My IEC work-holiday visa expires soon. Have you renewed before????

[booker58]

Hi there,

I'm literally minutes old to this forum, and searched through old threads to see if i could find a question that's been posed previously that mirrored my situation to use as a reference...but to no avail!

So if anyone can provide any insight or advice to my question, it'd be infinitely appreciated!

I am currently on a International Experience Canada (IEC) work holiday visa. I'm from Australia and got here in 2015 on this visa and i'm coming up on the alotted two years that this visa gives me legal status in Canada. I am looking to apply for an extension to my stay here, however having gone on the immigration canada website, it turns out Australia doesn't allow for participation in the program multiple times and I hence cant extend my IEC work-holiday beyond the two years (PLEASE CORRECT ME IF IM WRONG).

The website tells me i can apply for a new visa while still in canada though as long as my current visa is still valid. So im trying to get this done ASAP, but i can't find a work visa stream that I would be eligible for. When i go through the eligibilty test tool on the immigration website, the only visa that fits my description is the employer specific visa - but since my employer does not do LMIA's it is not really an option.

Can ANYONE please provide any insight or advice? Have YOU participated in the IEC visa program from Australia and extended your visa?? Please please get in touch if so.

Hope you're all well,

Cheers.

 

[ozlis]

Hi there,

I'm literally minutes old to this forum, and searched through old threads to see if i could find a question that's been posed previously that mirrored my situation to use as a reference...but to no avail!

So if anyone can provide any insight or advice to my question, it'd be infinitely appreciated!

I am currently on a International Experience Canada (IEC) work holiday visa. I'm from Australia and got here in 2015 on this visa and i'm coming up on the alotted two years that this visa gives me legal status in Canada. I am looking to apply for an extension to my stay here, however having gone on the immigration canada website, it turns out Australia doesn't allow for participation in the program multiple times and I hence cant extend my IEC work-holiday beyond the two years (PLEASE CORRECT ME IF IM WRONG).

The website tells me i can apply for a new visa while still in canada though as long as my current visa is still valid. So im trying to get this done ASAP, but i can't find a work visa stream that I would be eligible for. When i go through the eligibilty test tool on the immigration website, the only visa that fits my description is the employer specific visa - but since my employer does not do LMIA's it is not really an option.

Can ANYONE please provide any insight or advice? Have YOU participated in the IEC visa program from Australia and extended your visa?? Please please get in touch if so.

Hope you're all well,

Cheers.

You cannot extend IEC permits.

Depending on when you were approved (in the system, not when you entered Canada), you may qualify for one last IEC permit. If you were approved prior to March 2015, you can enter the pool and apply for another permit.

This is also as long as you still meet the age requirements.

 

[booker58]

You cannot extend IEC permits.

Depending on when you were approved (in the system, not when you entered Canada), you may qualify for one last IEC permit. If you were approved prior to March 2015, you can enter the pool and apply for another permit.

This is also as long as you still meet the age requirements.

Cheers for the response first and foremost.

Ah, the pain!! I was approved in mid March, so that rules that out - narrowly.

I appreciate you may not be an immigration lawyer (a route i'm considering to get help), so you mightn't be able to answer, but with the situation of my current employer here in Canada (who i have been with more than a year) out of policy not doing LMIA's (which is a requirement to be able to do a employer specific work visa application), are you aware of any open work permit visa's i'd be able to apply for before my IEC visa expires?

Cheers again.

 

[ozlis]

Cheers for the response first and foremost.

Ah, the pain!! I was approved in mid March, so that rules that out - narrowly.

I appreciate you may not be an immigration lawyer (a route i'm considering to get help), so you mightn't be able to answer, but with the situation of my current employer here in Canada (who i have been with more than a year) out of policy not doing LMIA's (which is a requirement to be able to do a employer specific work visa application), are you aware of any open work permit visa's i'd be able to apply for before my IEC visa expires?

Cheers again.

I've double checked - if you submitted prior to March 3rd 2015, you can go one more IEC.

In regards to other permits, unless you qualify for PR and want to go down that route unfortunately that is it.

 

[PMM]

Hi

You cannot extend IEC permits.

Depending on when you were approved (in the system, not when you entered Canada), you may qualify for one last IEC permit. If you were approved prior to March 2015, you can enter the pool and apply for another permit.

This is also as long as you still meet the age requirements.

1. Not quite right, the quote from IRCC is "Note: As an Australian citizen, you may participate in the Working Holiday category only once. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you may participate in IEC one more time through the International Co-op (Internship) category."

Exception: If you participated in IEC one or more times before 2015, you may be eligible for a final participation of up to 24 months in the category of your choice.

The OP participated in 2015 not before.

 

[cis0509]

how to settle after the program IEC legally in Canada ? I plan to go in May 2017, is not chosen where (region). what do you advise ?

 

[samanta60]

Sorry, can someone explain briefly what this "if you applied prior to March 2015 you can apply for another IEC" is about?
I am German citizen on IEC working Holiday and am planing to apply for IEC young professionals now. My current IEC was approved in October 2016. Can I apply for IEC agai (different category from last time).

 

[scylla]

Sorry, can someone explain briefly what this "if you applied prior to March 2015 you can apply for another IEC" is about?
I am German citizen on IEC working Holiday and am planing to apply for IEC young professionals now. My current IEC was approved in October 2016. Can I apply for IEC agai (different category from last time).

The rules are different for each country. So a respond to someone from Australia doesn't relate to your situation. Referred to the following CIC web sites for IEC rules for each country:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/temp/work/opinion/experience/bilat.asp

 

[ozlis]

Hi


1. Not quite right, the quote from IRCC is "Note: As an Australian citizen, you may participate in the Working Holiday category only once. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you may participate in IEC one more time through the International Co-op (Internship) category."

Exception: If you participated in IEC one or more times before 2015, you may be eligible for a final participation of up to 24 months in the category of your choice.

The OP participated in 2015 not before.

Originally that was the case - they updated to clarify as they changed the requirements in March 2015 so people were saying it was unfair.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/temp/work/opinion/experience/bilat.asp

Under the program requirements section in the blue box.

 

[Bs65]

For info here is the actual wording :

Australian citizens who participated in the program prior to the 2015 quota year are eligible for one final participation in the category of their choosing. An applicant is considered to have participated prior to 2015 if their application(s) was submitted to any quota year prior to the launch of the 2015 quota year which took place on March 3rd, 2015.

There was no participation limit imposed on Australians prior to 2015. As such, Australians may have participated numerous times before the 2015 year. All Australian applicants who participated prior to 2015, regardless of the number of participations are eligible for a final participation of 24 months in the category of their choice.

Regardless the OP cannot extend the current IEC so if they want to stay on and based on above they if qualify they need to apply from scratch.

 

[samanta60]

Thanks, so the March 2015 thing doesn't relate to all countries.
I appreciate the replies.

 

[booker58]

Thank you all so much for the responses. All equally appreciated!

That's such a bummer. I applied a few days after they opened the 2015 quota phase in March 2015, so it looks like I'm definitely not eligible for repeat participation in the program. Interestingly, that cut off effectively makes those who applied upon the opening of that March 2015 quota (like I did) the first IEC class that are ineligible for re-participation - how unlucky!

Outside of taking a super ambitious punt at the PR process via the express entry program, would anyone with reasonable experience/knowledge in the visa process agree with the conclusion that there really are not that many other options available for gaining a protraction to my legal working status here in Canada beyond the expiry of my current IEC visa in a couple of months?

Again, thank you all immensely for the input; appreciated!

 

[zardoz]

Thank you all so much for the responses. All equally appreciated!

That's such a bummer. I applied a few days after they opened the 2015 quota phase in March 2015, so it looks like I'm definitely not eligible for repeat participation in the program. Interestingly, that cut off effectively makes those who applied upon the opening of that March 2015 quota (like I did) the first IEC class that are ineligible for re-participation - how unlucky!

Outside of taking a super ambitious punt at the PR process via the express entry program, would anyone with reasonable experience/knowledge in the visa process agree with the conclusion that there really are not that many other options available for gaining a protraction to my legal working status here in Canada beyond the expiry of my current IEC visa in a couple of months?

Again, thank you all immensely for the input; appreciated!

As your employer is unwilling to undertake the LMIA process, you are at a dead end with them. At that point, you are in the same position as any other foreign national seeking work in Canada, with the obvious exception that you are currently here and able to attend interviews etc in person. Basically, no LMIA, no work permit. There is no realistic way that you could obtain an open work permit, given your current situation.

 

[booker58]

As your employer is unwilling to undertake the LMIA process, you are at a dead end with them. At that point, you are in the same position as any other foreign national seeking work in Canada, with the obvious exception that you are currently here and able to attend interviews etc in person. Basically, no LMIA, no work permit. There is no realistic way that you could obtain an open work permit, given your current situation.

Ah, bummer. As much as I'd hoped for a different answer - reality is reality! Appreciate you taking the time to respond though, mate. Cheers!