Visas available for youth wishing to work and travel to Canada

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The Canadian High Commission has just released 5,350 working visa places for young people wishing to spend a year in the country under the International Experience Canada (IEC) programme.

"There is a big call for skilled labour in hospitality and construction in the western provinces, Alberta and British Colombia and in Toronto and the ski resorts," said Gordon Campbell, Canada's High commissioner to the UK. "We are one of the economies in the western world that is currently very strong."

The Guardian reports that Canada is not suffering from the high levels of unemployment faced by many other countries at the moment. The programme is popular among graduates and students wishing to take a gap year, but is also available to all young people, regardless of their educational background. A gap year is defined as time individuals take out to travel between life stages, typically those who have just finished schooling and who intend to continue further studies after their travels.

Work permits under IEC are available for young people aged 18-35 who are from one of the countries that have a bilateral reciprocal youth mobility arrangement or agreement with Canada. Eligible countries include New Zealand, Australia, the UK, and France. Under this permit you can travel and work in Canada for up to one year.

l Office that offers information and services on the Canadian labour market and Canada's credential assessment processes.

If you would like to apply for a Canadian visa WorkPermit.com can help. WorkPermit.com has been dealing with visa applications for over twenty years. We have an in-house immigration attorney and would be delighted to have an opportunity to help you with your visa application. Please feel free to contact us for further details.