You can check here. Please note that not all IEC countries have confirmed their participation. IEC works as a bilateral agreement, so both countries must agree on the opening. So far, only confirmed countries will be allowed to participate under RO status.
Feb. 3, 2022
Posted in Recognized Organization (RO)
IEC 2022 Recognized Organization (RO)– Everything You Need To Know
UPDATED 04th Feb 2022 – We have filled our quota for Repeat Participation for the IEC 2022 season. We are currently not accepting applications. We do not have a waiting list for IEC 2023. Please note that adding your name to the IEC 2022 waitlist will not transfer to the next IEC Season.
We will be opening our RO 2022 season for registrations on Friday 04th February at 10:00 am (PST). Our quota is very limited for repeat participation candidates this season, so unfortunately we will not be able to help all the applicants that apply for our RO program.
Submitting an application or emailing us regarding our RO programs in the past does not mean you will be contacted for our IEC 2022 season, nor does it mean that you have secured an invitation for the 2022 IEC season. Unfortunately, we will not be able to respond to emails asking for more information. Instead, we’ve saved you valuable time by compiling everything you need to know about applying for an RO visa below. So, if you are interested in applying, read through this post and follow the steps below. We hope it’s helpful!
Finally, International Experience Canada (IEC) 2022 is here, and the good news is that Working Holiday candidates will not need to provide proof of a valid job offer to receive an invitation anymore!
We have put in place a very straightforward process to apply for our Recognized Organization (RO) program during IEC 2022. Please make sure that you read the following information BEFORE you submit an application.
Who Can Apply to Our RO Program During IEC 2022 Season?
You will be eligible to submit an application if:
- Your country of nationality has opened during the IEC 2022 season.
- IMPORTANT: We can NOT be able to help participants from Austria as pools are not open for the season.
- You are between 18 and 35 years old – even if your nationality only accepts IEC applications until 30 years old.
- You have never participated under IEC before and you would like to secure an invitation to apply (ITA), as your country does not have that many spots available.
- Your country of citizenship does not offer a work permit under the Working Holiday or Young Professional category (for example: Switzerland – Working Holiday, New Zealand or UK – Young Professionals, etc.)
- You participated under IEC before BUT never travelled to Canada or used your work permit.
- NOT AVAILABLE ANYMORE – LIMITED QUOTA for repeat participation: You participated under IEC in the past, used your IEC work permit and want to secure a new IEC permit.
IMPORTANT – Repeat Participation Quota
We have a very limited quota for repeat participation during this IEC 2022 season. We will connect with eligible applicants once they have submitted a complete application. We will not contact participants that do not follow the application process or submit incomplete applications.
Once we reach our quota for repeat participation candidates, we will start a waiting list. You will be notified if you are on the waiting list.
In order to qualify for repeat participation, you will need to meet the following criteria:
You have never participated in IEC under a Recognized Organization (RO) before.
If you have already been a repeat participant under RO status in previous IEC seasons, unfortunately, we will not be able to help again for a new participation.
For participants within Canada – you must have a valid status in Canada.
At the time of the application, you must be able to prove your current status in Canada. Please note that IEC work permits can not be extended, so we will not be able to accept your application if you applied for an extension as a worker under your IEC work permit, as that will automatically be denied and you will not have a valid status in Canada.
Application Process for all RO IEC Applicants
Make sure you read all the instructions before submitting an application. Please do not submit multiple applications. We will filter applicants by their latest submission, so if you apply several times, you will be moving your application down on the list. Make sure you have all the information with you before you apply.
1. Update Your Resume
Make sure you provide an updated resume through our application form, including the following information:
- Current address (including city and country)
- Education and work experience. Please include the country – indicate any stays of six months or more outside your home country so that we can help you identify any additional police certificates required for your application.
- Contact details (email, phone number)
We will not contact applicants that submit outdated resumes or that resumes don’t match the information provided through our application form. We will not consider an incomplete application.
2. Complete Our Application Form on Stepwest.com
Make sure you complete the application form selecting the right program:
- RO Working Holiday 2022: for the Working Holiday work permit category.
- RO Young Professional 2022: for Young Professional work permit category.
Do not select any other option from our program list if you want to be considered for our Recognized Organization Program, as we won’t be able to find your application and you will not be considered for our RO program.
Make sure to take the time to complete our application with your most updated information so we can review your details and contact you if you qualify!
3. Confirmation Email – Wait for Our Response
Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to contact each applicant individually regarding the status of their application, so please bear with us. We aim to support as many applicants as we can, but unfortunately, our quota is very limited, so we will not be able to help every single applicant that applies.
Submitting an application and receiving a confirmation email does not mean that you have secured an invitation under our RO Quota. Once we have received your application, we will carefully review it and if you match the requirements and our quota per country, we will contact you to organize an online meeting to go over the details. Only after that meeting, and after providing the required information, will you receive official confirmation of acceptance into the program.
4. Meeting With Stepwest
Once you are officially accepted into the program you will be able to create your IEC profile, following these instructions. We will need you to send us the “Welcome to the Pool Letter” that you receive after submission so that we can get your Application Number.
An IEC application profile number starts with a “W” followed by 9 digits and can be found on the letter you received from International Experience Canada when you submitted your profile into the RO Stepwest pool.
Please note that if you have not been accepted under the RO program through us, being in the RO pool will not make a difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
I Already Created an IEC Profile During the IEC 2021 Season, Can I Use the Same Account?
You can use the same MYCIC account. Please note that all the IEC profiles from IEC 2021 will be still valid for the 2022 season. If you prefer to create a brand new one for IEC 2022, remember that you will have to withdraw the previous IEC profile to create a new IEC profile under RO Stepwest following our instructions here.
If I Apply Under RO During IEC 2022 but Decide Not To Travel, Can I Extend My POE?
NO, that was a measure that IEC took during the pandemic but is not valid anymore and is set to expire by December 31st 2021. If you are not planning to travel during 2022, you might want to be cautious about applying this year.
I Am in Canada as a Visitor or Student, Can I Participate Under RO?
Yes, as long as you have a valid status in Canada you can participate under our RO IEC 2022 program. We will not be able to help participants that lost their status in Canada during their stay.
My Passport Is About To Expire in the Next Few Months, Can I Apply?
Yes, you can apply for the RO programs, but we highly recommend you get a new passport before you submit your work permit application. If that’s not possible you will need to follow the instructions from IEC before activating your work permit so you can get the full duration of your work permit. Please check the process here.
How long will IEC Applications take to be approved during IEC 2022?
According to IEC, processing times can take between 8-10 weeks. This period only starts counting after you complete your biometrics, not from the moment that you submit your work permit application.
Please note that processing times stop counting if IRCC Officers request additional documents. For example, if you are required to submit a police certificate from a country where you lived six months or more, the processing times will stop until you submit that required document, so your application can be finalized. Stepwest is not involved in the work permit application process and can not speed up the process for an application once it has been submitted to IRCC.
What Are the COVID Requirements To Participate Under RO 2022?
We will follow the requirements to enter Canada at the time of application. You can check the most updated travel requirements on the IRCC website here.
Please note that even if you are in Canada, we will follow the travel regulations as you will need to travel outside of Canada to activate the new RO working holiday permit. Starting January 15, only fully vaccinated travellers can enter Canada. The online activation process expired last November 22nd, 2021, so this will not be an option anymore for now.
FAQ - First-time Participants under RO IEC 2022
My Country Has a Very Limited Number of Spots Available and It’s Hard To Get an Invitation (ITA). Can Stepwest Guarantee My Working Holiday?
YES, we have a set quota for first participation applicants. For example, if you are from the UK where the quota is very limited compared to the number of people in the pools trying to get an invitation, we can speed up the process for you and guarantee your working holiday permit during IEC 2022!
My Country Does Not Offer a Working Holiday or Young Professional Category Under the IEC Agreement, Can Stepwest Help Me?
Yes, we do offer the Young Professional or Working Holiday work permit category, even if your country does not offer this category under the regular IEC youth mobility agreement between your country and Canada. In these situations, you might be eligible for up to 24 months work permit. For example:
- Scenario 1: If you are from the UK, under the regular IEC you would not be allowed to apply for a Young Professional permit, whereas if you apply under RO status, you will have access to that work permit category and the duration will be up to 24 months max.
- Scenario 2: If you are from Switzerland, under the regular IEC you would not be allowed to apply for a Working Holiday permit, whereas if you apply under RO status, you will have access to that work permit category and the duration will be up to 24 months max.
I Am 31, but the Age Limit for My Country Is 30, Could I Use a RO if I never participated under IEC?
YES, under a RO you will be eligible until the day you turn 36 years old, no matter your country of nationality. For example, if you are from Sweden where the age limit is 30 years old, and you are 33 years old, you can secure a Working Holiday permit under RO status with us.
I Received My POE a while ago but I Never Travelled to Canada, Am I Considered Repeat Participation?
Yes, but we could help. This year we have a specific quota for these situations, so please make sure to answer the questions of our application form properly and provide as much information as possible.
FAQ - Repeat Participation under RO IEC 2022
Can I Apply if I Participated Under Regular IEC Already?
Yes, you can participate if you have used up the options under the regular IEC agreement of your country of citizenship, but we have a very limited quota for this during IEC 2022 Season.
If you have participated already under a Recognized Organization, unfortunately, we will not be able to help. We will give priority to participants that have never used a RO before. Again, please note our quota for Repeat Participation during IEC 2022 is very limited.
My Work Permit Is About To Expire, Can I Speed Up My Registration?
No, everyone is equally as important and we will be reviewing applications in order.
If you are currently on an IEC work permit that is about to expire, you MUST apply for an extension as a visitor to remain in Canada. Please remember that IEC work permits can not be extended: an IEC work permit can not be extended past the maximum duration specified in each country or territory’s youth mobility arrangement.
This also applies to you if you are in Canada and you have a new IEC work permit application currently in progress. This new IEC application will not provide you with implied status. International Experience Canada applications are not eligible for implied status. If you have submitted your profile into the RO IEC pool and are currently waiting for an invitation to apply, you are not on implied status either.
I Applied for an Extension as a Visitor Before My IEC Work Permit Expired, Can I Apply?
Yes, that’s totally fine! As long as you have a submission confirmation letter to prove that you applied for an extension as a visitor before your IEC work permit expired, you will be fine. Remember that an IEC RO work permit application through us will not give you implied status, that’s why it is so important that you maintain your status while you wait for your new IEC RO work permit to be processed.
I Am Already in Canada and Have a Job Offer, Will I Get Any Priority?
No, as the job offer is not a requirement anymore, we will open registration for participants in and outside Canada for repeat participation.
Our RO Quota Is Limited for IEC 2022
UPDATED 04th Feb 2022 – We have filled our quota for Repeat Participation for the IEC 2022 season.
We will be opening our RO Registration process on Friday, Feb 04th, 2022 after 10:00 am Vancouver Time. You will be able to apply through our Application Form (following instructions above).
We will NOT consider applications submitted before under a different Stepwest program.
Make sure you complete the application form selecting the right program:
- RO Working Holiday 2022: for the Working Holiday work permit category.
- RO Young Professional 2022: for Young Professional work permit category.
Make sure you read all the instructions before submitting an application. Please do not submit multiple applications. We will filter applicants by their latest submission, so if you apply several times, you will be moving your application down on the list
After we reach our quota, we will start a waiting list. We can not guarantee how long it will take for us to connect with you, or if we will be able to help if you are on our waiting list.
Thank you so much for understanding and wishing for a great IEC 2022!
Disclaimer: No Legal Advice Provided.
The material on our website and on this webpage is intended to provide only general information to our clients. Although we make our best efforts to ensure that the information found on our website is accurate and timely, do not, under any circumstances, rely on information found on our website as legal or immigration advice. We can not answer client-specific immigration-related questions or provide any immigration advice. For assistance with your specific inquiry, please contact IEC directly through the IRCC website or contact a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC).
Browse Categories
4.9