Working Holiday Visa (WHV)
with DJP Quebec Immigration Services
If you are between the ages of 18 and 35 and wish to travel to Canada while still being entitled to work there to finance your stay, you will need a Working Holiday Visa (WHV).
Commonly known as the Working Holiday Program, Working Holiday Work Permit or Permis Vacances Travail, all these names refer to the same permit that will allow you to stay and work in Canada under the International Experience Canada (IEC) program.
France, Belgium and Luxembourg have signed agreements with Canada under this exchange program. Contact us to check the specific conditions for your admission, which is based on your home country.
The period of stay with a WHV can vary between 12 and 24 months, depending on your home country. It is issued by the Government of Canada and allows you to work for one or more employers in Canada. It also allows you to enter and leave Canada and visit all provinces of the country during the validity period of the WHV.
The requirements for obtaining the WHV are the following:
- Being between 18 and 35 years of age at the time of application (depending on your home country)
- Purchasing Canadian health insurance for the length of your stay
- Being selected in the drawing
The WHV application is made to the Government of Canada and consists of several stages:
- Filling out an online questionnaire to determine whether you are admissible. If so, you will be assigned a personal reference code.
- Creating your Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) account and submitting your profile in the IEC pool of candidates
- Drawing: If your profile is selected, you will have ten days to accept the invitation for your WHV application.
- Submission of the WHV application: When the invitation is accepted, you will have 20 days to submit all the requested information and documents.
- You will also have 30 days to provide your biometric data in a visa application centre.
- Processing the application and issuance of a letter of introduction—this step can take up to 56 days.
Spending a year or two in Canada is a wonderful opportunity to experience the country, its quality of life and its labour market before deciding whether you really want a longer-term expatriation. This life experience can also make it easier to obtain Canadian permanent residence, especially if you work long enough.
For example, if after your WHV, you wish to settle in Quebec permanently, you can apply for a Québec Selection Certificate (CSQ) under certain conditions. To learn more, properly prepare your project and make a success of your temporary or permanent immigration, do not wait any longer: Make an appointment with our immigration advisors. We will be delighted to help you and contribute to your success.