The International Experience Canada (IEC) Process

International Experience Canada (IEC) is a program available to UK (and other countries) residents aged between 18-30, allowing you to get a one year work visa. There are 5,350 places available and last year they didn’t all go until May, about 6 months after the applications opened. This year was the only year the whole application process was done online, so was expected to have some bumps in the process. The process was done in two stages:

Stage 1 – IEC Application to determine program eligibility and sending of payment

Stage 2 – CIC Application to determine whether you get issued your visa or not

The program was expected to open in December, then January. January came and the website changed to say it would be opening soon. IEC finally announced the opening of the first round of the visas on Valentines Day at about 5pm. I was still at work when I saw the email to say it was open. I rushed out of work at 5.30, made a frantic phone calls to Kyle telling him to log on and fill in all our details (then another one to make sure he was doing it right!). I’ve never rushed so much to make sure I got my bus and the next train so I was home as early as I could then ran from the train station to make sure we’d reserve our place in the first round. I even forgot to get a valentines day card (soz Kyle!). We submitted both our applications by about 7, luckily as by 8pm the first 1,000 places were filled. The next two quotas filled just as quick, so we really were luckily to get our place in the first.

Once we submitted our application, we then received an email on details on how to submit the payment. That bit was easy enough, just a simple transfer through my NatWest online banking. Just had to put the WTN (world tracking number) that you receive as the reference and send IEC a screenshot of the payment. There were no problems with the payment and it was verified the next day, so we could move onto the next stage. The IEC process just verifies that you meet the program requirements.

The next stage of the process is to fill in the Immigration application forms through Citizenship & Immigration Canada (CIC). Pretty simple process really, apart from a few issues when trying to upload two of the required forms. With the help of a couple of forums, people who’d had the same issue were able to help and the application was submitted fine.

An IEC application checklist:

• A ACPO Police Certificate
• A copy of your passport
• CV
• Digital photo
• Patience (and lots of it)
• A functioning refresh button

After submitted my application on 3rd March, I haven’t heard anything back at all from CIC. Kyle, however submitted on the 3rd, was asked for further document last week on his driving offence. He sent off some documents from the court case and he got his POE/LOI (letter to say he’s been accepted) just two days later!

Hopefully mine will be here soon, but there’s lots of other people still waiting too so I’m not worrying….yet! If I don’t get mine, will feel a little stupid setting up this blog haha