r/iecvisa

Could be cool to meet people from many different countries nevertheless in the same situation. I’m going to Toronto myself and I’m British.

Posting from Australia (country of citizenship) because I'm trying to map out the IEC to PR transition properly before my permit gets close to expiry. From what I've read, the IEC permit itself generally isn't extendable, so if you want to keep working legally, while a PR application is in progress you basically need to switch to something else before the IEC runs out. The two main options I keep seeing are a Bridging Open Work Permit or an employer-sponsored work permit (LMIA-based or exempt depending on the situation). Worth flagging though: the BOWP isn't just available because you've submitted a PR application. From what I understand, you need an Acknowledgment of Receipt for an eligible PR class, and you need to apply for the BOWP before your IEC actually expires. So it's not a guaranteed fallback, it depends on which PR stream you're in and whether the timing lines up. The part that trips me up is the maintained status piece. My understanding is that if you apply for a new permit before your IEC expires, you get implied status and can keep working under the same conditions while it's processed. But if you let it lapse or drop to visitor status, you can stay in Canada but you can't work anymore. So the timing really matters, and starting the PR process with enough runway before expiry seems critical, especially with IRCC processing times being what they are in 2026. Has anyone here actually gone through this transition recently? Specifically curious whether people went the BOWP route or the employer-sponsored permit route, and whether there were any surprises with processing times that nearly caught you out.

Hi, I am wondering if anyone has had experience getting work as an accountant in Toronto on an IEC visa? I currently would only have 1 year left on my visa when moving, hoping that I could still secure work.
I am weighing up Toronto or Vancouver, leaning toward Toronto right now.
I have over 5 years experience, but no Canadian experience obviously. (30m, Irish)

I messed up on my application and didn’t include the proper police report and after I did my application I realised but I completely forgot to add it using the web form and I got an update on friday to say I needed to submit it which I did straight away. Obviously I know it’s been the weekend so that will be why I haven’t received an update yet but roughly how long have people waited after submitting additional documents? I’m not moving to Canada until October so if it’s going to be a while again it’s completely fine, I’m just very impatient lol! would appreciate anyone’s wait times after submitting additional documents! 🤞🏻

Set up account a couple months ago. They’re asking this but I’m still in my home country and paying tax there. Will my tax residency change only once I quit and get a local job, or as soon as I am ih Canada full time?

Can’t really go and sort this out for a few more months. Has anyone else dealt with this? For context, I activated, got bank account, and SIN and then repatriated to wrap things up. Won’t be done before the restriction time.

Working holiday visa uk concerns - pool is very full and not many spots left

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to come to Canada on an IEC work permit in 2027 and I’m trying to understand how realistic my PR pathway is through a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

My plan is:

Work in a province like Manitoba or Saskatchewan (preferably in hospitality / hotel sector)

Do a seasonal job for about 6 months (full-time)

After that, apply for PNP

Then potentially return to my home country while waiting for the result

If approved, return to Canada later to continue the PR process

I have a few questions:

Is 6 months of full-time seasonal work enough to apply for a PNP in provinces like Manitoba or Saskatchewan?

Does having a completed seasonal contract reduce my chances compared to having a long-term or permanent job offer?

Is it okay to leave Canada after submitting a PNP application and wait for the decision from outside Canada?

Would staying in the province and continuing to work improve my chances significantly?

In general, how realistic is this pathway for someone in hospitality with 4+ years of experience and strong English?

I’m trying to understand if this is a realistic PR strategy or if I should aim for a different approach.

Any advice from people who have gone through this would be really appreciated.

Hello, I'm from Spain, 25, no work experience, currently doing an unpaid traineeship in Italy where the theme is on brown bear conservation, involving stuff such as using camera traps to monitor them.

Similarly, I have always been fascinated by the nature of Canada - its mountains, boreal forests, and of course, the bears, and this traineeship is a reflection of the job that I want.

However, no such job has appeared yet, and I'm in talks with people in the field. Thus, I'm really thinking of applying for a WHV to get there, get a basic job as a warehouse worker, and while being present in Canada, speak to biologists in person, which can potentially increase my chances of getting a bear related job.

Here's my inquiry. Are there specific and legitimate portals or boards where aspiring foreigners, particularly those eligible for an OWP, can visit for jobs they can apply for?

Could you also please share with me what you all have done there, just so I can get an idea?

Secondly, how did you find a house? And do you live in shared homes?

I have my eyes set on BC and Alberta.

Hello everyone,

Unfortunately, my flight was canceled. I was supposed to arrive in Canada yesterday (May 17), and I had purchased health insurance to start one day earlier, on May 16, 2026, and end on May 18, 2027.

Now my new flight might be on May 20. My question is: will it be an issue that my insurance coverage is now less than a full year? I do have proof that my flight was canceled, and I cannot cancel or refund the current insurance. Will I just get the work permit to cover the duration of the insurance?

P.S. I bought TrueTraveller insurance.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

UK participants have you gotten an ITA this week for working holiday? Trying to see when the draw is!