Canada’s International Experience Canada (IEC) program roared into its 2026 season with a blockbuster Working Holiday draw that issued 30,972 Invitations to Apply by 13 February—already two-thirds of the 45,648-place quota for the category. Germany, the United Kingdom and France topped the invitation table, while pools for Chile and South Korea remain highly competitive.
Demand is sizzling: 28,052 candidates are still in the Working Holiday pool, and many popular countries (notably France) have used up more than half of their allocations in the opening weeks. Immigration lawyers say this pace suggests most pools will close earlier than usual, pressuring candidates to accept invitations and submit biometrics quickly or risk missing the 2026 window.
![First Working Holiday draw of 2026 sends 30,972 invitations under IEC]()
If you’re racing against the IEC clock, VisaHQ can help you gather documents, book biometrics and navigate every other step of the permit process. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers real-time checklists and courier services that can cut days off an application—crucial when country quotas are disappearing fast.
The Working Holiday work permit allows youth aged 18-35 from 30+ partner nations to live and work in Canada for up to 24 months (12 months for some nationalities) without an LMIA or pre-arranged job offer. For Canadian employers in hospitality and resort towns, the early draw is welcome news: seasonal staff could start arriving by late spring if medicals and biometrics move smoothly.
IEC participation has become a key talent pipeline for regions facing acute labour gaps in tourism, agriculture and tech start-ups. Companies with high summer head-counts should monitor country-specific quotas and, where possible, issue offer letters quickly so that Working Holiday permit holders can transition to employer-specific permits before their status expires.
Demand is sizzling: 28,052 candidates are still in the Working Holiday pool, and many popular countries (notably France) have used up more than half of their allocations in the opening weeks. Immigration lawyers say this pace suggests most pools will close earlier than usual, pressuring candidates to accept invitations and submit biometrics quickly or risk missing the 2026 window.
If you’re racing against the IEC clock, VisaHQ can help you gather documents, book biometrics and navigate every other step of the permit process. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers real-time checklists and courier services that can cut days off an application—crucial when country quotas are disappearing fast.
The Working Holiday work permit allows youth aged 18-35 from 30+ partner nations to live and work in Canada for up to 24 months (12 months for some nationalities) without an LMIA or pre-arranged job offer. For Canadian employers in hospitality and resort towns, the early draw is welcome news: seasonal staff could start arriving by late spring if medicals and biometrics move smoothly.
IEC participation has become a key talent pipeline for regions facing acute labour gaps in tourism, agriculture and tech start-ups. Companies with high summer head-counts should monitor country-specific quotas and, where possible, issue offer letters quickly so that Working Holiday permit holders can transition to employer-specific permits before their status expires.
