Young Professionals: The opportunity to work in Canada
The Young Professionals category of the International Experience Canada (IEC) program is designed for recent graduates who want to gain qualified professional experience in Canada. This temporary work permit helps integrate young international talent into the Canadian workforce.
What is the Young Professionals permit?
Unlike the Working Holiday Permit, the Young Professionals permit is a closed work permit. This means it is tied to a specific employer. Therefore, the applicant must have a pre-arranged job offer in their field of study or expertise.
Accordingly, the proposed job must correspond to a skilled position, typically classified under TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3, thereby ensuring consistency between the candidate’s background and the requirements of the position.
VIE under the Young Professionals category
The Volontariat International en Entreprise (VIE) also falls under the Young Professionals category. VIE candidates obtain their work permit through the IEC program by submitting their profile to the category pool. This allows French companies operating in Canada to benefit from a simplified legal framework to host young volunteers on assignment.
What are the benefits for employers?
One of the key advantages for employers is that this work permit is exempt from the LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment), which significantly simplifies the hiring process.
As a result, procedures are streamlined, processing times are shorter, averaging around five weeks, and costs are reduced.
To hire a young professional, the employer must:
- Provide a signed job offer,
- Submit it through the IRCC Employer Portal,
- Pay the compliance fee of CAD $230.
Eligibility requirements for candidates
To be eligible, candidates must meet several criteria:
- Be 18 to 35 years old (depending on their country),
- Be a citizen of a partner country,
- Hold a valid passport,
- Have at least CAD $2,500 in available funds,
- Purchase health and repatriation insurance covering the entire stay.
Once the invitation is received, the applicant must then:
- Submit the required documents,
- Pay the fees: CAD $179.75 for the work permit and CAD $85 for biometrics
- Obtain a letter of introduction to present upon arrival in Canada.
In conclusion:
The Young Professionals category is a win-win solution for young graduates starting their careers and for Canadian employers seeking qualified international profiles.
Feel free to contact us for support with your immigration procedures. Our professionals are here to help at info@immetis.com.