Moving to Canada for 12 months - IEC Working Holiday Visa

McDaniel · 19 Jan 2013 at 01:18

Jebs said:
Amazing, thanks for all your help and advice on this! Myself and the OH are planning on applying as soon as the visa's for this year are open again and hoping to be out by July 2013 All of your links and tips are going to be so beneficial to us! Thanks a lot dude

July 2013 is when I aim to arrive, where abouts are you looking to go?

ScarySquirrel · 19 Jan 2013 at 12:12

We're going to Vancouver, pretty sure we'll just stay there although winter in Whistler looks appealing depending on how we get on with jobs.

2 months today until our flight!!!

Marky · 19 Jan 2013 at 12:14

kieranv said:
IEC website has been updated finally.

Says "Please note that the 2013 IEC initiative has not yet opened for applications. It will open before February 1, 2013, and more information on the online process will be made available on this website. Stay tuned!"

Just saw this

At least it's been updated

Roll on 1st Feb

Going to Vancouver, Sept 2013 hopefully!

ScarySquirrel · 19 Jan 2013 at 19:43

OcUK Vancouver meet at the end of 2013?

McDaniel · 20 Jan 2013 at 01:47

ScarySquirrel said:
We're going to Vancouver, pretty sure we'll just stay there although winter in Whistler looks appealing depending on how we get on with jobs.

2 months today until our flight!!!

April 3rd for my flight, but 3months in USA first, hit Toronto July 1st

Marky · 20 Jan 2013 at 13:15

ScarySquirrel said:
OcUK Vancouver meet at the end of 2013?

Sounds like this definitely could happen

Slogan · 20 Jan 2013 at 15:15

My Welcome Letter expires at the end of next month - have had a sudden urge to get up and go...

ScarySquirrel · 21 Jan 2013 at 11:24

Where you thinking of not going then? Or have you just not sorted out when to go yet?

Slogan · 21 Jan 2013 at 17:37

I got it with good intentions of going but wanted to go when I had a job lined up - sort of fruitless in that regard so I lost heart. Would probably be best to actually go out there (Vancouver) and hunt for jobs in person but there's obviously a decent element of risk with that and I'd be leaving a relatively secure but boring job here to do that. Certainly a first world problem to have.

Also found out that even if you don't step foot in Canada, having the welcome letter still counts as one of the two times you can be eligible for the IEC.

ScarySquirrel · 21 Jan 2013 at 20:06

Unfortunately that is the case.

What are the chances you'll head out there then? Or do you think you'll just give it a miss?

We're going out with no jobs and don't plan to properly look until we even get there.

deej · 22 Jan 2013 at 22:39

It's old school out here, jobs are all about networking. Canadian business is still working out how to hire via the internet outside of the major employers. They like face to face, so if applying from the UK ask about a skype conversation.

Also you'll need some cold weather gear unless you're wimping out and going to BC.

ScarySquirrel · 23 Jan 2013 at 08:57

WOW! Now that is seriously cold! Fortunately we're heading to BC

Yeah I've read that a lot actually, we'll definitely be applying for our first jobs (ie. the ones to tide us over until we find proper ones) in person and following up in person if we don't hear anything back.

Good idea about Skype calls as well. I wasn't planning on applying for jobs before I went but I'd just finished my resume and I saw one on LinkedIn that I liked so I applied for it on the off chance.

Jimz · 24 Jan 2013 at 15:18

I am currently in Canada on my 2nd years IEC visa. If any of you have any questions please ask!

I applied for 2 IEC visa's before I left Canada which made everything easier as I didn't have to apply again when I was already here

Currently living in Mississauga which is just outside of Toronto but moving into downtown Toronto in a Condo on Feb 1st!

word of Advise, DO NOT go with Bunac...complete waste of money!

McDaniel · 25 Jan 2013 at 00:05

Jimz said:
I am currently in Canada on my 2nd years IEC visa. If any of you have any questions please ask!

I applied for 2 IEC visa's before I left Canada which made everything easier as I didn't have to apply again when I was already here

Currently living in Mississauga which is just outside of Toronto but moving into downtown Toronto in a Condo on Feb 1st!

word of Advise, DO NOT go with Bunac...complete waste of money!

I was looking at that area of Toronto also, what work do you do? I am looking to get out there in July.

Can you apply for 2 IEC's in advance??

ScarySquirrel · 25 Jan 2013 at 16:43

McDaniel said:
I was looking at that area of Toronto also, what work do you do? I am looking to get out there in July.

Can you apply for 2 IEC's in advance??

You can apply for one, then apply for a second in the following year's programme before you activate your first.

For example, I could apply for a second one when the applications open next week, even though I haven't activated the one I already have now.

deej · 26 Jan 2013 at 03:30

Jimz said:
Currently living in Mississauga which is just outside of Toronto but moving into downtown Toronto in a Condo on Feb 1st!

I'm about 250km north.

md85 · 30 Jan 2013 at 08:16

It seems the Irish IEC 2013 opened yesterday, UK can't be far behind.

Ireland - http://www.canadainternational.gc.c..._canada_experience/index.aspx?lang=eng&view=d
UK - http://www.canadainternational.gc.c...xperience_canada_experience/index.aspx?view=d

ScarySquirrel · 30 Jan 2013 at 08:38

Yeah, the Irish site was hammered yesterday and was down for parts of the day. On the surface the process looks much more simple, but I guess time will tell if it is actually easier/quicker.

ScarySquirrel · 2 Feb 2013 at 18:53

The UK IEC page was updated, but it looks like they missed the 1st February date they'd set themselves for opening the applications. I can only assume that the amount the Irish pages/application was hammered has made them look into ways of stopping a similar thing happening when the UK applications open up.

In other news, we leave NEXT MONTH!! Scary!

FosterK · 2 Feb 2013 at 20:32

ScarySquirrel said:
The UK IEC page was updated, but it looks like they missed the 1st February date they'd set themselves for opening the applications. I can only assume that the amount the Irish pages/application was hammered has made them look into ways of stopping a similar thing happening when the UK applications open up.

In other news, we leave NEXT MONTH!! Scary!

Bloody hell, I hope they come up with something better - I don't want to miss out on a place! Fingers crossed eh, looks like I'll be checking the page 10 times a day until its open

It's just the IEC letter I need now for my application.