On behalf of the Minister of Immigration, Mr. Sean Fraser, the member of parliament of Willowdale, Mr. Ali Ehsassi, publicized the signing of the new Canada-South Korea Youth Mobility Arrangement on May 23, 2023.

The new agreement will provide more options for international work and travel opportunities to youth from both countries in each other’s countries via the IEC, International Experience Canada, or the South Korean equivalent. The new agreement includes the following modifications to the old memorandum of understanding between both countries, which was drafted in 1995:

• The qualifying age will be raised from 18–30 to 18–35.
• To supplement the current Working Holiday Category, two new streams will be added: the International Co-op (Internship) and the Young Professionals.
• Most youth will be able to participate in the program two times for a total of 24 months each time.

The Canadian Government intends to enforce the new agreement in the next year. Mr. Sean Fraser mentioned that Canada and South Korea completed 60 years of diplomatic relations this year, and it is pleasant that both countries have signed a new Canada-South Korea youth mobility arrangement. The minister further noted that international experience and outlooks are incredibly influential in the present global economy. That is why the Canadian government keeps on supporting and creating mutual agreements for Canadian and international youth to travel and work in each other’s countries.

Understanding IEC- International Experience Canada.

IEC, or International Experience Canada, is a joint program that permits Canadian and foreign youth to travel and work in each other’s countries. Until now, Canada had youth mobility agreements with 36 countries and overseas territories.

The work permits allocated under the IEC program are free from the LMIA or Labour Market Impact Assessment requirement. The International Experience Canada program is divided into three categories:

• Working Holiday: The applicants in this category obtain an open work permit to work in the host country to support their travel expenses.
• International Co-op (Internship): The applicants in this category obtain an employer-specific work permit that enables students to acquire desired work experience in their field of study.
• Young Professionals: The applicants in this category obtain an employer-specific work permit to acquire specialized professional job experience in their field of study or career of interest.

What is the eligibility requirement for the IEC program?

• The applicant should be a national or a passport holder of Canada, or South Korea, or a national of any country or territory with the Youth Mobility Agreement with Canada.
• The applicant should have an appropriate and valid passport for the span of their stay in Canada. The work permit issued by the country will not be more than the passport’s validity.
• The applicant must be between the ages of 18-35 or 30 when applying for the IEC. Also, the maximum age limit depends on the applicant’s country.
• To cover the initial expenditures, the applicant must have funds equivalent to $2500 CAN when arriving in Canada.
• The applicant must be able to get health insurance for the term of their stay in Canada. They might be required to supply proof of this insurance when entering Canada.
• The applicant must be permitted to enter Canada.
• Before their departure, the applicant must have a round-trip ticket or funds to buy a return ticket for the conclusion of their approved stay in Canada.
• The applicants must pay the required fees and
• The applicants must not be traveling with dependents.

International Experience Canada (IEC) works on the Invitation to Apply (ITA) or Expression of Interest system. Qualified applicants can create an IEC profile, but they are required to acquire an ITA before applying for IEC.