IEC: Chances of Receiving an Invitation

The International Experience Canada (IEC) program provides various pathways for certain individuals to experience working and living in Canada whether it is just to explore, gain work experience, or to make money while travelling.

There are three streams under the IEC program:

1. Young Professionals: The Young Professionals stream of the IEC is for those who want to gain work experience in Canada, and have a job offer from a Canadian employer lined up. This category is perfect for those looking for a paid Canadian work experience with the requirement working for a specific employer. Successful candidates under this category will be issued an employer-specific work permit.
2. Working Holiday: The Working Holiday stream is for individuals who want to experience/explore Canada while earning money. Under this category you do not need a job offer in Canada. Successful applicants in the Working Holiday category receive an open work permit as well. Because of this, applicants can change jobs or work in different regions without the limitations of an employer or region. Additionally, some candidates may be required to obtain a medical exam depending on their job.
3. International Co-op (Internship): The International Co-op (Internship) stream is an unmatched learning opportunity for post-secondary students allowing them to apply their learning in a practical setting while experiencing life in Canada. To qualify under this stream, applicants must have a placement or internship lined up in Canada as a part of your school curriculum. As a result of working for the same employer in the same location for the duration of their stay, successful International Co-op (Internship) applicants receive an employer-specific work permit.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invites successful candidates from various countries under specific International Experience Canada (IEC) streams through its weekly rounds of invitations. These invitations are issued under three of the streams mentioned above: Working Holiday, Young Professionals, and International Co-op (Internship). Rounds of invitations are issued until all spots for a country’s program allocation are filled or until the IEC season officially closes, as it did last year in October.

Although not guaranteed an invitation, it is important to note that there are usually more spots (the program’s quota) than candidates in both the Young Professionals and International Co-op (Internship) categories, making it likely that most candidates will usually receive an invitation.

As for the Working Holiday category, it is a very popular program meaning that there are usually more candidates than spots available making it more competitive to score an invitation. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) randomly selects Working Holiday candidates from the pool.

On the IRCC website, there is a portal where you can check the up-to-date statistics of each Country’s various IEC streams throughout the 2025 season. As of March 21, 2025, here are the chances of receiving an invitation in the next round of invitations (excellent, fair, very low, low) for each country and its respective streams.

Please note that not all countries offer all three streams and if a certain stream is not listed under a country, that country does not offer it.

Andorra

Working Holiday: Excellent

Australia

Working Holiday: Fair

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Austria

Working Holiday: Very Low

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Belgium

Working Holiday: Fair

Chile

Working Holiday: Very Low

Young Professionals: Very Low

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Costa Rica

Working Holiday: Very Low

Young Professionals: Very Low

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Croatia

Working Holiday: Very Low

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Czech Republic

Working Holiday: Fair

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Denmark

Working Holiday: Excellent

Estonia

Working Holiday: Excellent

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Finland

Working Holiday: Excellent

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

France

Working Holiday: Very Low

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Germany

Working Holiday: Fair

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Greece

Working Holiday: Excellent

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Hong Kong SAR

Working Holiday: Excellent

Iceland

Working Holiday: Excellent

Ireland

Working Holiday: Fair

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Italy

Working Holiday: Fair

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Japan

Working Holiday: Fair

Korea, Republic

Working Holiday: Very Low

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Latvia, Republic

Working Holiday: Very Low

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Lithuania

Working Holiday: Fair

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Luxembourg

Working Holiday: Excellent

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Netherlands

Working Holiday: Very Low

New Zealand

Working Holiday: Fair

Norway

Working Holiday: Excellent

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Poland

Working Holiday: Fair

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Portugal

Working Holiday: Fair

Young Professionals: Excellent

San Marino

Working Holiday: Excellent

Slovakia

Working Holiday: Fair

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Slovenia

Working Holiday: Excellent

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Spain

Working Holiday: Low

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Sweden

Working Holiday: Excellent

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Switzerland

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

Taiwan

Working Holiday: Very Low

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

United Kingdom

Working Holiday: Low

Young Professionals: Excellent

International Co-op (Internship): Excellent

If you are interested in studying in Canada, gaining Canadian work experience, or just exploring Canada while making money, contact us at Canadim to assess your eligibility and apply to the IEC program today!