Work and Travel Abroad With Languages Canada

About the Languages Canada Recognized Organization

The Languages Canada Recognized Organization (RO) Consortium (LC Consortium) is a designated recognized organization of the Government of Canada’s International Experience Canada (IEC) program. IEC gives young Canadians the opportunity to broaden their perspective of the world and Canada’s place in it through international work and travel experience.

Through IEC, Canada has negotiated temporary immigration pathways with more than 35 Youth Mobility Agreement (YMA) countries and territories that allow Canadian youth (between ages 18-35) to work while they travel in a partner country or territory. The same opportunity is provided to young citizens from partner countries and territories (and sometimes other countries) to come to Canada.

This initiative originated over 60 years ago as a cultural exchange program between youth. With IEC’s current mandate, the Government of Canada remains committed to fostering cultural, economic and social exchanges between youth through work and travel opportunities.

The Government of Canada works with key stakeholders like the LC Consortium in Canada and abroad to raise awareness of the program, to promote the benefits of international experience, and to equip Canadian and foreign national youth with information and services to help them achieve international work and travel experiences through IEC.

The LC Consortium comprises eight accredited language schools, with locations in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax. All Languages Canada Consortium members are accredited under one internationally recognized and comprehensive scheme. The LC Accreditation Scheme operates at arm’s length, is transparent, confidential, and maintains the integrity and rigour of Languages Canada’s standards and process. Learn more here.

Queries related to work and travel abroad opportunities can be directed to individual Consortium members (see above).

General questions related to Languages Canada can be directed to: IEC-EIC@languagescanada.ca.

Eligibility Criteria

Work and travel opportunities for Canadian youth are available in 37 YMA partner countries and territories. Eligibility (including age limits), application processes, and conditions (including duration of stay) are dependent on the immigration and work conditions of each country. IEC has developed guidance and country-specific resources on its website that describe the opportunities, limits, and procedures required for Canadian youth to apply for a work permit to each of these countries or territories.

To apply to the Working Holiday Program in a YMA partner country, all Participants must meet the eligibility criteria and working requirements established with that country.

Each country has a different agreement with Canada; however, generally, Participants can expect that they must:

• Be aged between 18 and 30 (or 35) years old
• Hold a valid Canadian passport
• Have support funds
• Have no dependents
• Have no criminal record

Follow these steps to apply

For eligible Canadians interested in working in one of 37 YMA partner countries, International Experience Canada has provided an overview of the steps needed to apply.

1. Visit the IEC webpage to understand the eligibility criteria.
2. Decide on a destination country and check its specific eligibility requirements (they may be different from the general criteria).
3. Work with the LC Consortium member to understand the job opportunities that best suit the Participant.
4. Follow the application process laid out by the LC Consortium member. Contact the Consortium member directly for more information on the application process.
5. Once the application process has been completed including payment of fees to the Consortium member, complete the visa application to the desired YMA partner country (this may be completed with the support of the LC Consortium member, depending on the Package purchased).
6. Work with the LC Consortium member to finalize travel, accommodations, insurance, and other details.

Definitions

LC Consortium
The Languages Canada Recognized Organization Consortium is a group of eight accredited language schools offering a range of English and French language study, and work and travel abroad programs to eligible youth through the IEC.

Program
Any package of employment search, support, accommodation support, documentation assistance, and general orientation to the partner country and employment provided by LC consortium members to Canadian youth.

Applicant
Any youth interested in, or in the process of applying to take part in a Program offered by any LC Consortium member to participate in the IEC Working Holiday experience.

Participant
Any youth that has purchased a Program from an LC Consortium member.

Agreement
A contract between the Participant and LC Consortium member.

Fees
The LC Consortium member may charge an Application Fee and a Program Fee in Canadian dollars for the services provided in the Program offered to Canadian youth.

Description of Services

LC Consortium members provide support to Canadian youth interested in working abroad through the IEC in one of the YMA partner countries. Consortium members may assist Canadian youth with locating a job, preparing their visa application, securing accommodations, making travel arrangements, purchasing insurance, pre-departure orientation, language lessons, in-country assistance, and other matters related to their IEC working holiday abroad.

Terms and Conditions

An Agreement between an LC Consortium member and Participant begins when an LC Consortium member has received a completed and signed online application form and has received payment of all necessary fees. LC Consortium members reserve the right to refuse any Applicant who does not meet the IEC program eligibility requirements.

The Agreement will end upon fulfillment of the terms of services outlined in the specific agreement, as per the Program purchased by the Participant, or as otherwise terminated in accordance with the provisions of these Terms and Conditions.

By purchasing any package offered by an LC Consortium member, participating youth affirm they meet the International Experience Canada Eligibility Criteria, and accept the following Terms and Conditions, as well as the below Use of Personal Information and Cancellation and Refund policies.

• Participants are responsible for completing all steps in their work permit application process for their chosen partner country, including providing all required documentation. Participants must meet all eligibility criteria and visa conditions.
• Obtaining a valid work permit in their chosen partner country is the responsibility of the Participant . The LC Consortium is not responsible for delays in permit processing, nor for a Participant’s failure to submit a complete and correct work permit application.
• Participants are responsible for all travel expenses to get to their destination abroad unless otherwise specified in the Program purchased. All travels before, during, and after the Program are at the Participant’s own risk and expense. The LC Consortium is not liable or responsible for the Participant’s health and safety and loss or damage to property. The Participant must ensure that they are fit and qualified to travel.
• Gross misconduct, dangerous or offensive behaviour, involvement in illegal activity in Canada or the partner country, violation of employer regulations, or failure to perform duties as requested may result in the Participant’s expulsion from the Working Holiday program.
• The LC Consortium is not responsible for or deemed to be in default by reason of delays in or failure of performance of an agreement due to causes beyond its reasonable control and not being limited to civil war, war between nations, insurrections, strikes, riots, fires, floods, explosions, earthquakes, serious accidents, any act of government, governmental priorities, allocations, regulations, or orders affecting materials or facilities, acts of God or the public enemy, failure of transportation, epidemics, quarantine restrictions, or labour trouble-causing cessation, slowdown or interruption of work and failure of suppliers and subcontractors to furnish labour or materials within their contractual delivery times.
• The Participant must follow guidelines for the work permit activation process provided by the chosen partner country. The LC Consortium is not responsible for work permit activation issues nor for any mistakes made on the work permit once issued by the chosen partner country. It is the responsibility of the Participant to provide all correct documentation and verify the information on the work permit is correct. 
• The Participant must affirm that all information in their application form is true and correct and that any false information may result in the cancellation of their agreement with the LC Consortium member with no refund.

Use of Personal Information

By submitting an application, the Participant is providing express consent for Languages Canada and its Consortium institution to use their personal information for the following purposes:

• Personal information in the application, including, but not limited to, date of birth, nationality, address, resume, and passport identification page, is used solely for determining program and work permit eligibility. This information will not be shared with or sold to any third party.
• Macro-level Participant information, including, but not limited to, gender, age, nationality, destination partner country, employment type, and type of work, may be shared with the government of Canada for research and statistical purposes in accordance with the IEC program.
• In order to support the Participant, personal information may be shared with LC Consortium partners in Canada in order to arrange Participant accommodation, health insurance, or other in-country support services.

Note that these criteria around use of personal information apply only to services provided by LC and its Consortium. The Participant may be subject to different requirements with the partner country.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

• There are fees to apply for a working holiday visa in a YMA partner country. These are in addition to LC Consortium package prices and are not included in this refund policy.
• The Application Fee and Program Fee will vary, depending on the Program purchased. Prior to finalizing purchase of a Program, Applicants should carefully review all Fees outlined in the Program purchase agreement with the Consortium member.
• Payment of Fees – including Program Fee and Application Fee – to the LC Consortium institution is required at the time of purchasing a Program. The LC Consortium member will not support the Participant’s outbound travels until all Fees have been paid.
• Once the Participant is in the partner country and/or their employment has begun (whichever comes first), all Fees paid to the LC Consortium member are non-refundable.
• Fees may be partially eligible for refunds in case of Participant cancellation. See below table for more information.
• Depending on the Program purchased by the Participant from the LC Consortium member, there may be additional refund and/or cancellation policies that apply and are not covered by the below table. Participants should contact the LC Consortium member from which they’ve purchased a Program for more information.