**Youth Visa Program:** This program targets young people in certain countries and allows them the opportunity to travel and work in Canada for up to two years. It is designed to promote cultural and knowledge exchange, providing young people with the chance to gain and share experiences. It is also known as the International Experience Canada (IEC) Program.
The program has three main categories:
1. Young Professionals: This category is for young people who are offered job opportunities by an employer. The applicant receives a work permit tied to a specific employer and is not allowed to work independently. The job opportunity must help the applicant develop professionally in their field. Program requirements include having completed post-secondary education, providing certificates and grades in French or English, being between the ages of 18 and 35, having a job offer in Canada in their field, and holding citizenship of a designated country.
**Program benefits:** It provides the opportunity for permanent residency, financial independence, gaining experience, developing personal skills, and language improvement. The application processing time is up to 6 weeks.
**Program drawbacks:** You are restricted to one job in a specific location without the ability to change, it has high financial costs, and there is intense competition for the program.
2. Working Holiday: This category allows young people to live and work in Canada for a specified period of time. Its goal is to give young people the opportunity to work and experience the Canadian system and lifestyle, as well as gain experience in their field. Program requirements include being between the ages of 18 and 35, proving financial ability to cover costs ranging from 2500 to 3000 Canadian dollars, having health insurance, a passport, and holding citizenship of one of the participating countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the USA.
**Program benefits:** The program provides an open work permit, giving the applicant flexibility in choosing the job that suits them, gaining international work experience, and learning the language from native speakers.
**Program drawbacks:** The duration is limited from 6 months to 2 years, costs are relatively high, and young people sometimes face challenges in choosing and settling into a job.
3. **International Co-op (Internship):** This category is for young people to gain professional and practical experience through theoretical and practical training courses. It requires a written job offer from an accredited employer in Canada, and the job in Canada must require specific skills that the applicant wants to enhance. Program requirements include being between the ages of 18 and 35, holding citizenship of one of the participating countries mentioned in the Working Holiday program, having a job offer from a Canadian employer, having an educational certificate related to the intended job, having health insurance, and having a passport.
**Program benefits:** It provides an opportunity to discover Canada, develop individual skills in the workplace, and learn the language.
**Program drawbacks:** The duration is up to 2 years maximum, the work permit is closed and does not allow the applicant to work for anyone other than the specified employer, and the costs are high.