A Canada working holiday lets you live and work in Canada for 12 to 24 months on an open work permit through International Experience Canada (IEC), the government youth mobility program. You need a passport from one of 35 Working Holiday partner countries, you need to be 18 to 35 (18 to 30 for some countries), and you apply online on canada.ca. A gap year, a break between studies or a career pause all fit.
Does the idea of going to work and travel Canada for a few months sound like something you’d be up for?
It sure does for us!
Canada has mountains, coastline and lakes on a scale few countries can match, wildlife you may spot from the roadside (anyone seen a bear before?) and cities worth getting to know on your days off.
No one leaves Canada the same. Its staggering natural beauty, sheer vastness, and adventure-filled outdoor activities will leave you breathless. And it’s the perfect destination to explore on a working holiday!
What is a working holiday?
The words ‘working holiday’ don’t usually go together, right? I mean, if you’re working then is it really a holiday?
Well, the idea of a working holiday is to go to work in another country. It involves getting a local job for a few months to help you fund your travels around the country. Many people seek short-term jobs in multiple regions as a way to explore that country in-depth.
Working holidays are to have an adventure, try new things, explore new destinations, and make new friends around the world.
Like Global Work & Travel, organisations help set up everything that you need for your working holiday. From securing job interviews with local companies for you to assisting with getting your Canada working holiday visa, transfers & accommodation, local experiences, a Canadian local bank account & mobile number, and so much more.
How to do a working holiday in Canada?
If you sign up with Global Work & Travel’s Canada working holiday package (make sure to use our code TRAVELDUDES for $50 off your trip!), their expert team will take care of all the necessary details for you. Going this route means that you’ll arrive in Canada with confidence, knowing exactly what next steps to take on your journey (meaning you’ll have more time for planning adventures!).
Global Work & Travel’s Canadian working holiday package includes:
- Guaranteed interview before arrival (this helps as a lot of companies don’t hire travelers). Pay is at least the provincial minimum wage, which in British Columbia is CAD 18.25 an hour from June 1, 2026
- Unlimited extra interviews (for when you want to head to another destination)
- Dedicated Trip Coordinator
- Canada working holiday visa guidance
- Personal Travel Concierge (a dedicated Concierge to plan your flights, insurance or any other add-ons to plan with your trip)
- Private airport transfer
- 4 nights of hostel accommodation in downtown Vancouver
- “Welcome to Canada” group orientation
- Local life essentials (including Canadian SIM, help with setting up a local bank account and a Social Insurance Number)
- Vancouver sightseeing tour
- Vancouver Lookout pass
- Day trip to Whistler
- Overnight stay in Las Vegas
- Permanent accommodation support
- Mail holding
- Tax return assistance
- Ongoing support from our local team
- 24/7 Global Emergency Line
- gWorld access
- Marketplace deals
To qualify, you need to be between 18-35 years of age, be a citizen of an eligible country, and have no criminal convictions in the past five years.
How to get a Canada working holiday visa (IEC work permit)
For the 2026 season, International Experience Canada works with 36 countries and territories. The Working Holiday pool, which gives you an open work permit for almost any employer, is open to citizens of Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Swiss citizens can join only the Young Professionals and International Co-op (Internship) pools, which need a job offer or internship in Canada before you apply.
Here are the Canadian visa working holiday requirements:
- You are 18 to 35 (inclusive) for most countries, or 18 to 30 if you are a citizen of Andorra, Belgium, Hong Kong, Iceland, Japan, the Netherlands or Sweden.
- You have at least CAD 2,500 to cover your first months, plus a return ticket or the money to buy one.
- Your passport stays valid for your whole stay, because your work permit cannot run past its expiry date.
- You have health insurance for the whole stay, covering medical care, hospitalization and repatriation. The border officer can shorten your permit to match your insurance.
- You give biometrics (fingerprints and a photo) at a visa application center, unless you gave them in the last 10 years.
- You provide police certificates for each country where you lived for six months or more since you turned 18.
- You travel without dependants.
- You have not used up your country’s limit on IEC participations. Some countries allow one, others two, and Australia, Austria, Finland, France and Ireland allow three.
How the IEC process works, step by step
- Answer the Come to Canada questions on canada.ca to check that you are eligible and get your personal reference code.
- Sign in to your IRCC secure account, create your IEC profile and enter every pool you qualify for. The profile is free. The 2026 season pools opened in December 2025, and a profile from an earlier season does not carry over.
- Wait for an invitation round. IRCC draws candidates at random from each country’s pool, in rounds through the season, until that country’s quota is filled.
- Accept your Invitation to Apply within 10 days.
- Submit your work permit application with your documents and the fees within 20 days of accepting.
- Give your biometrics within 30 days of the instruction letter, if you are asked to.
- Once approved, you receive a Port of Entry Letter of Introduction. It is valid for 12 months, and the border officer issues your work permit when you land in Canada.
You can check the most up-to-date Canada work holiday visa information on canada.ca. The team at Global Work & Travel will provide visa guidance.
U.S. citizens can’t apply to IEC directly, but they can take part through a recognized organization that accepts U.S. citizens. If you’re from the U.S., why not head on a working holiday in Australia or New Zealand?
How much does a working holiday in Canada cost?
Global Work & Travel’s Canada working holiday packages include what was listed above. Package prices change by season and departure date, so check the current price with them before you book.
Extra costs include your flights, travel insurance, visa, police certificates, souvenirs & spending money.
The government fees for a Working Holiday permit are CAD 184.75 for the IEC fee plus CAD 100 for the open work permit holder fee, so CAD 284.75 in total. Add CAD 85 for biometrics if you have not given them in the last 10 years. You also need to show the CAD 2,500 in funds when you arrive.
Types of working holiday Canada jobs
You’ll find lots of seasonal jobs in Canada! Typical working holiday jobs include waitressing, working as a ski instructor, fruit picking, hotel or resort jobs, and tour guides. Most seasonal jobs don’t require any prior experience, meaning that you can explore something entirely out of your career path for a few months.
Global Work & Travel work with over 1,200 host organisations all over the world – meaning that you have a whole range of options.
In Canada, a few of their most popular working holidays include:
- Being a woodsman in the Yoho National Park (just outside Banff).
- Being a kayak & horse-riding guide in Clearwater (a town near Kamloops in B.C).
- Being a wedding and events coordinator, social media manager and axe throwing instructor in Agassiz (about 100k’s out of Vancouver).
They’ve also got positions for photographers, poolside bartenders, ziplining guides, white water rafting drivers, whale watching tour guides, bear sighting tour guides, fishing trip tour guides. The range runs from desk jobs in town to guiding in the backcountry.
Working holiday Canada review
Here’s what one of the attendees to Global Work & Travel’s Canada working holiday has to say about her experience.
“Moving to Canada with the help and confidence from Global Work & Travel has been the best thing I’ve ever done.
The new experiences and personal growth have been priceless. From hiking Garibaldi Lake to learning to snowboard, seeing real Elk in my backyard and making friends and connections I will keep with me no matter where I am.
I have had the best year travelling and can’t wait for where my next adventure takes me. Thank you to the team at Global for your help!” – Helena Peters, Working Holiday in Canada
A working holiday in Canada will help you find your purpose, discover yourself, and go home knowing what you want to do with your life. Sometimes, we need to step out of our comfort zone and do something entirely different for a few months to gain more clarity in our lives. Plus, it’s a fun way to spend a few months!
So, are you ready to brave the Canadian wilderness and live out your working holiday fantasies?
Get in touch with Global Work & Travel now to kickstart the process – make sure to use our code TRAVELDUDES for $50 off your trip!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the age limit for a Canada working holiday?
Most partner countries accept applicants from 18 to 35. For Andorra, Belgium, Hong Kong, Iceland, Japan, the Netherlands and Sweden the upper limit is 30.
How long can you stay on a Canada working holiday visa?
The open work permit usually runs for 12 to 24 months, depending on the agreement between Canada and your country. Check the length for your passport on canada.ca before you plan your route, because the permit also ends when your passport or insurance does.
Do you need a job offer for the Working Holiday category?
No. The Working Holiday permit is open, so you can arrive without a job and change employers as you travel. The Young Professionals and International Co-op categories do need a job offer or internship before you apply.
How much money do you need for a Canada working holiday?
Plan for at least CAD 2,500 in proof of funds, CAD 284.75 in permit fees, CAD 85 for biometrics if required, health insurance for the whole stay and your flight. Rents in Vancouver and Toronto are high, so a bigger cushion helps while you look for work.
Can Americans do a working holiday in Canada?
Not through the standard IEC pools. U.S. citizens can join through a recognized organization listed on canada.ca that accepts U.S. passports, and it sets its own extra requirements.
