if you are an eligible candidate

There are certain criteria that will determine if you are eligible for the IEC visa. The following are essentials:

• You need a valid and in date passport
• Be aged between 18-35

You can find out more about the criteria on the Government of Canada website here.

Tip 2- Documents you need to apply for the visa

Before you submit your application I suggest getting all your documents prepared and ready to send off, in case you are invited to apply. I got pulled from the pool a few days after applying so it is best to have them ready to go. They are:

• Copy of all the pages with stamps and the photo page of your passport
• Digital passport sized photographs
• Your up to date resume
• A medical examination, if you have lived or travelled in certain countries for more than 6 months. See a list of these countries here. If like me you do need to have a medical examination done, you need to have it carried out by an IRCC panel physician. I got mine done at the Mater Private in Dublin and it cost 345 euro. You can request to book your appointment with them online
• A police certificate from your country of residence and any country you have lived in for more than 6 consecutive months. Having lived in Thailand for a year previous to applying for this visa and leaving the country without obtaining a police clearance, I delayed my application process a lot having to source this and honestly it was an absolute pain. So make sure you don’t make the same silly mistake.
• Family information document which basically just details information about your family and spouse.
• Payment for the application, which is $126

You could wake up to views like these every day!

Tip3- Create a profile online on the IEC website

You can begin by completing the online questionnaire to see if you meet the IEC criteria. If you receive a positive result at the end you can create a free online IEC profile. You can then submit your profile to the pool you are eligible for. You will then need to keep your fingers crossed and wait for an invitation to apply directly for the work permit.

Tip 4- How the process works

Once you submit your application you may be invited from your pool to apply for a work permit.  You will get a message into your account on the IEC platform so make sure you keep your username and password safe. You have a time bracket of ten days to accept your invite and then a further 20 days to actually apply online for the work permit. You basically upload your documents onto your profile and pay the fee and then submit your application. If you have been successful you will receive a letter of invitation inviting you to come to Canada. You will be given a deadline highlighting the last day you can arrive in the country, so make sure you pop that one in the diary.

Some more smart tips

• If you have a query you need answered urgently tweeting @IEC_EIC is the quickest way to get a response.
• Join Irish and new in Vancouver group on Facebook to connect with over 10k Irish people getting started on the job and accommodation search. It’s a great place to make friends before you land, I have already arranged some coffee dates for when I arrive!
• I have heard that securing employment can be time consuming in Canada so take enough money to tide you over. The recommended amount is $2500
• Shop around for your travel/health insurance. I have been looking into this for a while now and it is expensive but essential. USIT offer two year insurance and you can read more about it here

So there you have some tips for getting you started on your Canadian IEC visa journey. Let me know in the comments below if you are going over to Canada on the IEC visa or thinking of applying? Additionally if you have any questions you would like answered, put them in the comments or pop me an email to orla@travelorlabout.com.

I land in Vancouver at the end of August and of course I will be taking you guys on my new adventure to BC with me!

Dive into the adventure!

Orla xx

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