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Young Professionals: Different from Working Holiday
The Young Professionals Visa is a work visa provided under the Youth Mobility Agreement between South Korea and Canada, offering youth under 35 the opportunity to gain professional work experience in Canada. This visa is part of Canada's International Experience Canada (IEC) program. While many are familiar with the Working Holiday, from 2023, the Young Professionals and International Co-op (Internship) categories have also been added for applications.
The IEC program currently consists of three categories: Working Holiday, Young Professionals, and International Co-op. The Working Holiday offers an Open Work Permit, allowing individuals to work freely without a specific employer while traveling and working simultaneously. In contrast, the Young Professionals Visa requires applicants to obtain a mandatory full-time job offer in a Skilled Occupation during the application stage, aiming to build professional careers based on this.
This program is open only to citizens of certain countries participating in the IEC, with South Korea, Germany, France, and Australia being prime examples. If you are from these countries, you can utilize this program under very favorable conditions.
The Young Professionals Visa is similar to the LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment)-based work visa but exempts the LMIA process, reducing burdens for both employers and applicants. The employment conditions and specific requirements of the visa are the same as the LMIA work visa. Employers must strictly adhere to employment conditions and may be subject to random government audits for six years. Violations of employment conditions can result in penalties, making employer responsibility significant.
Although this visa requires a somewhat demanding preparation process compared to the general IEC program, it offers several advantages over the LMIA, such as a simplified processing procedure and a government application fee of $230, which is cost-saving compared to the LMIA government application fee of $1,000. Especially as LMIA work visas are becoming increasingly restrictive, the Young Professionals Visa is becoming an efficient and practical alternative for young applicants under 35.
The Young Professionals Visa offers the opportunity to work for up to four years. After receiving an initial two-year visa, you can apply for the IEC program once more to extend for an additional two years, allowing you to stay in Canada for a total of four years to build your career. During this period, you can prepare to apply for permanent residency through Express Entry or other Canadian immigration programs suitable for you.
In particular, the Young Professionals Visa allows you to receive Job Offer Points, which are crucial in Express Entry, making it advantageous for obtaining permanent residency. On the other hand, Open Work Permits like the Working Holiday Visa cannot receive Job Offer Points, making them relatively disadvantageous. Also, compared to the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), it offers broader opportunities for permanent residency applications.
The Young Professionals Visa is still a program that is not widely known to the public. The fact that applicants must directly find a Canadian employer can be a burden, but as the LMIA process becomes more stringent, the advantages of this program are becoming more prominent. The exemption from the LMIA process and the non-application of domestic and foreign hiring ratio regulations make it very attractive to employers.
By utilizing job search sites or specialized recruitment companies in and out of Canada, you can make the process of finding employers smoother. Although many employers are still unaware of this program, when introduced to it and its advantages are explained, most employers are accepting it because the process is not as complicated as the LMIA.
The Young Professionals Visa is more than just an employment opportunity in Canada; it is a powerful stepping stone that can lead to building a career and obtaining permanent residency. If you collaborate with your employer to set up a thorough plan during the preparation process, this visa will be the best choice to simultaneously achieve Canadian work experience and permanent residency.
Currently, the 2024 quota for the IEC program has already been exhausted, but the new quota for 2025 is expected to be announced soon. However, since the Canadian government has announced plans to reduce the number of temporary foreign workers, the total quota may decrease. Therefore, it is important to apply quickly at the beginning of the year to be included in the quota.
The Young Professionals Visa is a true global platform where ambitious young generations can unfold infinite possibilities and dreams. If you are a youth under 35 planning for Canada at this point, it should be the first option to consider.
