Travelling and working abroad is becoming increasingly common, especially for young Canadians looking for adventure and a change of scenery. It’s a great way to immerse yourself in a new culture, gain independence, and meet likeminded explorers, all while putting money in the bank. But embarking on an international journey is no easy feat. Getting organized with a place to live and finding a job can be overwhelming, so to save you time, we’ve gathered information and resources to get your started. Read on to learn about Working Holiday Visas and where they can take you.
What is a Working Holiday Visa?
A Working Holiday Visa is a visa that allows young Canadians to work and travel internationally through International Experience Canada. Visas like these are currently available in over 30 countries, giving Canadians access to a wide array of work and travel experiences abroad. Choosing your destination depends on your preferences and the types of regulations those destinations have in place. Some things to consider when applying for a Working Holiday Visa include age limits, the length of your stay, required savings, and if you need a formal job or internship offer before you go, all of which varies by country. In general, you’ll usually need to be a Canadian citizen 35 or under, and have a valid Canadian passport.
Tip: Make sure to start the application a few months before you plan to leave! Getting your required documentation and the processing of your application can take some time. So, it’s better to get started early rather than stress about a quick turnaround.
Basic Details by Country
As mentioned above, there are various destinations to choose from within the Working Holiday Visa program. When selecting your destination, be sure to check each country’s specific requirements before starting the application process, as this list shows just a brief overview of the details you’ll need to know.
Andorra
- Age limit: 18-30 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Working Holiday visa
Australia
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 36 months – 3 stays of 12 months each
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Working Holiday visa
Austria
- Age limit: 18-30 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Working Holiday Programme with an entry permit (Visa D)
Belgium
- Age limit: 18-30 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Long stay visa (D-visa)
Chile (Spanish only site)
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Temporary Resident Youth Mobility Visa – Category 4
Costa Rica (Spanish only site)
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 24 months – 2 stays of 12 months each with a minimum break of 3 months before submitting a new application
- Job offer requirement: Yes, you need a pre-arranged offer
- Visa title: Working Holiday Provisional Visa
Croatia
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 24 months – 2 stays of 12 months each with a minimum break of 3 months before submitting a new application
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Temporary stay permit and work permit
Czech Republic
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Youth Mobility Visa – Category C
Denmark
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months – work up to 6 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Working Holiday Permit
Estonia
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Long-Stay Type D Visa – Category C
Finland
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Residence Permit for Working Holiday
France
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 24 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Working Holiday Program – 3D visa
Germany
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Youth Mobility visa – Category D
Greece
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Long-Stay Type D Visa – Category C
Hong Kong
- Age limit: 18-30 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Working Holiday Visa
Iceland
- Age limit: 18-30 years old
- Length of stay: up to 24 months – 2 stays of 12 months each
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Canada-Iceland Youth Mobility Arrangement – Residence permit
Ireland
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 24 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Working Holiday Authorisation
Italy
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 24 months – 2 stays of 12 months each
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Working-Holiday visa
Japan
- Age limit: 18-30 years old
- Length of stay: up to 24 months – 2 stays of 12 months each
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Working Holiday visa
South Korea
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 48 months – 2 stays of 24 months each
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Working holiday visa
Latvia
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Residency permit – Category C
Lithuania
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Multiple-entry national (D) visa – Category C and a work permit
Luxembourg
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Long-stay D visa
Netherlands
- Age limit: 18-30 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Working Holiday program – Residence permit
New Zealand
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 23 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Canada Working Holiday visa
Norway
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Youth Mobility permit – Category E
Poland
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Youth Mobility program Poland-Canada – Working-Holiday Program
Portugal
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 24 months – 2 stays of 12 months each with a break between participations
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Multi-entry temporary stay visa
San Marino
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 24 months – 2 stays of 12 months each
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Work permit
Slovakia
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Slovak National visa – Working Holiday
Slovenia
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Schengen visa – Category C
Spain
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Youth Mobility visa – Category E
Sweden
- Age limit: 18-30 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Work and Residence Permit – Category E
Switzerland
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 18 months – 2 stays
- Job offer requirement: Yes, you need a pre-arranged offer related to your field of studies or you must have previous training in the field
- Visa title: Youth Mobility Program work permit
Taiwan
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 12 months
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Youth Mobility Visa
United Kingdom
- Age limit: 18-35 years old
- Length of stay: up to 36 months – 1 stay of 24 months with a 12-month extension
- Job offer requirement: No offer needed
- Visa title: Youth Mobility Scheme visa
Wherever you choose to go, working and travelling abroad is a great chance to live outside of your comfort zone and going on a Working Holiday Visa is a great way to do so. Take the chance and experience what the world has to offer!
Happy travels abroad,
Jacqueline
