IEC Participants Can Appeal For LOI Extensions

The pandemic has forced Canada to introduce border restrictions in order to prevent the spread of the virus. Candidates belonging to the International Co-op, Working Holiday, or Working Holiday categories were not required to abide by the restrictions. They could enter Canada as long as they had a job offer along with a port of entry LOI sanctioning their journey. 

According to a new announcement by IRCC, the candidates in the International Experience Program (IEC) will now be able to ask for an extension if they have a letter of introduction that could expire soon. This move was necessary because many applicants could not travel to Canada because of other problems related to the coronavirus. 

New measures

The IEC program is meant to help young candidates work in Canada for a temporary period. People aged between 18 and 35 are eligible for the program if they live in countries which share a bilateral Youth Mobility Agreement with Canada.

If their LOI is about to expire within the next 30 days, candidates can apply for an extension. This is only applicable for the people who secured their work permit LOI via the IEC program.

Everyone can get an extension of up to 12 months. IRCC will decide the length of the extension based on whether the candidate is already running on an extension and the status of their medical exam. 

The applicants who are interested in using this to their advantage should apply to IRCC via their web form. The immigration officer will make the final decision based on individual circumstances.